Solar flex GFI receptacle

[Teesever1]

GFI keeps tripping. This is on a new 2022 keystone Sprinter unlimited 3630 Bh 5th wheel. It doesn’t do it right away. It may take hours. I know the refrigerator and the main TV is on this circuit. Don’t know what else and it typically does it when TV is off. Anybody else have this happen? The GFI is part of the Solarflex 400 system.

[chuckster57]

Welcome to the forum

Is your fridge a residential style that requires an inverter if not plugged into shore power? What type, size and number of batteries?

[Teesever1]

It is a Haire 15 cf. and the GFI has inverter written on it. And I am also plugged into shore power. 2 batteries the rest I don’t know . What comes with the soarflex 400 is what I got but don’t have the lithium batteries. Hopefully I ‘ll get the answers when I get home from work today. Batteries are Interstate Predator RV Deep Cycle 750CC 27

[firestation12]

Originally Posted by Teesever1

GFI keeps tripping. This is on a new 2022 keystone Sprinter unlimited 3630 Bh 5th wheel. It doesn’t do it right away. It may take hours. I know the refrigerator and the main TV is on this circuit. Don’t know what else and it typically does it when TV is off. Anybody else have this happen? The GFI is part of the Solarflex 400 system.

What makes a gfci trip, is different from what trips a circuit breaker. Internally the line and neutral (black and white wires) are monitored to make sure what passes through on the black wire, exactly matches what returns on the white wire. Any difference is interpreted as a loss outside of the system and the gfci trips before injury to a person occurs. This is of course an over simplification but understanding what is making it trip crucial to finding the solution. Some things to look for are moisture around the opening of the gfci plug-in or any of the plug-ins downstream, a ground wire touching a neutral terminal behind the gfci face plate, a loose connection causing resistance, or the appliances running on that circuit are “dirty” inside meaning are leaking current internally. Try unplugging one item at a time to see if problem continues. There is slim chance of the gfci itself is defective, but as a rule gfci’s are pretty reliable.

[Teesever1]

I’ll try that. Although, since I reset it 2 days ago it hasn’t tripped. Total of 5 receptacles with the inverter label on them. 3 not being used right now.

[dcwilson]

Did you figure this out? I'm having the same problem.

[firestation12]

Originally Posted by dcwilson

Did you figure this out? I'm having the same problem.

This suggestion will help to isolate where the fault is occurring. It requires electrical work but you’ll have a good idea afterwards where the problem occurs. Start by tripping the GFCI, then identify all the down steam outlets. Here comes the hard part. Start with the current GFCI and re-wire it so that the wires formally connected to the load side, are now connected instead to the line side terminals. Now proceed to change out the rest of the outlets to GFCIs, attaching wires only to the “line” side terminals. What you’ll end up is a circuit with multiple GFCI outlets that can only trip in response to what is plugged at that GFCI and not the others. Since GFCI outlets need more depth than standard receptacles, I’ve overcome the issue by creating a custom box to mount each GFCI by using an “old work” box that has opposing swing out lock tabs, then reducing the depth of the box so it just fits the interior wall’s depth. Using a band saw, saber saw or hack saw, I remove the back of the old work box. Next I remove just enough of the box’s 4 sides, so when the box’s original back is re-attached, it’ll fit the depth of the wall. Universal solvent/glue made for both ABS and PVC will bond the plastic box and the original back permanently. When done properly the box looks unmodified and is very durable. So how bad do you really want to end nuisance tripping? Hopefully the originator of this thread (4 months ago) comes back to share what he found.

[dcwilson]

Thanks , sounds like a good plan but I was hoping for a little simpler fix but it may come down to it because I can't have my refrigerator turning off all day.
Dale

[Teesever1]

Yes and no, there was only a tv and residential refrigerator that was actually plugged in. I tried a new gfi outlet and it didn’t work. Thinking about the dirty power which could be coming from the refrigerator I returned the gfi that I bought and purchased a regular 20 amp receptacle and put it in and no problems. I know some people will cringe that we don’t have a gfi near bathroom sink but it’s just myself and my wife and we wanted to camp thru out the summer. When I take it in for other warranty work they can take a look at that knowing it will be in the shop for a month or two.

[dcwilson]

OK, thanks for the reply. It happens at such random times it's hard to diagnose. I dought if service can find the problem unless there is some kind of bulletin on it from Keystone.