Outlet/GFCI Issue

[longdog2]

I have a 2009 Jayco 5th wheel. I have a GFCI outlet in the bedroom which controls outlets on the passenger side of the 5th wheel (near bathroom sink and over the counter in the kitchen. The outlets over the counter test out fine with the 3 light plug-in testor. Sometimes I can use them for several days without a problem (usually for percolator) but then the GFCI will pop. Reset the GFCI and then use the testor again and they are fine. Noticed last time that GFCI no longer lights up. Microwave and fridge on same side but neither are affected so I assume not on GFCI. What might the fix be?

[tenbear]

Glad to hear what your problem was and that it is now solved. Good news! Thanks for posting.

[longdog2]

Just wanted to thank you all for the good advice and to let you know that I had the 5th wheel out two weeks ago for a week long get together with friends. I bought the correct feed through GFCI thanks to advice here. Upon arrival at the park, before hooking up the power. I unhooked the battery and installed the new GFCI. It was easy to follow the directions and it worked perfectly so my problem is solved. Thanks again.

[enblethen]

Just make sure you get a good quality GFCI receptacle with the feed through function.

[Bobbo]

These threads sometimes stray pretty far from the original question. While not always helpful, it can make for some interesting reading, and sometimes I learn something.

[longdog2]

I guess I'm the OP and I'm in Texas. Pretty darn sure that my 2009 Jayco won't have any knob and tube in it. 🙂

[enblethen]

Yes, "current" code does require ground wires. There are a lot of houses built along time ago with knob and tube wiring and 2 wire systems.
Read through para 2.3
Pass & Seymour

[Wayne_Dohnal]

Current code does not allow for two wire wiring, only three wire that includes a safety ground.

2011 NEC 404.4(D)(2) allows a grounding-type GFCI receptacle or a GFCI protected grounding-type receptacle to be installed on an existing 2-wire circuit.

[Bob_Landry]

enblethen wrote:
Some manufactuers still make no feed-thru GFCIs for rehabs of existing two wire systems. Some locales still stock these.

Which manufacturers? Current code does not allow for two wire wiring, only three wire that includes a safety ground.

[Bobbo]

I bet Bob Landry hit it. I bet it is a Canadian variation. Now, we need to find out if the OP is Canadian or not.

[enblethen]

Some manufactuers still make no feed-thru GFCIs for rehabs of existing two wire systems. Some locales still stock these.

[Bob_Landry]

That may be some kind of Canadian configuration, but I have never seen one in a house or on a boat or RV.
The ones we buy are marked Line and Load and have a screw for safety ground.

[stubblejumper]

Bob Landry wrote:

stubblejumper wrote:

Bob Landry wrote:

enblethen wrote:
The GFCI receptacle is the same as residential.

Any GFCI you buy is going to be a "feed through", whatever is meant by that. The terminals are going to be marked Line and Load and have to be connected correctly or any outlet downstream from it will not function properly.

Not true. Line and load are the input. Usually your GFCI is the first plug on the circuit. New GFCI's will often have both "feed through" and "pass through". Feed through means on going circuits are GFCI protected. Pass through means following circuits are not GFCI protected. There are separate terminals or "push ins" on the back of the GFCI for each circuit. Read the instructions that came with your FCI carefully so that the following circuits are hooked up as required.

Where in the world did that come from?

GFCI ( Levitron ) with 6 terminals.

Top 2 are line/load in.

Middle two GFCI carry on to have following outlets protected by the GFCI

Bottom 2 are direct connection (internally in the GFCI) to the input line/load connection which allows having following outlets to be non GFCI protected

Ground carries on as per normal.

[westend]

longdog2 wrote:
Appreciate all the help. Since my RV is in storage without the ability to hook up to shore power, I will have to wait to replace the GFCI. I will double check the outlet inside the storage bay and the outside outlet (it has a cover). I guess I could also go get the percolator and bring it back to the house to check it out on a GFCI outlet here; however, I have also used the crockpot and rice cooker. The results were the same. Sometimes it continues working for many days in a row without a problem and then the next time I will try to use it, the GFCI has popped.

I wouldn't wait for checking the GFCI or the percolator, just replace the device. These devices seem to have a finite life if tripped. Tripping the receptacle's safety feature more than just a few times is usually cause for demise. If this was the original GFCI, there would be the additional concern about the quality, our friends, the RV makers, are not about quality.

[Bob_Landry]

stubblejumper wrote:

Bob Landry wrote:

enblethen wrote:
The GFCI receptacle is the same as residential.

Any GFCI you buy is going to be a "feed through", whatever is meant by that. The terminals are going to be marked Line and Load and have to be connected correctly or any outlet downstream from it will not function properly.

Not true. Line and load are the input. Usually your GFCI is the first plug on the circuit. New GFCI's will often have both "feed through" and "pass through". Feed through means on going circuits are GFCI protected. Pass through means following circuits are not GFCI protected. There are separate terminals or "push ins" on the back of the GFCI for each circuit. Read the instructions that came with your FCI carefully so that the following circuits are hooked up as required.

Where in the world did that come from?