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  1. #11
    Site Sponsor Jerryr's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ckreef View Post
    Tonight it didn't trip for me. The only thing different I can think of is I had the water heater turned off..


    I don't think it has anything to do with a multiple GFCI circuit. I have a multiple GFCI circuit on my house fish pond set up that way for years without issue.
    The water heater alone will draw over 12 amps when heating water in electric mode. Add that to 4 amps for the converter and some more for fridge and you may have reached the current limit for a weak GFCI breaker or a overly sensitive GFCI.

    I never run my water heater on electric when plugged into a standard wall outlet.
    Last edited by Jerryr; 02-11-2020 at 01:02 PM.
    Jerry & Linda
    Emma & Abby our Mini Golden Doodles & JR our Amazon Parrot
    2017 Reflection 337RLS, Build Date 01/2017, Titan Disk Brakes, Goodyear G614s 235/85/16 G Rated tires
    2022 F-450 King Ranch Ultimate, 4,868 lb Payload, Bedrug Bedliner, Andersen Ultimate II Aluminum 5th wheel hitch
    http://visitedstatesmap.com/image/FLGANCSCsm.jpg

  2. #12
    Left The Driveway
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    That makes sense. I found another thread on another forum with directions on how to test it circuit by circuit. Also I heard back from GD tech support and they are saying it’s a transfer switch. Not sure about that.

    Sorry this was a reply to the note about neutral ground fault. That seems like a very possible culprit
    Last edited by Happygeo; 02-11-2020 at 03:10 PM.

  3. #13
    Left The Driveway
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    Quote Originally Posted by offtohavasu View Post
    How long is your extension cord you're using? What gauge is it?
    Standard 50 foot 14g. Like I was saying though I’ve had another toy hauler connected the exact same way using the same cord for 3 years. Never an issue.

  4. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jerryr View Post
    The water heater alone will draw over 12 amps when heating water in electric mode. Add that to 4 amps for the converter and some more for fridge and you may have reached the current limit for a weak GFCI breaker or a overly sensitive GFCI.

    I never run my water heater on electric when plugged into a standard wall outlet.
    I think you hit the nail on the head for my situation. From now on will run the HWH on propane when hooked to the house.

  5. #15
    Long Hauler offtohavasu's Avatar
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    The reason why I asked size cord of the extension cord is because you can create a situation when if you draw too many amps through the cord (ie electric water heater) when the current returns on neutral, it may not handle the load back, then it goes to ground instead. A GFCI will trip in the scenario. With a thicker gauge extension cord, you may not trip the gfci.
    Curtis, Christine, Cole, and Charlotte

    2007 Chevrolet Silverado Duramax LBZ, CCLB
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  6. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by Happygeo View Post
    It only trips when I connect to the trailer. I even plugged something different into the cord and it didn’t trip the breaker. Plugged the same cord into a non gfci breaker. No issue. Only trips when plugged into the trailer for some reason. Main circuit breaker off in the trailer. Still trips. Frustrating obviously.
    Your trailer has a 50Amp connection, therefor you are using a 30A to 50A adapter at the house end, gfci protected circuit. The gfci obviously "doesn't like" the 30 to 50 amp adapter. My suggestion: try plugging the adapter into a NON-GFCI protected circuit receptacle and then to your 50A trailer cord.

    ...VTX-Al

  7. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by offtohavasu View Post
    The reason why I asked size cord of the extension cord is because you can create a situation when if you draw too many amps through the cord (ie electric water heater) when the current returns on neutral, it may not handle the load back, then it goes to ground instead. A GFCI will trip in the scenario. With a thicker gauge extension cord, you may not trip the gfci.
    In my case it was GFCI outlet, 50' 12g extension cord, 15 Amp to 30 Amp adapter, 30 Amp surge suppressor, 25' 30 Amp cord to the trailer.

  8. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by offtohavasu View Post
    The reason why I asked size cord of the extension cord is because you can create a situation when if you draw too many amps through the cord (ie electric water heater) when the current returns on neutral, it may not handle the load back, then it goes to ground instead. A GFCI will trip in the scenario. With a thicker gauge extension cord, you may not trip the gfci.
    Two reasons that can’t happen.

    First is that the neutral is the same size wire as the hot. Since the current is identical in both, you can’t overload one without overloading the other. Second is that the ground is only connected to the neutral at the panel, meaning current won’t flow through the ground unless there is a failure in wiring or equipment. Any design that allowed non-fault current to flow in the EGC would never meet any regulatory approval.
    John & Kathy
    2014 F250 Lariat FX4 6.2L SBCC
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  9. #19
    Long Hauler offtohavasu's Avatar
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    Not true...Think of hot skin. You can run in to a hot skin scenario because of cord size.
    Curtis, Christine, Cole, and Charlotte

    2007 Chevrolet Silverado Duramax LBZ, CCLB
    2020 Momentum 351M

  10. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by offtohavasu View Post
    Not true...Think of hot skin. You can run in to a hot skin scenario because of cord size.
    No, you can’t. The fundamental basis of household wiring is that the EGC and any non-current-carrying metal objects to which it is bonded are very close to the voltage at the grounding electrode at the service panel and the EGC provides a path back to the panel for fault current.

    Inside the camper and in the extension cord, except when there is a fault, there is no connection between current carrying conductors and the EGC, meaning no path for current to flow to/from the hot wire to the EGC. Current doesn’t flow through the EGC unless a component has failed. Even if you cut the neutral, the current can’t flow through the EGC because there is no path to allow it to happen. As far as normal current flow, there is absolutely no difference in what flows in the hot and neutral unless there is a fault in the camper or you are supplying 120/240.

    Hot skin generally occurs due to a wiring fault or soil conditions and wiring practices that allow the soil under the camper to be at a different voltage than the grounding electrode at the panel. It often shows up when long cords are used because of the distance between the electrode and the camper.
    John & Kathy
    2014 F250 Lariat FX4 6.2L SBCC
    2014 Reflection 303RLS
    SW Indiana

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