Re: [A/S] Ground Faults and hook ups

["Jim Dunmyer" <jdunmyer@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

If you have the slightest bit of electrical leakage, a GFCI will trip. I'd
never attempt to feed a washing machine from a GFCI, for instance.

As long as the safety ground is intact, that slight leakage wouldn't "cause
a problem", but if the ground should become broken, you could have problems
ranging from a tickle when you grab the handle to open the door to very
serious shock.

Troubleshooting something like this is just like any other electrical
problem, you need to attack it systematically, using your trusty DVM.

First of all, unplug from power and connect your DVM (set on the highest
Ohms scale) between the 'hot' lead and ground. If you have a regular
120-volt, 15/20-amp adaptor on the end of your power cord, face the prongs
toward you with the Round (ground) prong down. The LH prong will be the
'hot' wire. The reading on the meter should be "open" or "infinite", same as
before you touch the leads to anything.

You should be able to do the same test from the Neutral lead to ground and
get the same results, as the neutral is never grounded in a travel trailer.

If you do read "infinite" or "open", you'll need to try turning on some
circuits/appliances to see if one of them is causing the trouble. If you
read any resistance at all, it means that you have some leakage and you'll
have to start disconnecting things while monitoring the meter. A prime
suspect is your outdoor outlet, these will often get a bit of moisture in
them, causing a bit of leakage. Any other outlets or switches in the 120VAC
circuitry that could get dampness in them should get a close look-see. Shut
off the breaker to your A/C unit and see if the leakage goes away. The
connector on the end of your power cord could be the problem if it's not a
good, molded plug that's completely intact. Shutting off all circuit
breakers would help in narrowing it down in that case.

HIH:                                                        <<Jim>>