electric power

[recondon]

I have owned my Jayco fifth wheel for 15 years. Now when I plug it into a power outlet, same one I've used at home for 10 years, it immediately pops the GFIC outlet. Tried a different GFIC outlet with the same results. Nothing in the camper is on and the battery power works fine. Any ideas?

[jenoble99]

You say nothing is on in the camper, is the main breaker in the camper off when the gfci trips, or you just don't have anything turned on? If the main breaker in the camper power panel is off when it happens I would be taking a hard look at the power cord. If it doesn't trip the gfci with the main breaker turn off all breakers except the main, then turn on one breaker at a time to see if a circuit trips the gfci. This may help at least narrow it down a little.

[oldmanAZ]

Welcome to the forum.

[recondon]

Thank you I will try that

[us71na]

Originally Posted by recondon

I have owned my Jayco fifth wheel for 15 years.

Take a really close look at your power cord, including the connection inside the trailer. Most likely your power cord has an internal short. Look for cuts in the insulation, lumps or kinks in your cord.

It could also be a bad GFCI, they do go bad.

[tjpolsin]

what GFIC breaker is tripping? one attached to your house circuit, or the one inside your trailer?

for your house GFIC, check to make sure that GFIC isn't faulty by plugging in a different load to the outlet. (GFIC outlets do fail).

check the molded plug end of your shore power cable for separation and water intrusion.

I do agree that you should open all the breakers inside the trailer, disconnect the battery, then plug in shore power.

shut and open each breaker until the breaker trips, not the best way to trouble shoot, but it should help find the problem.

Likely culprits are your house GFIC outlet, your outside shore power plug end, or one of the outlets inside the trailer, or finally, the load center itself.

If your GFIC trips before you even get the trailer load center main breaker shut, then your power cord is at fault.

keep us all posted.

Tim

[recondon]

Thanks to all of you for the information. I bought a new adapter for the end of the power chord and have power to the camper. It still trips the GFIC but if I plug it into a normal outlet it works. The micro wave, a/c unit all plugs and lights work fine. The fridge does not work on AC power. It blows the small 5 amp fuse on the fridge circuit board. Fridge works fine on propane however.

[RedHorse1]

The fridge will use A/C on the heating element. I think everything else in it is 12v. I'd guess the element is defective, maybe shorting itself out against some nearby metal. Don't know if it's repairable.

[tjpolsin]

Don't bypass the GFIC protection! Open the refer ac breaker, plug the trailer into your GFIC and test all other loads. If refer ac is issue, then get repaired.

[recondon]

Thanks I will try that