N611 120 volt heating element

[RVhiker]

I have an N611 Norcold refrigerator in a 2011 Jayco fifth wheel. The refrigerator has always cooled well both on AC and propane, and does not have any telltale yellow signs of leakage in the cooling system.

However, now the refrigerator will work only on gas. When the trailer is plugged into a 20 amp circuit at my house, with a ground fault detector in the house circuit, the ground fault detector turns off the electricity to the trailer. I have tested the AC circuit in the refrigerator by not having any other AC used in the trailer, including the power converter; and until the refrigerator AC circuit was plugged in, the Progressive Dynamics PMS shows 0 AC amps. When the refrigerator AC circuit was plugged into the trailer 120 volt system the ground fault interrupter on one house circuit cut the power after about 30 seconds, and on a separate house circuit (with another ground fault detector) in about 5 minutes.

What are my options?

[Grumpy]

You also have a GFCI in your rig and sometimes they don't play well together. Try an outlet that is not GFCI protected an see if it works.

[RVhiker]

Grumpy, that's an interesting idea. We'll see...

[RVhiker]

This morning, I noticed a problem with the romex that supplies the AC outlet in the refrigerator's outside access. A small loop of the romex was pressing slightly on a fairly sharp edge of a galvanized sheet metal brace that supports the sheet metal piece that the controls and etc of the refrigerator are mounted to. I looked at the romex, and there is a dark, sharp dent in the plastic outer jacket, maybe leaking current to the sheet metal bracket. I pulled the loop of romex away from the edge, wrapped the dent in electrical tape, and the AC refrigerator heating element is still working after an hour. I think that fixed the problem.

Thanks for the electrical information and the willingness to help!