Another GFCI Issue

[SNC]

Update on GFCI Issue.

Well, not anything that we thought or planned. It turned out that the switch in the bedroom that controlled the Hunter Ceiling Fan was holding a hot lead that got dislodged and brought down the other fan in the Living room, the GFCI in the bathroom, 2 outlets in the Bedroom - another GFCI in the bedroom and the outside outlet. This was the ONLY thing we did not open up when trying to self diagnose.

So the main from the Breaker panel went to the fan switch in the bedroom - which is why the ceiling fan in the bedroom worked, then tapped off of that to power everything else. And yes, according to the electrician, TWO GFCI's on the same line and the bathroom GFCI with two "line" feeds and no load -which he split into a line and load. That power feed from the switch went to the LR switch for the fan then back from there to the Bath GFCI and from there to the outlets in the Bedroom and finally the second GFCI in the bedroom then to the outside receptacle.

Mind you, the breaker panel is right near the bathroom & bedroom with the shortest distance being from the panel to the Bedroom Fan switch vs the bath GFCI by about 8 inches...

Never thought to open the switch up, since the fan was working. To complicate matters, the breaker panel was marked "Genral" (actually spelling) and "Mic" (actual spelling). When everything was down "Genral" didn't seem to power anything and "MIC" powered the ceiling fan in the bedroom. Electrician verified some continuity but found where the wires went in the Bedroom by tugging on them to see what moved (two people were here, and they were aware of what we had already checked)

Moral of the story - never assume anything and trust nothing to be wired logically or correctly.

 

[Flick]

Update on GFCI Issue.

Well, not anything that we thought or planned. It turned out that the switch in the bedroom that controlled the Hunter Ceiling Fan was holding a hot lead that got dislodged and brought down the other fan in the Living room, the GFCI in the bathroom, 2 outlets in the Bedroom - another GFCI in the bedroom and the outside outlet. This was the ONLY thing we did not open up when trying to self diagnose.

So the main from the Breaker panel went to the fan switch in the bedroom - which is why the ceiling fan in the bedroom worked, then tapped off of that to power everything else. And yes, according to the electrician, TWO GFCI's on the same line and the bathroom GFCI with two "line" feeds and no load -which he split into a line and load. That power feed from the switch went to the LR switch for the fan then back from there to the Bath GFCI and from there to the outlets in the Bedroom and finally the second GFCI in the bedroom then to the outside receptacle.

Mind you, the breaker panel is right near the bathroom & bedroom with the shortest distance being from the panel to the Bedroom Fan switch vs the bath GFCI by about 8 inches...

Never thought to open the switch up, since the fan was working. To complicate matters, the breaker panel was marked "Genral" (actually spelling) and "Mic" (actual spelling). When everything was down "Genral" didn't seem to power anything and "MIC" powered the ceiling fan in the bedroom. Electrician verified some continuity but found where the wires went in the Bedroom by tugging on them to see what moved (two people were here, and they were aware of what we had already checked)

Moral of the story - never assume anything and trust nothing to be wired logically or correctly.

SNC, kudos to you for getting it repaired and passing on your what the fix was. You’ve educated some folk along the way who may run into a similar problem down the road.

 

[SNC]

SNC, kudos to you for getting it repaired and passing on your what the fix was. You’ve educated some folk along the way who may run into a similar problem down the road.

Thanks. I have read alot of forum posts over many years and the frustrating thing is a post with no resolution. Not that it happens in the heartland forums, just wanted to be sure to end the story.

 

[Tommy2]

Anyone out there that could tell me where to find the GFI switch on my BigHorn 3370 EL - the outside receptacles and two on the sink island say they are GFI and have no power to them?

 

[JohnDar]

Anyone out there that could tell me where to find the GFI switch on my BigHorn 3370 EL - the outside receptacles and two on the sink island say they are GFI and have no power to them?

First place to look is at the outlet in the bathroom. Second is any outlet near the kitchen sink.


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[Tommy2]

First place to look is at the outlet in the bathroom. Second is any outlet near the kitchen sink.


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I have looked at ALL receptacles that I can find more than once and the only GFI reference is a little white sticker saying "GFI" between the two plug-in receptacles. I usually see a double push button switch in place of that sticker that allows a circuit to be reset in my house - gotta be one somewhere in this RV. Thank you for your suggestion.

 

[jnbhobe]

Look in the bathroom

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[Flick]

Look in the bathroom

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Keep looking. It’s there. Look everywhere you haven’t looked. It’s like an Easter Egg hunt.

 

[Tommy2]

Keep looking. It’s there. Look everywhere you haven’t looked. It’s like an Easter Egg hunt.

I believe you.

The other day I couldn't find the outside shower hook-up. One poster showed me a photo of the one on his RV and sure enough like magic there it was on this RV!

This mean I'm a visual learner?

 

[CoveredWagon]

The little sticker between the sockets that says gfi only,means it is gfi protected. It is downstream from the actual gfi socket. Look in the bathroom.

 

[Tommy2]

The little sticker between the sockets that says gfi only,means it is gfi protected. It is downstream from the actual gfi socket. Look in the bathroom.

Maybe I'm looking for the wrong switch. The one duplex receptacle in the bathroom has only the same sticker, no reset button.
Here's a photo of a fuse panel with the acronym "GFI" in the sixth space from the left on the white strip. No way I'm going to stick my finger in there to see what's behind the white strip even though a breaker might be there unless someone says they have done it and found a breaker.

 

[JohnDar]

The breakers should be above the labels and accessible. Doesn’t look like you’ve fully raised the cover.


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[Tommy2]

The breakers should be above the labels and accessible. Doesn’t look like you’ve fully raised the cover.


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You nailed it - didn't completely open the junction box. Who would have thought four long screws had to be removed just to check the breakers anyway?
However the 6th breaker which was under the label "GFI" on the cover does not look like it has been disturbed.
Back to the hunt!
Looking at the photo of the lettering (the camera is able to see better than I can) on the removed cover can see it had been installed upside down - go figure, minimum wage helper...
The 15 AMP "GFI" breaker is at the other end of the row and has been "disturbed" - you can see the "15" is lower than the adjacent "20".
That type breaker is a new one for me!

 

[SLO]

The cover was put on upside down. The GFCI breaker has been tripped. Turn it all the way to off, then turn it back on. If it trips again you have a ground fault some where.


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[Tommy2]

The cover was put on upside down. The GFCI breaker has been tripped. Turn it all the way to off, then turn it back on. If it trips again you have a ground fault some where.


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Thank You!

 

[JohnDar]

I was gonna say! I don’t have to remove anything to expose the breakers in mine! Musta been a cross eyed installer that day.


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