Reflection Tripping Home 110

[JohnScott59]

Just returned home from winter trip. Plugged unit into my home 110 to operate the basics. Immediately blew the home oulet GFI. Tried new power cord with same result. All works when plugged into unprotected home GFI (oulet our freezer is plugged into). All works on straight battery power. Electrition checked all home wiring - no issues. He suggested possible converter???

[Jkwilson]

Does your rig have a generator? Has it worked without tripping the GFCI before?

[TedS]

That is usual for a most trailers. I have to use a non-gfci receptacle.

[howson]

Just returned home from winter trip. Plugged unit into my home 110 to operate the basics. Immediately blew the home oulet GFI. Tried new power cord with same result. All works when plugged into unprotected home GFI (oulet our freezer is plugged into). All works on straight battery power. Electrition checked all home wiring - no issues. He suggested possible converter???

If you turn off the main circuit breakers in the trailer (I assume your Reflection is a 50A unit) does the house GFCI continue to pop?

If not, with all the other breakers off turn on the mains--what happens?

If the GFCI still doesn't pop in house, turn on one circuit breaker at a time in the coach until it does. What circuit caused the issue?

If you're unsure of a GFCI's theory of operation check out https://www.rvtravel.com/rv-electric...g-gfci-part-i/

Also--welcome to the forum! There's a Welcome Letter to New Members I hope you'll take a moment to read. https://gdrvowners.com/forum/main-fo...to-new-members

[Jlawles2]

In addition to Howard's list.

Do you have and EMS? There are a couple of those that have gone bad and caused random tripping issues.

Also what are you using to convert the 50A to a 15A? Check that out for issues.

[JohnScott59]

Thanks for the responses. We tried my neighbors 50amp cord and adapter and it kicked GFI. Through checking out the fuse box we learned the fridge breaker was bad, it works on battery power, but not AC so we shut the breaker off as well as unplugged the unit and it still kicked the GFI. We did try and kick off Main Breakers - it still kicked off GFI on home. We then had our electrician come back and check the outlet he installed and all was good. Ended up taking the unit into a RV service provider, he is going to replace the bad breaker and run a basic diagnostics and we'll go from there. He warned me that if we went through the process of checking every possible connection looking for a minor grounding issue, it can be expensive. He said that kicking off home GFI's was common in 50% of the units he works on.No issues when plugged into non-protected outlet. Will update with what we learned.

[TucsonJim]

I would suspect one of two scenarios are causing your issue.

1. Moisture in an outlet allowing for an electrical path to ground.
2. A reversed neutral and ground wire in an outlet.

Howard has a very good suggestion on starting your trouble-shooting.
The attached article shows how to troubleshoot for a swapped ground/neutral.

https://www.rvtravel.com/more-random-gfci-tripping/

Jim

[ThePowells]

JohnScott59 Welcome to the family and the forum!

[Jlawles2]

JohnScott59 Let me get this correct. "We did try and kick off Main Breakers - it still kicked off GFI on home." was this with the neighbors 50A chord, or yours? If on neighbors, it leads me to think there is an issue with the main panel having a neutral and ground bonded.

Again as asked before, is there a generator prep or an automatic transfer switch?

[Country Campers]

I thought that GFI receptacles do not play well with each other. The RV has GFI inside and plugging it into a GFI plug will make that plug trip. Try plugging into a non GFI plug.

Brian

[Scott'n'Wendy]

I was going to say your fridge A/C heater would be the likely culprit...but if I understand your post correctly, you unplugged the fridge and the gfi still tripped?

[Jkwilson]

I thought that GFI receptacles do not play well with each other. The RV has GFI inside and plugging it into a GFI plug will make that plug trip. Try plugging into a non GFI plug.

Brian

No reason a GFCI can’t feed another without tripping.

[TedS]

I'm not certain how a GFCI senses the current imbalance. If it uses an active sensing circuit, the upstream GFCI may detect that small current in the downstream GFCI as a fault and subsequently trip.

https://www.powerelectronictips.com/...t-interrupter/

[Jlawles2]

I think the thing here that peaks my interest is the statement that the main breakers were off and it still tripped.

[TedS]

The neutral is still continuous. Is there possibly a small current to ground with no return through the hot seen as unbalanced current and trip?

Do a continuity check neutral to ground. That should be near infinite resistance, no connection.