120 VAC GFCI Receptacle Trips when using it as SHORE Power

[Laurence Mitchell]

Good afternoon everyone.

I have a 2007 Beaver Marquis that trips our GFI electrical in storage but has no issues plugging into 30amp at home.  Needing a direction to go to.  The short is on the neutral side.

Here is what I have checked and all passed. Electrical umbilical cable, cord real, surge protector (Model 40250), breaker box 1 and 2, Inverter (Model MS2812), Onan generator 12000, Microwave (Advantiom 120), Fridge (Maytag model JCD2292KTB, Washer and dryer (Maytag), kitchen outlets, bedroom outlets, sitting area outlets, main tv outlet, and outlets in the baggage compartments.

Any suggestions would be great.

Mitch.

[Joel Ashley]

Not all GFCIs are built alike.  You may have a lesser/older grade that is no longer up to snuff, and it’s too sensitive to something in your storage infrastructure.  Consider getting a new GFCI at Lowe’s or HDepot, but expect that the quality ones will cost more.

I’m not sure what you mean by “the short is on the neutral side”.  A short would conceivably trip a breaker.  A GFCI fault reacts to an unbalanced status between hot and neutral of as little as 4 milliamperes, most commonly caused by a current flow interruption due to moisture somewhere.  But GFCIs do wear out, and yours may be as much as 16 years old;  recent multiple trips only adds to the wear.

Joel

https://home.howstuffworks.com/question117.htm

[David T. Richelderfer]

It was about nine years ago when we went to Spokane to see Leslie's son's family.  We parked on their culdesac and plugged into their garage circuit that had a GFI.  Since it was a 15/20 amp 110v circuit, I programmed our coach's Xantrex Trace 2500w PSW inverter to demand no more than about 10 amps.  The garage GFI would not hold.  We ended up moving the extension cord farther into their house to reach a non-GFI circuit.  We stayed there for two days without a problem.  Of course, we could not use our coach's microwave, etc., i.e., devices that are not supplied power through the inverter.  But we did run the fridge on propane and were able to run the TVs and computers as needed.

I doubt your home's 30 amp plug is on a GFI.  Our house RV plugin with 20 amp, 30 amp, and 50 amp is NOT (I believe) on a GFI circuit.  Did you try programming your coach's inverter so it would not demand more than about 10 amps?
 

[Laurence Mitchell]

Home plug in is 30amp.  The GFI is tripped at the box (for trickle charge) at the storage in which they had a tech come out to verify it was working.  Took it to my tech and it was tripping on there GFI socket as well. Something is making this trip. I will look at the inverter and setting this.  All GFI worked when plugged in to 30amp, wondering if they all need to be replaced.  Hate throwing money at parts.

Thanks Mitch

[Robert Kornstad]

Having same issue, what I have discovered is that if I start the generator while still being plugged into tripped GFI and letting it come online, then reset the GFI, when I shut the generator down the GFI will not trip and everything works as normal.

[Steve Huber Co-Admin]

Robert,
Your GFI is shot. It can't handle the initial turn on load.
Steve

[David T. Richelderfer]

I am confused.  Is the storage facility a commercial storage building where you are paying to store your coach?  Is it the GFI on the wall of the storage building that you are plugging into that is tripping out?  And/or is there a GFI on your coach that is tripping out... or are there two GFIs that are tripping out - one on the wall of the storage building and another in your coach?

You seemed to indicate the GFI on the wall in the storage building is tripping out, then later seemed to indicate a technician validated that GFI is operating correctly.  Then you took your coach to your technician and validated that the GFI on your coach is okay.(?)  How many GFIs are you referring to that are tripping out?

Steve opined that the GFI is shot,,, but the technician validated it is okay?
 

[Laurence Mitchell]

I am confused.  Is the storage facility a commercial storage building where you are paying to store your coach?  Is it the GFI on the wall of the storage building that you are plugging into that is tripping out?  And/or is there a GFI on your coach that is tripping out... or are there two GFIs that are tripping out - one on the wall of the storage building and another in your coach?

You seemed to indicate the GFI on the wall in the storage building is tripping out, then later seemed to indicate a technician validated that GFI is operating correctly.  Then you took your coach to your technician and validated that the GFI on your coach is okay.(?)  How many GFIs are you referring to that are tripping out?

Steve opined that the GFI is shot,,, but the technician validated it is okay?

David, this is a commercial storage facility in which I pay monthly.  The GFI is a power point in which I plug my coach in and it's set only to keep batteries charged.  The coach keeps tripping GFI power point and the storage company has had  a service tech come out to check the GFI power point. My tech has a GFI and a 30/50amp hook up at his shop.  The coach trips his GFI power point when the unit is plugged in.   

I will adjust my inverter and put the power draw down to 10 amps and see what this does.  If it still is an issue I will unplug each appliance one at a time to try in hopes I can find what is causing the draw. Lastly I will replace GFI sockets in the coach since they are 17 years old and see where we are at.

Thanks for all the advice and I will keep you all posted.

Mitch

[Steve Huber Co-Admin]

My  GFI shot reply was to Laurance's post, not Robert's.

Robert, one of your posts seems to indicate you have the inverter on when plugging in. If so, suggest you turn it off and only have the charger on. The inverter can draw almost 20 amps with no load on it.
Steve