Montana High Country 377FL 400i GFCI wont stay in

[TheChupacabra]

Hello All

I am so frustrated with my new trailer. 2023 Montana High Country 377FL. Had it towed up to some vacant land that we own and it makes it very difficult to take back to the dealer for repair.

Trailer has the 400i solar inverter with 6 inverted outlets. CSW Series inverter reads 14.5-13.2. when I press the reset button in the basement (down underneath the trailer in the storage area) the gfci has a green light that stays on for a second then trips and won't stay engaged. Tried the test button and multiple different days/times hoping and praying it would stay engaged. This happens even when plugged into shore power.

Inverted outlets worked fine at camping world. And worked fine the first time I stayed in the trailer (again it doesn't move just stays there). Everything is unplugged from that circuit so it isn't the TV or recliners. Had a mobile RV repair guy come and he pressed the reset button for that gfci and it stayed on then after he left clicked back off. So frustrating. Goodbye $200

The other gfci in the kitchen that isn't solar inverted and that circuit work fine when on shore power.

Any help you could give me would be so greatly appreciated. I love this trailer, but this stupid 400i gfci circuit makes me wish we never bought this trailer and it is driving me mad.

[TheChupacabra]

I have also attached a picture of the inverter inside the trailer.

So some other things I am thinking to try.

1: There is a guy on youtube with a video on how to check for this but in a house. Are the solar inverted outlets wired the same as a house outlet so I can try this method?

2: Get a new outlet and new GFCI outlet (the trailer is 30 min from home depot) and open up each of the inverted outlets and replace with a new outlet and see if that fixes the problem.

3: I have no idea what else to try. Hoping someone here can help me.

[Martian]

Is it possible you have low voltage on the inverter side? GFI outlets like full line voltage to reset. Testing the inverted voltage might be a place to start.

[TheChupacabra]

Hi Martian,

How would I go about testing inverter voltage? Isn't that what the inverter display is showing in the second post with the picture? Sorry I am electrical stupid.

Also I'm not sure that makes sense as the inverter turns off (is my understanding) when I'm on shore power, and on shore power it still doesn't work.

[Martian]

I would test at the wires on the back of the outlet. Wires in RV's go through many odd places and lots can happen during construction that does not show up until later.

[cougar23]

If you don't find the problem I would call the mobile tech back and tell him he did not fix the problem that he was paid for.

[St. Michael]

I came across this post while searching for a solution to my similar problem.


I have a '24 Alpine with the solar package, residential fridge and an inverter. If the GFCI in question is on the inverter loop it's likely your fridge tripping it (also on the loop). This problem is known to Keystone and it's just poor design. I believe (with my service managers blessing) I've found an acceptable resolution.


Keystone will want you to take this fridge off the loop which is a pain in the butt and you'll lose your offgrid option. I'd suggest you simply attach your loads in the GFCI outlet to the line terminals. You still have a working GFCI and your fridge won't trip the circuit any longer.


Beware you will lose GFCI protection down stream though. If you need this protection you'll need to relocate the fridge to a different circuit or come up with a different solution.


Best of luck.

[skids]

The previous post is on to something. I have an old trailer that has a fridge that is 120 v electrical or propane. Trying to make it more modern, I put a gfci "upwind" from the kitchen and fridge. The gfci popped every time the element was plugged in. When the element is failing (may still heat without the gfci) there can be leakage to ground. I would test your element, and hey, using propane to cool the fridge can be a good thing.