2020 Imagine 23BHE 110v power problem.

[Ptribble912]

I have been trying to troubleshoot a power problem with my trailer. I lost power to all outlets on the GFCI circuit (9) including the GFCI outlet. I have check all the breakers, replaced the GFCI outlet and still no power. As a last ditch effort I unhooked the load side of the GFCI outlet leaving the line side connected with the ground and finally was able to reset the GFCI outlet so that I have one functioning outlet. I then tried reconnecting the load side back to the GFCI outlet after turning off the power and upon turning the breaker back on I was back to square one, unable to reset the GFCI outlet. Any ideas?

[Jkwilson]

Either what is plugged into one of the protected outlets or the wiring or outlet are causing the trip. You may have to pull the outlets to inspect. A GFCI will trip on contact between hot and ground or between neutral and ground.

[TedS]

Unplug everything from the protected outlets. Reconnect the load lines. If the gfci does not trip then one of the previously plugged in devices is causing the trip. Plug in one at a time to find the faulty one.
it the gfci trips with nothing plugged in the protected protected outlets, then troubleshoot the outlets and wiring.

[howson]

I have been trying to troubleshoot a power problem with my trailer. I lost power to all outlets on the GFCI circuit (9) including the GFCI outlet. I have check all the breakers, replaced the GFCI outlet and still no power. As a last ditch effort I unhooked the load side of the GFCI outlet leaving the line side connected with the ground and finally was able to reset the GFCI outlet so that I have one functioning outlet. I then tried reconnecting the load side back to the GFCI outlet after turning off the power and upon turning the breaker back on I was back to square one, unable to reset the GFCI outlet. Any ideas?

I read an input from a mobile tech that ran into a similar situation. After extensive troubleshooting he found the water heater element was shorting to the metal frame of the heater. The way he found the issue was to methodically remove the neutral from each circuit (at the common neutral bar in the Power Distribution Panel) until the GFCI reset. Once he isolated the problem circuit (the water heater) he was able to further isolate to the element. The owner wasn't running the water heater on electric, so it's breaker never popped but the GFCI sensed the imbalance via the common neutral.

If what I wrote above is "greek"--consider hiring a mobile RV technician that knows how to troubleshoot an electrical issue. (All mobile techs are not created equal!) At minimum, if you're not familiar with troubleshooting these types of circuits get a friend who is and follow proper electrical safety practices. 120vAC can (and will) provide "self-correction" that you'll find unpleasant.

Stop back and let us know what fixed the issue.

Howard

P.S. I suspect you've already read the Welcome Letter since you filled out your signature line--thanks!

[Jlawles2]

howson Ptribble912 To add to Howard and Ted's comments, if you find that something plugged into an outlet is tripping it, if it's a grounded plug, verify or have someone verify that the plug is wired correctly. A reversed neutral and ground or hot and neutral will give a GFCI fits.

One of the GFCI circuits testers with lights may help diagnose issues. Howard has a relatively inexpensive one with a timer on it that I need to add to my collection.

[ThePowells]

Ptribble912 Patrick, welcome to the Family and the forum!

[howson]

Ptribble912 -- I found the input I referenced in post 4. Here's the accurate story as documented by a certified RV technician (source is outside of this forum):

OK, here's one that made me scratch my head for a bit. A GFCI breaker that powers the television and a few outlets trips off as fast as you reset it. Even with nothing plugged in. This is on a <edited> motorhome with 50 amp Service.

Using a 120 volt non-contact tester, I was getting tweets at every outlet, even the dead ones, and in an outside bay with an outlet, even as I got the tester close to the floor. An two-prong analog meter showed zero volts on the outlets but my digital meter showed 120 volts to ground while zero to neutral on all affected outlets and that's with the breaker tripped off!

The ground (dirt) outside was damp so I shoved one multimeter lead into the ground and put one on the hitch ball and got varying voltage up to 85 volts AC. A finger on the ball and one in the dirt gave me a good jolt! (Note from Howard: not a good idea to "verify" a hot skin using your fingers.) I started turning off breakers until the hot skin went away when I turned off the one for the water heater. But the GFCI still wouldn't stay "on" until I disconnected the water heater ground and neutral wires from their respective busses in the breaker box.

Ready for this? Water heater electric element was busted open, causing voltage to bleed through the water to ground And the GFCI breaker, on a different circuit, detected it. A new element and all's well.