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Electrical questions re-asked

July 25, 2010, 10:43:23 am

They might have been answered, but I missed them.  Kind of like my tools, always developing legs and running off 

Apparently the general run of the outlets on the inverter in the coach all run off the bathroom outlet, which is a GFI.  It is constantly kicking off, with no apparent reason.  Is this a common problem?  Possibly it's just getting weak and needs replacing?

This question is simple, what is the electrical box for that is in the large storage bay, to the right of the central vac.?

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Re: Electrical questions re-asked

Reply #1 – July 25, 2010, 11:27:28 am

Gayland,
 
You are correct, probably time to replace the GFI, I bought two at Lowe's, so I have a spare on board.
 
Tim Fiedler 2000 U-320 4010

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Re: Electrical questions re-asked

Reply #2 – July 25, 2010, 12:20:50 pm

All coaches are laid out differently.  Describe your electric box.  We had so many GFCI trips, years ago we replaced our GFCI with a regular outlet without GFCI.

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Re: Electrical questions re-asked

Reply #3 – July 25, 2010, 01:07:31 pm

Gayland,

Yes, it could be a weak GFI outlet-- they are not expensive or difficult to replace (with all 120 VAC OFF-- shore, generator AND inverter).

But, it also could be a problem with one of the appliances plugged into one of that GFI's outlets.  I would start by unplugging all appliances.  If the GFI trips, replace it.  If it doesn't, start plugging and using appliances one at a time.

Brett

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Re: Electrical questions re-asked

Reply #4 – July 25, 2010, 01:56:24 pm

For sure, there must be many different wiring circuits that run through the GFI, depending on your coach.  Seems they are all different from what I read here.
For example, my coach, the GFI does not feed the Microwave outlet, Outlet beside the driver chair, nor the outlets in the overhead for TV etc.  Seems the rest DO go through the GFI, I have changed my GFI, and see NO difference, some days it goes off within 30 seconds of resetting repeatedly with nothing plugged in, then for no reason it will go for a month or more with normal things plugged in.
Looks like there are a lot of opinions and mine is "I have no idea" . Also if you wash out your bays, you open up a whole new education on resetting the GFI.
Good Luck.
Dave.

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Re: Electrical questions re-asked

Reply #5 – July 25, 2010, 03:03:46 pm

I don't know how I'd describe my coach's wiring setup,  transfer box under bed feeds main box which feeds inverter box.  Bathroom outlet is GFI, and when it trips, most of the ones in the front are off, although I realize a couple are shore power only.  My experience is similar to Dave M's, nothing plugged in and still blows.  I'll try a new one first.  I have a gruesome story to tell below, skip it if you're squeamish, and take it for what it's worth.

My wife is the local church secretary.  A couple of weeks ago she got a call from a women who had lived in the area in the 60's, (wondering if she'd been baptized in this church, but beside the point.)  Her story - when she was 3, was bathing with her 2 year old sister and 4 year old brother.  Her mother took her out of the tub, and the 4 year old decided the water was to cold so grabbed the electric heater.  You can guess the rest of the story.  So, with that fresh in my mind, I'm reluctant to not leave it as a GFI.  The code here is any outlet within 6 feet of water needs to be GFI, but it could be re-wired to where the downstream ones aren't on it.

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Re: Electrical questions re-asked

Reply #6 – July 25, 2010, 03:14:01 pm

I suggest that you leave the GFCI alone and do the various things that others have suggested, FIRST.
As mentioned previously, unplug things and determine if you have a problem with the stuff you have plugged in to the GFCI circuit.
I would suspect things that have multiple setting switches such as fans, electric blankets, etc..l
Additionally, I would de-power your Heart Inverter/Charger and take off the access panel where all the connections are and REDO those connections and make them MUCH MORE solid that the twist-on caps that are probably on it now.  I used U-shaped lugs on mine.  If nothing else, it will make sure you don't have inverter problems caused by loose connections.  One one occasion I feel that the inverter connections were causing my GFCI problem as it went away after I secured them.  Defies logic.
MY GFCI used to drive me crazy until I checked everything AFTER the GFCI and everything BEFORE the GFCI.
Now that I inspect all of my electrical connections on a routine basis, such as checking to see if various connections (shore power connections, ect.) are warm or hot and isolating things that might be causing a problem.
I replaced my GFCI with a new one and it also didn't work well.
I put the old one (14 year old original) back in and I haven't had a GFCI irritation since.  In my case, it has always seemed to be caused by things other than a GFCI failure.  YMMV.
I do not remember what is inside the box on the bay wall.  I have only had the cover off once, a long time ago, so whatever is in there must be pretty reliable.  You might remind us WHAT is in there after you verify it.
Regards,

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Re: Electrical questions re-asked

Reply #7 – July 25, 2010, 04:03:15 pm

Jon,
 I am sitting  here laughing a little.
What I was referring to washing out the bays, was after a salesman at MOT power washed both sides, it took a few  hours of blowing air into the duplex outlets one each side to get the GFI to reset and hold for a few minutes.  It was about a week of drying before the GFI was close to reliable.
Yes, be careful pressure washing em electric outlets, WOW !  I was not aware of what he was doing until way too late.  Salesmen are not all created equal either.
Cheers
Dave

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Re: Electrical questions re-asked

Reply #8 – July 25, 2010, 11:56:03 pm

Jon - can't argue with the logic of your suggestions, besides which I'll learn something on the way.

Only problem is, I have the Dave's dezzzeese, and will forget it all the next day. 

 

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