GFI trips at home when trailer plugged in

[wgriswold]

Today I plugged my trailer in at home in preparation for a trip, to charge the batteries. The GFI in the garage was tripped.

I turned off all the breakers for 120V in the trailer and it still tripped. The only thing I had done recently was to take apart the 30 amp plug because it didn't seem right where it entered the plug. I could see the three wires and that didn't seem right. I took it apart and everything looks fine. I can't see any way the plug could could cause the GFI to trip, but what do I know.

I plan to replace the plug tomorrow and see what happens. Any other ideas?

[camperpaul]

donn0128 wrote:
You cannot plug a trailer into another GFCI. They do not play nice with the GFCI that is already in your trailer.

Does that mean electricity works differently in Oregon than it does in the rest of the Universe?

[donn0128]

ScottG wrote:

donn0128 wrote:
You cannot plug a trailer into another GFCI. They do not play nice with the GFCI that is already in your trailer.

I'm sorry but this isn't accurate. You can daisy chain a dozen GFCI's and they wont trip. So yes, you can plug a trailer into a GFCI - or should be able to if all is right.
The problem is you have a ground fault someplace - ground is touching hot. The most common causes are the heater element in your fridge, which can work fine but has contacted chassis ground (repl it). Other causes are the water heater or a wet external outlet.
You can isolate it by unplugging each item one at a time and trying the GFCI again.
You want to fix this because it can be a very dangerous condition.

That depends on whether they are in series or parallel. The OP has one feeding the RV and another in the RV. That will not allow them to play nice together.

[ScottG]

wgriswold wrote:
Wouldn't turning off the breakers in the trailer turn off the appliances?

You can try that, then try plugging the trailer in. I would start with the fridge though - which is just as easy to unplug.

[JesLookin]

Yes, but if there is a problem with the cord - the breakers would have nothing to do with tripping the ground fault.

[wgriswold]

Wouldn't turning off the breakers in the trailer turn off the appliances?

[ScottG]

donn0128 wrote:
You cannot plug a trailer into another GFCI. They do not play nice with the GFCI that is already in your trailer.

I'm sorry but this isn't accurate. You can daisy chain a dozen GFCI's and they wont trip. So yes, you can plug a trailer into a GFCI - or should be able to if all is right.
The problem is you have a ground fault someplace - ground is touching hot. The most common causes are the heater element in your fridge, which can work fine but has contacted chassis ground (repl it). Other causes are the water heater or a wet external outlet.
You can isolate it by unplugging each item one at a time and trying the GFCI again.
You want to fix this because it can be a very dangerous condition.

[donn0128]

You cannot plug a trailer into another GFCI. They do not play nice with the GFCI that is already in your trailer.