New electrical issue

[exp2ex]

First, Thanks for all the help received with my power converter problem. My factory one was bad. I replaced it with a power max which was a simple fix and less expensive then what I was expecting.

Next. My AC, fan and lights etc are all working as designed. The only issue I am having is with the BATH GFCI outlet and the fridge.

With the camper plugged in, the batter cables connected, the battery reads 13.12 V at the battery and 13.10 V at the lugs in the panel. all breakers in the on position, and the GFCI receptacle on, if I turn the fridge on, the BATH GFCI will trip at the GFCI. In a few minutes the CHECK light on the fridge will illuminate.

This happened with the old power converter as well. It is the only thing that has stayed the same.

Also, If I turn the all the breakers off in the box, the fridge buttons will still illuminate. Is the fridge 12 V ?

Thanks again

[time2roll]

Good to hear good results now and then.
Great job :B

[exp2ex]

Replaced the converter and the heating element.
Everything works as deigned now with no issues.
Total cost was $170 and about 2 hrs of time.

Thanks all for the info and help.

[exp2ex]

Going to replace both.
I think I might even have a GFCI laying around here somewhere.

Thanks guy. Really appreciate it.

[CA_Traveler]

DrewE wrote:

exp2ex wrote:
I did the 120x120v / 325w calculation and it comes out to 44.3, so the 45.5 resistance is good or outside the limits ?

The resistance is reasonable. The problem when the GFCI trips is not that the element is shorted or open across its leads, but rather that the electrical insulation between it and the fridge chassis has broken down and leaks current. It needs replacement.

X2 GFCIs do go bad so replacement is another option.

Plug the refer into an extension cord and then into a pedestal GFCI if that doesn't trip then it's likely to be your GFCI.

[DrewE]

exp2ex wrote:
I did the 120x120v / 325w calculation and it comes out to 44.3, so the 45.5 resistance is good or outside the limits ?

The resistance is reasonable. The problem when the GFCI trips is not that the element is shorted or open across its leads, but rather that the electrical insulation between it and the fridge chassis has broken down and leaks current. It needs replacement.

[exp2ex]

I did the 120x120v / 325w calculation and it comes out to 44.3, so the 45.5 resistance is good or outside the limits ?

[exp2ex]

So I removed the heater element. Tested it with my meter set at 200 ohms on the meter and it reads 45.5 , So I am assuming this would mean that it has a short in it ? An I need to order a new one ? THank you.

[CA_Traveler]

BTW After storage I always light the stove before the refer to help purge air from the propane line. WH/furnace can also purge the air.

[CA_Traveler]

The heating element. And with the heating wires completely disconnected check the ohms to ground for the leak. If you have 2 heating elements replace both.

[exp2ex]

I turned the Propane on and ran the Fridge on the propane. Took a while to light because of the air in the lines.

But it did run on propane.

And the GFCI will not trip unless the Fridge is turned on.

So what part on the fridge should I consider replacing ?

[exp2ex]

Thanks guys ! Will check it out. Appreciate your time.

[time2roll]

The fridge needs 12v for the controls and uses either propane or 120vac heater to power the absorption process.

There are plenty of posts where the heating element is bad and causes the GFCI to trip. Unplug the fridge and see if the GFCI stays on 24 hours.

[DrewE]

The fridge control circuitry operates on 12V power. The fridge cooling system operates either on propane (with a little burner) or a 120V heating element. (There are some three-way fridges that also have a 12V heating element, but they are not common and it doesn't sound like you have one.)

While there are variations in fridge controls, typically they are designed to switch automatically between 120V power and propane: using 120V power when it's available, and propane when it's not available. Often there's a switch or something to force it to use propane even when 120V power is present.

The check light generally means that the fridge tried to light the gas burner but it didn't light for some reason--either something is broken or maladjusted in the burner assembly, or there is no propane, or there's a propane valve shut off somewhere. (At least some Dometic fridges have a gas shutoff valve built into the burner assembly that's rather easy to overlook.)

The 120V power for the fridge generally comes from an outlet mounted in the fridge compartment and accessible from the outside by removing the side fridge vent cover. This outlet, since it's somewhat exposed to the outside and could reasonably get damp etc., is usually protected by the GFCI. It sounds as though your fridge heating element has gone bad and leaks power to ground, which trips the GFCI when it turns on. When the GFCI trips, the fridge no longer has 120V power, and so it tries to switch to propane. That fails and the check light comes on. The solution to that problem is to replace (or have replaced) the fridge heating element...or to use the fridge on propane only.

You don't want to bypass the GFCI to use the fridge on 120V power as it is; the current leakage is potentially dangerous, conceivably even deadly under the right (wrong?) circumstances.

[Chris_Bryant]

The refrigerator heating element is bad- leaking a small current, enough to trip the GFCI. *Sometimes* you can run it on LP, which will heat the element and drive out any moisture, but really replacement is the correct fix.