Storage GFCI Tripping - Possible Causes

[Goose]

I have a 2017 3791RD that is stored in a public storage facility. I use it often so I use the house supplied GFCI outlet (15 amp) and connect through the main power to keep the residential refrigerator cold and power the convertor to keep the batteries charged. The first year there were no issues. With time, the GFCI began to trip during the summer months on really hot days and gradually increased to where it would trip a couple of times per week. I asked the facility management to change it out thinking it was week do to the exposure to higher temps. They changed it out last week while we were using the fiver and now it trips as soon as I plug the cord into the GFCI outlet. My question is has anyone had similar issues and/or what type of troubleshooting do you recommend to determine what is causing the GFCI to trip. I am going to buy a good quality GFCI outlet and replace again to verify the GFCI is not bad out of the box. I will do that this Friday. Thanks for the help and ideas! - Goose

[BB_TX]

First thing I would so is disconnect the power cord from the trailer and then plug it into the outlet and see if the GFCI trips. If it does not trip, that should eliminate the power cord as the problem.

Then I would turn off all breakers inside the trailer and reconnect the power cord. If it trips when you connect the power cord, then there must be something between the power cord and your breaker panel.

If it doesn't trip, one by one turn each breaker back on giving enough time for each to see if the GFCI trips. If one trips, that should narrow it down to a specific circuit.

A legitimate GFCI trip normally means there is a connection between neutral and ground somewhere in you system.

[AZ Traveler]

Is it a GFCI circuit with only one plug - if not another plug may knock it off. I would also try it without running the fridge - they are not always GFCI friendly.

[jeffba]

Agree with Zack. Fridge plugs even in garages are not on a GFCI

[BB_TX]

First a question for my education, then a comment.

Do the residential refrigerators always have an inverter to run them from battery power?

And when they do have an inverter, do they always run from the inverter? Or do they switch back and forth from the inverter to shore power depending on what is available?

If the fridge runs only from an inverter powered by battery, then a fault in the fridge would have no effect on shore power GFCI as there would be no direct connection between those two AC power sources.

[jeffba]

First a question for my education, then a comment.

Do the residential refrigerators always have an inverter to run them from battery power?
Yes if factory installed


And when they do have an inverter, do they always run from the inverter? Or do they switch back and forth from the inverter to shore power depending on what is available?
There is a transfer switch that switches to shore power from Inverter power when shore power is sensed and vice versa.

If the fridge runs only from an inverter powered by battery, then a fault in the fridge would have no effect on shore power GFCI as there would be no direct connection between those two AC power sources.

This would be a custom installation

[Goose]

Thanks for the suggestions. I will try these Friday if the new GFCI Breaker does not fix the issue. I did try the extension cord to some LED lights with no trip which tells me it may not be a GFCI breaker issue but the LED lights are virtually no load.


I will update my findings this weekend or early next week.


Thanks again for the suggestions. This forum and the MOC folks are great!


Goose

[BB_TX]

Originally Posted by BB_TX

First thing I would so is disconnect the power cord from the trailer and then plug it into the outlet and see if the GFCI trips. If it does not trip, that should eliminate the power cord as the problem. Forget this statement.

Then I would turn off all breakers inside the trailer and reconnect the power cord. If it trips when you connect the power cord, then there must be something between the power cord and your breaker panel. And forget this statement.

If it doesn't trip, one by one turn each breaker back on giving enough time for each to see if the GFCI trips. If one trips, that should narrow it down to a specific circuit.

A legitimate GFCI trip normally means there is a connection between neutral and ground somewhere in you system.

Skip the first two statements I made above. A GFCI must have current flow to trip since it compares the current flow thru the hot pin to the current flow in the neutral pin. And the first two statements there would be no current flow. My little brain drifted off into looking for shorts instead of ground faults.

The testing with the breakers is still valid.

[rohrmann]

Most likely, your inverter/fridge combination is not compatible with the GFCI and you probably need to be connected to a non GFCI outlet, just like when you connect to a 30 or 50 amp RV pedestal. Do you really need the fridge running when you are not using the rig? It's not like with an RV fridge that takes about 24 hours to cool down.

[Goose]

Update to the GFCI issues. I believe I had two separate problems. The original issue of the GFCI tripping more frequently was do to the GFCI going bad. The issue with the new GFCI that the facility installed was a problem that I should have addressed the day I placed the Fiver back in storage. I had pulled the Fiver home in some fairly heavy rains. I am sure that water had intruded into the shore power receptacle so it was tripping as soon as it pug it in. After drying out with some time I did some more troubleshoot per your suggestions. I did find that the residential refrigerator would trip the GFCI but not every time I plugged in the shore power cord. I did purchase and install a higher quality GFCI (tamper and weather resistant) Frida and the unit has not tripped with all the breakers in the closed position so I hope my problem is solved.


Again, I appreciate the input and suggestion and I appreciate his forum.


Thanks and Take Care!


Goose!