Forum Discussion

mikestock's avatar
mikestock
Explorer
Apr 16, 2018

Having trouble understanding GFCI problem

I have my MH in a storage lot with low capacity electrical hookup for battery charging.

Three of us are hooked into one box. After the initial bulk charge for a few seconds mine drops off to below 50 watts. The other two are pulling 95 and 325 watts respectively. I even tried running the generator while attaching the plug to avoid the charger going into bulk charge.

Any two of us are OK but the third knocks out the 20 amp GFIC. Doesn't matter which is the third, it trips.

I know we are in no way approaching 20 amps, even when first plugged in.

This station plus one other is fed by a 30 amp breaker, but it never opens.

I'm asking the owner to get the GFIC breaker checked but he said it was checked about a month ago when someone else complained. He is a hard headed individual who knows it all.

I still think something is going wrong with the GFIC breaker but I'm no expert. May go buy one myself and changing it out. Easy way out if this is the problem.
  • SoundGuy's avatar
    SoundGuy
    Explorer
    Apr 16, 2018
    mikestock wrote:
    I still think something is going wrong with the GFIC breaker but I'm no expert. May go buy one myself and changing it out.


    If you do you'll have more luck if you buy a GFCI. :p
  • Isaac-1's avatar
    Isaac-1
    Explorer
    Apr 16, 2018
    It may be a bad GFCI, they do tend to fail being too sensitive to ground leakage
  • time2roll's avatar
    time2roll
    Nomad
    Apr 16, 2018
    These GFCI generally trip in excess of 5 mA differential. Could be you each are leaking 2 mA.

    I would first try turning off all breakers in the RV except the main and the charging system. See if that eliminates something.

    Second I would try using a Battery Minder or Battery Tender brand maintenance charger direct from the outlet to the battery and see if that resolves the issue. The idea is to remove all the RV circuitry from the load circuit.

    Otherwise could prove difficult unless you have the keys to all three RVs.

    100+ watts solar and a controller could also eliminate the need to plug in.
  • BFL13's avatar
    BFL13
    Explorer II
    Apr 16, 2018
    There are "GFCI issues" from ground faults, and there are "breaker" issues from overloads. It sounds more like an overload issue.

    Is it really a 20 amp receptacle? (It might be a 20/15 and have only 14 wire instead of proper 12 wire? How do three plugs get into it--power bar? Power bars pop their own little breakers easily when loaded up and they start to get hot.

    What is the actual set-up, to clarify the situation?
  • mikestock's avatar
    mikestock
    Explorer
    Apr 16, 2018
    SoundGuy wrote:
    mikestock wrote:
    I still think something is going wrong with the GFIC breaker but I'm no expert. May go buy one myself and changing it out.


    If you do you'll have more luck if you buy a GFCI. :p


    OK. So I'm old. Excuuuuse me.
  • mikestock's avatar
    mikestock
    Explorer
    Apr 16, 2018
    time2roll wrote:
    These GFCI generally trip in excess of 5 mA differential. Could be you each are leaking 2 mA.

    I would first try turning off all breakers in the RV except the main and the charging system. See if that eliminates something.

    Second I would try using a Battery Minder or Battery Tender brand maintenance charger direct from the outlet to the battery and see if that resolves the issue. The idea is to remove all the RV circuitry from the load circuit.

    Otherwise could prove difficult unless you have the keys to all three RVs.

    100+ watts solar and a controller could also eliminate the need to plug in.


    In which unit? Any two together work okay until the third is added.

    The 100 watt solar would be an expensive (I don't boondock) way to solve the symptoms or I have 12 volt/15 amp charger which would also solve the symptoms but not eliminate the problem.
  • pianotuna's avatar
    pianotuna
    Nomad III
    Apr 16, 2018
    50 + 90 + 325 is not going to overload a 20 amp circuit (2400 watts)

    We got along just fine for a hundred years without GFCI.
  • mikestock's avatar
    mikestock
    Explorer
    Apr 16, 2018
    BFL13 wrote:


    What is the actual set-up, to clarify the situation?


    I don't know how the place is wired. It is a large lot with a dozen or so boxes. We temporarily solved to problem by one of us moving to another box using a 100 ft. cord. I didn't have enough extension to reach it.
  • pianotuna's avatar
    pianotuna
    Nomad III
    Apr 16, 2018
    Hmmmm,

    How about daisy chaining. Plug in just one RV then go from #1 to #2 and from #2 to #3 with the outside plugs?
  • mikestock's avatar
    mikestock
    Explorer
    Apr 16, 2018
    BFL13 wrote:


    What is the actual set-up, to clarify the situation?


    I don't know how the place is wired. It is a large lot with a dozen or so boxes. We temporarily solved to problem by one of us moving to another box using a 100 ft. cord. I didn't have enough extension to reach it.

    pianotuna wrote:
    50 + 90 + 325 is not going to overload a 20 amp circuit (2400 watts)

    We got along just fine for a hundred years without GFCI.


    I don't think that's legal, now.

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