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Kicked a breaker and no power

September 03, 2021, 12:17:09 pm

So here's the situation, the wife retired in June and took a summer job in Yellowstone. that's where she is and that's where the coach is.
This morning she was making coffee, had a heater going, a fan and the microwave etc.. and kicked the breaker at the pedestal. She went outside and reset the pedestal breaker, surge protector reads 120V on L1 and L2 and the power went to the coach. Back inside however the power was still off in the bathroom and kitchen plugins. Microwave, frig, tv and other things still have power. She's reset all the breakers and thinks she's reset the one GFI at the bathroom plugin with no luck. Is there another GFI or another breaker somewhere? Everything was working before the breaker kicked at the pedestal, any ideas? I'm in Washington 800 miles away.

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Re: Kicked a breaker and no power

Reply #1 – September 03, 2021, 12:22:12 pm

Does she have experience with resetting gfi's?

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Re: Kicked a breaker and no power

Reply #2 – September 03, 2021, 01:20:59 pm

Craneman, I've somewhat talked her through it as far as pushing the little buttons in the center of the plugins. I've had it kick out a couple of times before and can usually reset it. I wonder if they can wear out.

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Re: Kicked a breaker and no power

Reply #3 – September 03, 2021, 01:31:04 pm

The can and do wear out.  That is, get weak and trip more easily and may not be able to be reset. 

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Re: Kicked a breaker and no power

Reply #4 – September 03, 2021, 01:33:54 pm

First have her push in the "test" button and see if it clicks out, if it does it was reset. Then have her push the reset button again and make sure it stays in.

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Re: Kicked a breaker and no power

Reply #5 – September 03, 2021, 01:49:35 pm

try unplugging everything from the receptacles..........then reset the GFCI .................. sometimes an over sensitive GFCI wont' reset if it senses a load. Especially if there is an inductive or capacitive load connected.

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Re: Kicked a breaker and no power

Reply #6 – September 03, 2021, 02:30:50 pm

I think we did that. Also unplugged everything and then started at the pedestal and went forward. We might try that again as it's me telling her over the phone.

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Re: Kicked a breaker and no power

Reply #7 – September 03, 2021, 04:32:37 pm

My wife did this earlier this week, it was the GFI in the bathroom that fixed it. It was hard to push so try clicking on it to test then push it in and it should be good .

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Re: Kicked a breaker and no power

Reply #8 – September 03, 2021, 04:47:57 pm

Sometimes the GFI reset button is a little hard to push.

The eraser end of a pencil works well, as does any other blunt object smaller in diameter than the reset button.

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Re: Kicked a breaker and no power

Reply #9 – September 03, 2021, 06:51:47 pm

I hope you can figure it out, but for the future, RVers on 30 or 15 amp pedestal must be cognizant of high amp heating appliance loads running at same time.  Prudent to manage loads by running only one high amp heating appliances at the same time. Like only heater, microwave, coffee, toaster, etc. Turn something off before turning something on.

We also don't run heaters on outlets power by inverter, because if coach loses shore power AND inverter switch is on (like our coach) house battery bank will drain a lot to keep heater running.

Also don't leave heaters running if not in coach for safety reasons.

Her Yellowstone job sounds interesting.

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Re: Kicked a breaker and no power

Reply #10 – September 04, 2021, 05:18:57 pm

Thanks everyone, she feels pretty confident that she has reset the GFI but as some of you stated they can be hard to reset. Anyhow she found someone who does RV repair, he actually spent 20 minutes on the phone with her to try and resolve the issue, and ironically he is also in Washington State at a concert but is heading back the first of the week. I'll let you know what the problem was as soon as I get the bill!

"Her Yellowstone job sounds interesting." yes she went from being a hydro-geologist working for the Department of Ecology to being a cashier at the grocery store in Canyon. So instead of talking about permitting and regulations your talking about carcasses and bear sightings.

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