GFCI and 22MLE

[bjboulden]

I have had this problem before but after a while it fixed itself. My GFCI plug on my 22MLE tripped but won’t reset. Any suggestions?

Also this seemed to happened both this time and last time when I plugged in to shore power. Is there an order of things to do when connecting to shore power. And yes I do use a 30 amp Rv surge protector

I love my 22MLE but this is really starting to bug me

Thanks
Brian

[TedS]

I would suspect the problem is somewhere in the trailer. Connecting to shore power completes the return ground connection to carry the power leak to shore system ground. What appliances are plugged into the gfci-protected receptacles? Unplug them to see if the gfci no longer trips. That will determine if the fault is in an appliance or the trailer wiring.

[bjboulden]

I have from what I can tell 4 GCFI plugs. One by the microwave, 2 by the kitchen sink and one in the bathroom. Only the bathroom has a button. The only think plugged into the GCFI (known) plugs is a night light

[howson]

bjboulden

The 22MLE information at my disposal does not show a specific GFCI circuit labeled on the circuit breaker panel. Working backwards (and assuming the bathroom breaker is on a GFCI circuit) that means the General circuit in your camper is GFCI protected. (A lot of qualifications in that last sentence!)

Further assuming that what I'm viewing matches your camper there are multiple outlets that should be on that one breaker.

Below is a diagram with just the General circuit ("D"). All extraneous information was deleted. Look closely for all the "D" labeled outlets (some of them are highlighted with an arrow).

All of these outlets, if the diagram is correct, should NOT work if the General circuit breaker is OFF or a GFCI outlet has tripped. (There's at least one GFCI outlet somewhere--maybe even more than one.)

Howard

[bjboulden]

Howard, thank you for the information. I have not checked the plug up by the bed, but I will do that in the next hour when I get home. None of the outlets have a button that I’ve seen so far except for the one in the bathroom. So no way to trip them back.

i’m out right now picking up a new plug, just in case that’s something to consider to replace it. Any advice is greatly appreciated. Keep in mind. I am no electrician.

[Yoda]

I have from what I can tell 4 GCFI plugs. One by the microwave, 2 by the kitchen sink and one in the bathroom. Only the bathroom has a button. The only think plugged into the GCFI (known) plugs is a night light

Brian
Howard knows what he is talking about. Do you have a plug tester and/or multi-meter? I carry both. The plug tester https://www.homedepot.com/p/Power-Ge...ce=1&gclsrc=ds is handy to check outlets including the one on the shore power posts that most campgrounds have. Now as for the surge protector is it just a surge protector or an EMS unit like this https://www.progressiveindustries.net/ . I have the EMS PT30x and the first thing I do is plug it into the campground power and use it to check the condition of the power. If there is a problem it will not power the trailer up. The second step is to plug the camper power cable into the EMS. If it is just a surge protector it could be going bad.

Now the multi meter is handy to actually check the outlet wiring. If you suspect the master GFI is bad (it does happen) you can pull the outlet and check the power into it. If there is power in and nothing out, then I would replace. HD. Lowes or most good hardware stores carry them. If you don't feel comfortable working around 120V get help.

Keith

[TedS]

Whether or not there is a surge protector or ems doesn't matter. Those devices only sense and react to upstream events. They don't have a clue about what happens downstream to the trailer.

[howson]

I am no electrician.

"New plug"? Do you mean outlet? A GFCI in the RV is the same as a standard household outlet, but all the "RV" types are different.

I highly suggest grabbing a friend who's electrically-savvy or biting the bullet and paying a competent RV technician to diagnose the issue. Either way is a lot less expensive than a trip to the ER...(please be careful!).

[TedS]

Be sure to correctly connect 'line' and 'load' if replacing a gfci receptacle.

[bjboulden]

Ok so I get home and walk into the trailer and the reset button works and now everything is back to normal.

I didn’t get a plug as every major hardware store was out.

I do have a multi meter but to be honest I haven’t used it and I need to get a book on it. That’s my next project 😁

I am just hoping no problems this weekend when we go out

[bjboulden]

"New plug"? Do you mean outlet? A GFCI in the RV is the same as a standard household outlet, but all the "RV" types are different.

I highly suggest grabbing a friend who's electrically-savvy or biting the bullet and paying a competent RV technician to diagnose the issue. Either way is a lot less expensive than a trip to the ER...(please be careful!).

Point well taken

[JBill9694]

Another device I keep handy is an electrical current proximity detector. Mine reminds me of a penlight. If I get close to a live circuit with the tip of the detector the warning light flashes and an audio alarm starts beeping. Handy for tracing where wires are behind a wall and determining if a circuit without a plug is actually off.

[bjboulden]

Another device I keep handy is an electrical current proximity detector. Mine reminds me of a penlight. If I get close to a live circuit with the tip of the detector the warning light flashes and an audio alarm starts beeping. Handy for tracing where wires are behind a wall and determining if a circuit without a plug is actually off.

Ok that’s cool. Never heard of that. New toy!!

[JPS350]

There's one GFCI outlet in a 22mle. It's in the bathroom and all the other outlets are wired in series to its load, so if any one of them trips it, they're all out. One thing to check is the outlet that is outside the camper. If it gets water in it the GFCI will trip. I've never had this happen to ours, but I've read where it happened to others, so worth checking.

[bjboulden]

Brian
Howard knows what he is talking about. Do you have a plug tester and/or multi-meter? I carry both. The plug tester https://www.homedepot.com/p/Power-Ge...ce=1&gclsrc=ds is handy to check outlets including the one on the shore power posts that most campgrounds have. Now as for the surge protector is it just a surge protector or an EMS unit like this https://www.progressiveindustries.net/ . I have the EMS PT30x and the first thing I do is plug it into the campground power and use it to check the condition of the power. If there is a problem it will not power the trailer up. The second step is to plug the camper power cable into the EMS. If it is just a surge protector it could be going bad.

Now the multi meter is handy to actually check the outlet wiring. If you suspect the master GFI is bad (it does happen) you can pull the outlet and check the power into it. If there is power in and nothing out, then I would replace. HD. Lowes or most good hardware stores carry them. If you don't feel comfortable working around 120V get help.

Keith

Keith
i actually have that multimeter and surge protector you listed. The GFI popped again yesterday and now I’m back to zero. The surge protector is flashing an E2 error code. Normally it’s an E0 so not sure what changed or where the error is

Brian