Found my GFI problem

[wingfoot]

After chasing a GFI that keep kicking off, I found the problem. You are probably not going to believe this, but here we go..I discovered the DS exterior outlet was on the same circuit as the Refrigerator, kitchen counter outlets, and the bath/lavatory. I took the exterior outlet out..It was a sealed receptacle. Had to pop off the plastic back (wet location receptacle)...I found that one of the bare ground wires had not had the paper covering removed. It was just shoved into the "V" contact point. Removed the paper sheathing, reinstalled and all is fine..

I could not believe a competent electrician did not notice this on install. SAD!

 

[Rickhansen]

I won't disagree with your assessment of that installation and the safety implications, but your assumption that the installer might have been a competent electrician is highly unlikely.

I agree with other recent posts that these loads should have been split up and multiple GFI's installed.

Technically the problem you describe shouldn't have caused the GFI to trip. The GFI is looking at the current in the hot (Black) wire and comparing the current of the neutral (white) wire. If there is any difference (within micro-amps), it trips under the assumption that current is leaking to ground somewhere (potentially through a human body).

The paper on the ground conductor should have only acted as an insulator (although not a very good one), causing no ground connection at that outlet. There shouldn't have been any current flowing to ground. A simple outlet tester should have shown this. Is it possible that the paper was touching one of the other wires or terminals? If it got wet, it could have become a high resistance short to ground and explained the nuisance trips.

The problem you found is serious, but as you've described it, it should not affect the GFCI tripping. I will bet that your intermittent problem is still present and that you will find a moisture related problem elsewhere when it returns.

 

[wingfoot]

Thanks Rick...you make sense..I don't know if what I did will be a permanent fix or not...but so far it's been working for two days...Never got it to work this long before.
We'll see.

Thanks again,
Larry

 

[Bernie55]

Good job of shooting trouble.. Hope it works out....

 

[KENNY COCHRAN]

I could not believe a competent electrical did not notice this on install.

i also can't believe you used the above word wrong. see how easy it is to make a mistake! just kidding, i can't spel ether!
I can't fault heartland for missing that. after you check thousands of these, i'm sure the inspector does not check every little wiring connection on the rv, or they would be there for days. it was just a screw up. happens all the time.

 

[traveler44]

Thanks! Now I know what all is on one of the circuits. As far as I know there aren't any wiring diagrams for these units and I guess if you want to know you just have to figure it out for yourself. I just haven't taken time to run through all of my receptacles to see which ones are on what circuit. But it is something I should do.

 

[wingfoot]

Rick, still working..even through a rain storm...

 

[Rickhansen]

Truth can be stranger than fiction, and I hope it keeps working.

It won't hurt my feelings, I have had enough missed theories, misdiagnosis, etc., in life that I'm over that.