Need reliable electrical repairs in South Florida

[Rainbirds]

2005 Montana 3400RL.

After sitting in storage for 2+ months with 15 amp elec to keep the fan running, I turned on the TV and noticed small smoke and smell from the entertainment area. Then it blew the kitchen GFCI. I turned all off and started testing various circuits.
(NOTE: No circuit breakers blew.)

All components work except the Direct TV tuner/DVR Box, which had to be replaced. Though now when the TV is on, it will trip the kitchen GFCI after about 15 minutes. I have since replaced this GFCI, just in case it was at fault. No change noticed.

Does anyone have a recommendation for a knowledgeable electrical repair facility/dealer in the South Florida area, either coast. Prefer the West Palm Beach / East coast area.

Thanks.

[snfexpress]

We checked out the West Palm Beach dealer (Palm Beach RV) and were not impressed. If you can wait a month, we'll be in the Ft. Lauderdale area for the winter and may be able to help. We had a 2006 3400RL (born Dec '05) and currently have an '09 340RLQ, so are pretty familiar with the routing of the cables.

From what you have written, I would suspect the TV. Try plugging the TV, using an extension cord, into another outlet. If it doesn't trip the breaker, then I would remove the original TV receptacle and check the wiring for burning and/or loose connections before panicking about the entire run to the panel.

The GFCI does not protect, down line, the TV outlet as the entertainment center is on its own breaker, seperate from the kitchen run (where the gfci is the first outlet).

[SlickWillie]

Michael, I really don't understand that last statement you made. How is the TV receptacle not on that GFCI receptacle, if the TV trips it. These things are not wired the same, even for the same models. I've seen breakers labeled, and not even have a wire to them. Instead, the breaker beside it would feed that circuit, plus the one it is labeled for. The guy that wires these things may have been building Amish buggies the day before. The idea of the extension cord plugged to another circuit is an excellent way to eliminate the TV.

TV's I've seen do not have 3 prong plugs, so the TV possibly has a short, and is drawing a heck of a lot of current. I suppose it may be shorted to the chassis also, and if hooked to cable, that provides a source to ground, as the outer sheath on the cable is grounded. The latter is the scenario I would suspect. Merely my opinion.

[snfexpress]

Will,

In re-reading the OP I see that the GFI did trip. I was thinking about our two rigs and how the TV/Entertainment center outlets are not on the Kitchen circuit.

[Rainbirds]

Thanks for the input guys. Sorry I haven't gotten back to you sooner. We are still in transit for a while. You are both right.

Here are some bits / pieces and new data. Some fits, some doesn't.

TV is not on the kitchen GFCI circuit. but when the TV is on for 15 +/- minutes, the kitchen GFCI blows. The TV keeps playing, it does not turn off.

A couple of thoughts: it could be a grounding problem;
it could be weak power from the campground.

Now add this to the mix. The TV has not blown the GFCI lately.
What has changed?
* We are at a new park. Previously we were at many different parks when the circuit did blow. The power at this park seems to be strong.
* I turned the fire place on and off. (It works)
* I plugged the coffee pot into the kitchen GFCI.

The last one seemed like the most likely. (Not that it makes any sense. I had already replaced the socket, just in case.) I unplugged the coffee, turned on the TV and in 15 min it blew. I plugged the coffee in and turned on the TV and it ran. Since then the circuit has not blown with the coffe plugged in or out and the TV was being turned on and off.

So for the time being my problem seems to be that I don't have a problem. And those kind of problems are hard to work on.

Agreed?