Got an expensive education today

[olcoon]

Last week I turned the fridge on to let it start cooling down for the upcoming trip in our 2011 Elk Ridge. Went out a couple of hours later & it wasn't working. Determined that it was working on the gas side, but not electric. Checked the breakers, & fuses and everything checked out OK. Couldn't find anyplace that could take it in & have it done in a short time. Found a mobil RV tech & he came out this morning. He determined that it wasn't getting power to the fridge plug. So he started trying to trace down how the wire ran & where it came into the breaker box. The fridge wasn't marked in there. He checked the outside outlet near where the outside service panel for the fridge is located. It wasn't working either. He'd inserted a plug-in tester with a light in it & the light didn't light up. He went to his truck to get something & I wondered if the outlet was a GFI outlet. Checked and it wasn't, then I got to thinking to my knowledge there is only one GFI in our rig, located on the vanity on the bathroom sink. I went up & checked it, and the button was out. Pushed it in and went outside & looked at his tester & the light was on, and when he checked the outlet for the fridge was also working.

He was kind of stumped as to why that outlet was wired on a GFI circuit. I got to thinking that when the GFI has blown in the past, some of the outlets in the kitchen area also quit working, so they must all be wired on the GFI. I'm posting this in case someone else has the same issue, it's another thing to check. Don't know if the newer rigs, or all of the ones of that era were wired that way or not. I had to pay $130.00 for the service fee, but he didn't charge any labor.

 

[KyleC]

Ouch. Thanks for the heads up. And glad your back on track!






2017 Pathfinder SL towing Heartland Prowler "lynx" 25lx

 

[cookie]

Roy, all receptacles that are in what might be considered a "wet location" are to be GFI protected.
Those would be the bathroom, all outside receptacles, this would include the receptacle for the refrigerator, basement receptacles and kitchen.

Peace
Dave

 

[jbeletti]

Roy - sorry to hear about the expensive lesson. I agree with Dave on the use of GFCI circuits and outlets. The residential refrigerators are not on a GFCI outlet or circuit as the outlet that they are plugged into is inside a cabinet inside the coach whereas the gas absorption style refrigerator generally has it's outlet in the back of the refer and not too far from a big vent.

 

[JohnD]

I know that whenever the GFI in the bathroom pops in my Prowler everything in the kitchen slide out looses power...including the entertainment center.

Never really checked the fridge, although I'm sure it kicks in to LP automatically.

Guess next time I run the microwave and forget to shut off the electric hot water heater I'll have to look!

 

[sengli]

Had the same thing in our house. Couldnt figure out why none of the exterior outlets worked, all of a sudden? Found the one of GFCI outlets in one of bathrooms was tripped.

 

[wdk450]

After having a GFI trip, I left the GFI tripped, and went around the rig checking EVERY outlet I could find to see if they were still live. I then marked the dead outlet plates with a Dymo label saying "GFI".

 

[TravelTiger]

After having a GFI trip, I left the GFI tripped, and went around the rig checking EVERY outlet I could find to see if they were still live. I then marked the dead outlet plates with a Dymo label saying "GFI".

Good idea!


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