30amp shore power cord.. gfci pops when plugged in to 15amp circuit

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30amp shore power cord.. gfci pops when plugged in to 15amp circuit

February 26, 2022, 12:22:29 pm

2016 Twin King , 24ft, 12k miles
When i plug(smart plug) into 30amp ems then to 15amp adapter the gfci pops on the house outlet. Remove EMS AND JUST PLUG in with 15amp adapter still pops house gfci. If i disconnect 30amp cord from ems and house it is fine.
I can run generator and every ac component and outlets work. No issue with dc side

Thanks to all

Re: 30amp shore power cord.. gfci pops when plugged in to 15amp circuit

Reply #1 – February 26, 2022, 01:49:05 pm

Good chance the problem is in the shore power. Does it do this when plugged into another source of power?
Since it occurs when the EMS is used, the transfer switch could also be developing problems. Hard to pinpoint without a voltmeter and doing some measuring.
The 15-amp GFI needs a solid hot and neutral supply, then GFi pops when the power going through it is different than what is returning. The ground could be iffy but GFIs do not need a ground to function.
You might want to tighten all the screws securing 120-VAC wires in the Power Center, after disconnecting all sources of power.

When driveway camping have often used 15-amp circuits without problems, even running the A/C (with the refrigerator operating on propane and converter turned off).
We carry a small hand-held tester for analyzing the 30-amp shore power, it was used every time before we connected to shore power before installing the hard-wired Progressive Industries EMS-HW30C. '
The handheld tester is seldom is used anymore, since the EMS provides codes indicating the issue and prevents completing the connection until the fault is corrected.

Larry

Re: 30amp shore power cord.. gfci pops when plugged in to 15amp circuit

Reply #2 – February 26, 2022, 02:34:43 pm

I have located.the issue....my gfci on the house would not work with shore power cord...( it will run the small heat lamp for the cat hotel) .plugged the cord into laundry outlet 110 and it works fine.

I bought a new 15amp to 30amp adapter thinking the new one i had purchased was bad....no
Switch out a couple of breakers ...after tighten all wire nuts....still no power.
Tried shut off everything but main breaker and still popped the gfci.
So what i tried last should have been the first thing i tried....another outlet in the house system....odd that i ran the casita system and never had an issue. My tennant next door has been plugging in a charger for a couple of floor cleaning batteries...could this have cause the gfci to only carry small load and not trip the gfci???
Odd...but ill install a new gfci after my trip.
So my PI EMS NEVER GOT A.CHANCE TO GIVE A CODE....it would work if cord not plugged in from rv??
Thanks again

Re: 30amp shore power cord.. gfci pops when plugged in to 15amp circuit

Reply #3 – February 26, 2022, 02:44:01 pm

I now hear the roar of the loud a---- fan on the converter...that everyone talks about..hope there is one quiter to replace this model 8375..75 amp unit...
Ill be deaf in a short time...geeeezzz

Re: 30amp shore power cord.. gfci pops when plugged in to 15amp circuit

Reply #4 – February 26, 2022, 02:54:40 pm

This is a not uncommon problem when plugging RVs into GFCI protected household circuits.
GFCI breakers work by detecting any difference between the current being fed by the hot leg and the current returning on the neutral leg. The idea being that if some current return is via ground it could be through a person or due to some faulty device and thus opens the circuit. If there is any significant leakage of current that finds its way to the ground connection inside the motorhome instead of the neutral, the GFCI will trip. Some inverters will tie the neutral and ground together. I believe that when the transfer switch is to the generator side neutral and ground are also tied together. It may be difficult figuring out out where the problem is. You might start by trying to disconnect various AC devices in the MH and see if the GFCI still trips.

Art

Re: 30amp shore power cord.. gfci pops when plugged in to 15amp circuit

Reply #5 – February 26, 2022, 03:00:46 pm

Art, thanks...i had all circuits turned off ...only the main breaker on and the house gfci tripped . So going to replace gfci cause now if i plug 15 to 30amp adapter in with no cord attached it is tripping the house gfci.....
So my co conclusion is a bad gfci?

?
Esp if it is now occurring with just the adapter....very odd because the cord to the small heat lamp does work.....odd

Re: 30amp shore power cord.. gfci pops when plugged in to 15amp circuit

Reply #6 – February 27, 2022, 10:22:59 am

So I take it the house socket you are using is NOT the location of the gfci? In that case I would pull and check the outlet for issues before replacing the gfci.

Steve

Re: 30amp shore power cord.. gfci pops when plugged in to 15amp circuit

Reply #7 – February 28, 2022, 12:14:17 pm

Gfci is located outside in a box...going to buy a new one now...will post results later.

Re: 30amp shore power cord.. gfci pops when plugged in to 15amp circuit

Reply #8 – February 28, 2022, 12:58:06 pm

Quote from: Franram - February 28, 2022, 12:14:17 pm

Gfci is located outside in a box...going to buy a new one now...will post results later.

The Neutral connection has to be unique to all circuits that use the Line connection of that gfci. In other words, if the outlet into which the LD is connected has a neutral that is simply connected to a neutral buss bar in the load center, that will allow neutral currents to flow in paths other than the neutral connection to the gfci, which can cause it to trip.

Steve

Re: 30amp shore power cord.. gfci pops when plugged in to 15amp circuit

Reply #9 – March 01, 2022, 07:10:20 am

After replacing the gfci with a new gfci ....STILL TRIPPING. They said nothing wrong in LD...has to be in gfci. So my soluction for now is ....i installed a regular oulet in the outside box. I plugged in the adapter and PI EMS and it works fine. I can get my fridge cold without leaving my back door open to the laundry outlet as before. Whew....my plans for leaving one day early ....is a no go but with that issue out of the way i can finish packing...
Thanks everyone for your support and knowledge....greatly appreciated.
I will let the electrician deal with a new box with a real 30amp outlet later.
I sometimes know just enough to be dangerous...esp with electrical so normally I call the electrician....out of town playing the Blue Bird Cafe with the band.....so it will be later on.

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