half of my outlets not working

[davecoloradospr]

I have a 2007 Northwoods Nash 22GQ travel trailer. Out last weekend and we heard a pop in our trailer. Like a breaker went off. I checked the power center and yes, there was a breaker that tripped. I reset it. I then went to the GFCI outlet and hit the reset button on that. Did not fix the issue. So, I went back to the power control center, checked all fuses, all good, and then tripped the breaker that i had done earlier. This breaker wont stay 'on'. I can barely touch it and it will trip. So, I am thinking that the breaker needs to be replaced. Or maybe its the GFCI outlet that has gone bad? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

[davecoloradospr]

Update: SO, I installed a new circuit breaker, made sure nothing was plugged in on that circuit, turned the breaker on and immediately the breaker tripped and also i had an alarm sound go off, indicating low voltage

[wa8yxm]

If the test button trips the GFCI when the breaker is ON the GICI is working

If the breaker is a Trip-o-matic then either there is a short (hot to neutral) over load (Too much stuff plugged in) or the breker is bad
Some breakers are designed to trip if you touch them.

UNPLUG everything. see if the breaker holds. then start plugging stuff back in one item at a time.

True story
Camper (Nice Class A) half his outlets were out.
I ask if he had an inverter (he did not know
Had a nice Tripp-Lite

Viewed from above the breakers looked like this \/ Made 'em look like this // and all was good.

[Bob_Landry]

Fuses have nothing to do with 115V power.
GFIs will not reset if there is no voltage to them.
Circuit breakers can and do go bad.
To reset a C/B you have to push it all the way off and then push it on.
Test the breaker by swapping it ith one of the others in the panel.

[philh]

capacitor wrote:
The test button will trip the GFI when breaker is on.

I'd go to there's a direct short. Breaker immediately "pops".

[davecoloradospr]

Thanks capacitor. I will try that and post back results

[capacitor]

The test button will trip the GFI when breaker is on.

[davecoloradospr]

Thanks capacitor. How do I trip the GFCI? I have tried pushing the reset button as well as the test button. Is there a way that I can tell if the GFCI outlet is still good?

[DrewE]

As the breaker is tripping immediately, there are a few possibilities:

1. Bad breaker, with no other cause; I'd guess this is probably the least likely, but it certainly is not impossible. In general, though, circuit breakers are very reliable if not abused by being exposed to the elements, repeatedly switched under load, or that sort of thing.

2. A short or significant overload somewhere in the circuit, such that the breaker is doing its job and protecting you. Find and correct. This could be tricky to find, if it's due to e.g. a wire being chafed on the RV frame somewhere or a staple or screw penetrating it.

3. A loose connection between the breaker and the bus bar in the power center, or between the circuit wire and the breaker. Current flow would cause a poor connection to heat up, and a thermal-magnetic breaker to warm up, and trip at well under its rated current. Fix the bad connection (which may involve replacing the breaker and/or bus bar and/or wire if they have been damaged by heat). It is not a bad idea to check all the connections for tightness every now and again--of course, with power disconnected.

[capacitor]

Trip the GFI then see if the breaker is still touchy. If so replace. If not replace GFI. Unplug everything in that circuit first.

[Lwiddis]

That’s where I’d start...replace the breaker.