Ground fault question January 27, 2024, 12:49:11 pm Good Morning. I’ve got a question that might not be directly about our LD, but it is involved in some way.I keep the LD in our barn when it’s not in use. I charge the batteries about every 6 weeks by plugging in to a 20 amp circuit for a few days. The last two times I did this, the ground fault receptacle that is on the barn circuit popped. I don’t know when that happened either time, but the batteries showed a full charge on the LD panel. I reset the circuit and I have power there. One other piece of info: I also have a batterie tender on the chassis battery on the same circuit. I’m looking for advice as to where I should start my troubleshooting process. Any ideas are appreciated.Thank you,Larry
Re: Ground fault question Reply #1 – January 27, 2024, 02:12:21 pm Does the GFI pop regularly or was it a one-time event?If it continues, try disconnecting the converter and later the trickle charger to see if either is the issue.Your problem could also be in the barn's wiring. Larry
Re: Ground fault question Reply #2 – January 27, 2024, 02:37:59 pm It’s happened twice. Both times I also had the battery tender on the chassis battery. To clarify, the GFI that’s tripping is on the barn circuit. I’ll try charging the coach batteries without having the battery tender on the chassis battery. I’m not clear why I would disconnect the converter if it’s part of the coach charging system. I’m not great with electrical concepts, but I will get there eventually. My dad was an EE so maybe some of that ability rubbed off.
Re: Ground fault question Reply #3 – January 27, 2024, 02:40:44 pm Quote from: Larry & Kathy - January 27, 2024, 02:37:59 pmI’m not clear why I would disconnect the converter if it’s part of the coach charging system. I’m not great with electrical concepts, but I will get there eventually. My dad was an EE so maybe some of that ability rubbed off.Disconnect or turn off the converter to see if the trickle charger is tripping the GFI, if not, reconnect the converter and unplug the trickle charger. Something has a slight electrical leak that is causing the GFI to trip and converters do go bad.Larry 1 Likes
Re: Ground fault question Reply #4 – January 27, 2024, 03:16:07 pm Thanks, Larry. I’ll work on it tomorrow and report back.
Re: Ground fault question Reply #5 – January 29, 2024, 12:08:25 pm Yesterday I disconnected the chassis battery tender which had been plugged in by itself for several days with no issues. I plugged in the coach to the wall socket in the barn and let it charge the coach batteries overnight. I just checked and the batteries are at 13.82 volts. and my EMS monitor shows 0 faults, 120 volts at 60hz, and 0 amps. I guess I could plug in the battery tender on the chassis battery to see what happens.
Re: Ground fault question Reply #6 – January 29, 2024, 12:27:51 pm Hi Larry; If the GFCI trips when that chassis battery charger is re-connected, I would suspect it has some fault inside of it, or that the design just was a bad fit for your situation. The barn GFCI may not be up to handling the inductive load of the battery tender. Try plugging the tender into the motorhome 110vac outlets and see if your internal Lazy Daze GFCI trips (in the power distribution center). RonB 1 Likes
Re: Ground fault question Reply #7 – January 29, 2024, 05:13:18 pm Hi Ron. Thanks for your reply. I’ve been charging my coach and chassis batteries for 15 years using the converter in the coach and the battery tender for the chassis. Just recently the GFI tripped on the last two times I charged all the batteries at the same time. The chassis tender is usually hooked up unless we’re going somewhere. I don’t leave the coach converter on all of the time. I’ll try the test you recommended and post what happens.Larry
Re: Ground fault question Reply #8 – January 29, 2024, 05:29:59 pm GFI breakers (actually all types of breakers) can go bad with age and become overly sensitive, the converter and/or trickle charger may be good.Larry
Re: Ground fault question Reply #9 – January 30, 2024, 04:39:58 pm I have tested the Battery Tender as Ron suggested and no GFI trippage maybe that new converter can wait.Thanks you guys.Larry