GFCI Tripping - Page 2

Scalf77 · 07-22-2011, 06:56 AM

In a RV the ground bonding is done at the source panel. Plugging into your garage it would be the panel at your house. In the case of having a inverter, most inverters will supply a ground bond when they are the source of AC. You should refer to your manual on that topic, or provide inverter in your rig. Make sure that your Inverter is not on "invert mode" while you are plugged in. It should not matter but would be interesting if that changed symptoms.

=greg

Seattle · 07-22-2011, 08:59 AM

Thanks for the additional tips, we are using the van this weekend, but will dig back in next week and see if I can't find the problem.

**daveb** · 07-22-2011, 03:15 PM

I know what the electrical code says for a house panel and guess I figured an RV panel was the same as a house panel...learn something every day. Maybe due to the short run from the rv panel to the GFI...if they are bonded in the RV it might cause the GFI to constantly trip? If that's the case, you'd want to check the wire from the rv sub panel to the GFI outlet as well...could be a problem there.

I know there is a problem trying to run a GFI off a GFI source at times and that motors such as a fan can also trip them.

Seattle · 08-04-2011, 11:23 PM

Checked all connections back to the breaker panel, all seemed fine. GFCI is still buzzing, plugged into shore power and as soon as the inverter turned on, buzzing went away and all seems normal. However, with the inverter off, the buzzing comes back. Any thoughts?

Scalf77 · 08-05-2011, 07:51 AM

A couple of questions?

is it a Inverter/Charger or just a inverter?

If a combination unit, when you say inverter on, does mean inverter on, charger on, auto, etc

and if possible information on the inverter/charger.

My quick 30,000 ft level debug would say that you have wiring issue with ground coming into the inverter, but that depends a lot on the inverter you have.

-greg

Seattle · 08-05-2011, 08:16 AM

Greg,

I have a Xantrex Freedom HF 1800 inverter/charger.

The buzzing stops when I am in charge mode. Still think a bad ground somewhere? Really appreciate your help.

Scalf77 · 08-07-2011, 09:27 AM

So, if your are completely in bypass mode, which you should be in charge only mode, and you don't have an issue at the GFCI plug then that would be a good indication of the wiring in the van working correctly. Now if you unplug and just run the inverter I assume that you this is one of cases where you here the GFIC buzzing, correct? And then when you plug in but still have the Inverter in standby or share mode that you also here the buzzing?

If it just buzzes when you are not plugged in and using the inverter I would look at the equipment ground connection on the side of the unit and make sure that is grounded in the van correctly. There probably is not a fuse in this line. I would also look at the incoming lines to the inverter, and validate that all of them are going to the correct location.

I think you have said that it buzzes when connected to shore power but still in invert or share mode. This kind of rules out a missing ground connection, but it is still possible to be he source. Unfortunately at this point you are pointing towards the Inverter itself, and it would be difficult to supply any further useful (or not) information.

One other question I have is do you know if the pedestal that you originally had the issue with was a GFCI outlet. This is an area where inverters have some problems when being plugged in. It all goes back to the single point of ground neutral discussion. If the inverter is invert mode then it should recognize the input of an AC source and disconnect the internal ground bond relays. Of course this needs to happen before the pedestals GFCI trips. Sorry I could not be more help.

-greg