BAC Forum

General Boards => Technical Support => Topic started by: Steve Brown on September 23, 2014, 08:03:19 PM

Title: Electrical Problem
Post by: Steve Brown on September 23, 2014, 08:03:19 PM

I have my coach at a storage facility.  The electrical outlet I hook into has a GFI socket.  When I went to do some maintenance on the coach I found that the GFI had been tripped and the batteries were dead.  I have charged all of the batteries using a battery charger.  When I try to plug the coach in it trips the GFI.  I can run the generator with no problem.  Any ideas?

Steve

Title: Re: Electrical Problem
Post by: Karl Welhart on September 23, 2014, 08:41:19 PM

Steve,

Bad GFI?

Karl

Title: Re: Electrical Problem
Post by: David T. Richelderfer on September 23, 2014, 10:01:50 PM

I don't know that you have an electrical problem.  Certainly, you have a problem with accessing power though.  Twice I have tried plugging into household 110v circuits on GFIs.  One time in Spokane, WA; the other time in Bonney Lake, WA.  Neither time the 110v circuits would work; they immediately kicked out the GFIs.  Both times I had to run my extension cord into the houses to access receptacles that were not on GFIs.  After plugging into non-GFIed circuits everything worked... not well... but they worked as long as my old Beaver didn't get too demanding.

Your solution?  Find a receptacle not on a GFI circuit.  Another idea... turn down the power requirements in your inverter's programming, make sure nothing is drawing power that is not required while in storage, etc.  In any event, I am not so sure you can use a GFIed circuit anyways.

Title: Re: Electrical Problem
Post by: Steve Brown on September 23, 2014, 10:07:19 PM

I have had it plugged into the same GFI outlet for 4 years without a problem until now.

Steve

Title: Re: Electrical Problem
Post by: Karl Welhart on September 23, 2014, 10:31:35 PM

Steve,

I would recommend that you replace the GFI receptacle.  They have been known to have this type of problem.

Karl

Title: Re: Electrical Problem
Post by: Stan Simpson on September 24, 2014, 05:32:39 PM

The owner of the storage place where I keep the coach when we are home graciously lets me plug in to a 110 receptacle on the outside of one of his temperature controlled units on the property. I use a 100 ft 10 gauge extension cord that I got at Lowes. The receptacle has a GFI, but as long as I am only keeping the batteries charged, it has never tripped.

Stan

Title: Re: Electrical Problem
Post by: Edward Buker on September 24, 2014, 08:27:21 PM

Steve,

It may just be humidity levels or you are pulling a little more current and this connection using a GFI is marginal. Read this thread and I would start by replacing the GFI with the one mentioned. If you still have a problem then look for a root cause.

http://forum.bacrallies.com/m-1288417919/s-3/highlight-gfi/#num3

Later Ed