Receptacles no power

[Dlanc]

Hey y’all,
I have a 2017 outback 326RL. We have traveled and lived in it for almost 18 months. It has been in storage the last 12 months, Labor Day weekend we pulled it out and the receptacles on the peninsula and under microwave have no power. Others throughout the camper have power. Im looking for some insight where to start troubleshooting to prevent me cutting the bottom insulation or tearing into the wall, playing hide and seek trying to find the wire. I’ll do more damage trying to find it than the dead plugs are doing
Thanks in advance
David

[Northofu1]

check your GFI's. if one is tripped it might trip them all

[Dlanc]

Thank you for the quick response, I thought that but I don’t see any GFCI’s on the plugs..? Both plugs say GFCI protected, I assumed this would be the first thing to check but can’t find any. Check ckt bkrs and realized there’s only 1 for the entire camper.

[Northofu1]

check the exterior as well? maybe the garage?
I have one that sits on the awning side, and one in the bathroom. both have reset buttons

[Dlanc]

Thanks northofu1 Found it. The GFCI in the bathroom supplies power to the kitchen wet area (I assume the outside plug as well)

[Northofu1]

No worries :)

[Ken / Claudia]

If I was selling RVs, on the PDI, I would point out where every GFI is located. They seem to hide them. And when one trips it can take along time to find them.

[travelin texans]

If I was selling RVs, on the PDI, I would point out where every GFI is located. They seem to hide them. And when one trips it can take along time to find them.

The difference is you've had/used a RV, a lot of those folks selling them have never spent the night in one or ever towed a trailer of any kind.

[Ken / Claudia]

You got that right!

[wiredgeorge]

On RV GFI circuits as well as those in a home, there will be ONE GFI and the other outlets will be in series. Find the GFI and reset. Otherwise, a wire fell off in one of the series and all are now dead. Find the GFI and if doesn't need to be reset check the breaker in the converter box marked GFI.

[Par4x4]

We just purchased a used 2009 Keystone Springdale 266. I've been going through all the systems in our yard while preparing for our first trip. The receptacles all worked until today. I tested the GFI in the bathroom and can't get it to reset. Where should I look next? Fuses? Breaker? Am I missing another GFI?

[chuckster57]

Welcome to the forum!!

If your not plugged into shore power, the GFI plug won’t reset. After that has been ruled out, it’s time to figure out what is “down stream” on the same circuit.

[Par4x4]

I am plugged into shore power. Everything else is working correctly. I'm going to look at a few things in the morning like the power center, breakers and fuses. I think I know where the other GFCI is located though. I'll start there.

[chuckster57]

If there is another GFI, it won’t be connected to your failed one. Think back to anything you did before when it was working.

It could be a failed GFCI outlet, and since they aren’t that much, I might be inclined to replace it first. Since there is a “supply” side and a “load” side, you could disconnect the power to the trailer. Then take the outlet apart and test for continuity across the hot and ground. If there isn’t any I would change the outlet. If there is then your off on a hunting trip without a guide as wiring diagrams are elusive as a unicorn.

Let us know what you find.

[Par4x4]

Okay, I was finally able to get the GFCI in the bathroom to reset, test and hold. I was able to do this only after unplugging the refrigerator. So, what next? Why is the refrigerator causing the circuit to trip? Suggestions on where to look next please.

[flybouy]

Try plugging in the ref to a standard outlet and see if it trips the breaker.

[Steveo57]

Okay, I was finally able to get the GFCI in the bathroom to reset, test and hold. I was able to do this only after unplugging the refrigerator. So, what next? Why is the refrigerator causing the circuit to trip? Suggestions on where to look next please.

The refrigerator has a heater powered by 120 volt AC. It could be grounded out. You can disconnect the heater element if you're comfortable doing that kinda thing. Then see if it is still tripping.

[JRTJH]

Before I disconnected the refrigerator heating element, I'd first plug something else into the outlet and see if it trips the GFI. Then plug the refrigerator (using an extension cord) into another "known GFI outlet in the trailer".... If the "other electrical item" doesn't trip the GFI, and if the refrigerator, when plugged into the bathroom outlet "does trip the GFI" I'd suspect the refrigerator....

On the other hand, if the other item trips the GFI as soon as you reset it, it's probably the refrigerator plug (wet or corroded) or the wiring is loose in that plug.

[teacherman]

If there is another GFI, it won’t be connected to your failed one. Think back to anything you did before when it was working.

It could be a failed GFCI outlet, and since they aren’t that much, I might be inclined to replace it first. Since there is a “supply” side and a “load” side, you could disconnect the power to the trailer. Then take the outlet apart and test for continuity across the hot and ground. If there isn’t any I would change the outlet. If there is then your off on a hunting trip without a guide as wiring diagrams are elusive as a unicorn.

Let us know what you find.

I have a question. Are these GFIs the same as ones used in house wiring? If so, replacement would be cheap enough. I know they come in both 15 and 20 amp. Is the wiring 12 or 14 ga? I wonder about this, given the need to make a trailer at a certain price point, and the creativity often shown in pursuit of same...

[chuckster57]

I have a question. Are these GFIs the same as ones used in house wiring? If so, replacement would be cheap enough. I know they come in both 15 and 20 amp. Is the wiring 12 or 14 ga? I wonder about this, given the need to make a trailer at a certain price point, and the creativity often shown in pursuit of same...


I have used GFI outlets from Lowe’s to replace bad ones. Last month another tech replaced one so we could deliver a new unit. When the warranty claim was paid the cost of the outlet wasn’t fully reimbursed. Our cost was like $20 and factory paid $12.35

Goes to show buying in BULK lowers cost.

[flybouy]

I have a question. Are these GFIs the same as ones used in house wiring? If so, replacement would be cheap enough. I know they come in both 15 and 20 amp. Is the wiring 12 or 14 ga? I wonder about this, given the need to make a trailer at a certain price point, and the creativity often shown in pursuit of same...

If the current GFI is 15 amp then it's 99.9% certain it will be 14 ga wire.

[JRTJH]

I have a question. Are these GFIs the same as ones used in house wiring? If so, replacement would be cheap enough. I know they come in both 15 and 20 amp. Is the wiring 12 or 14 ga? I wonder about this, given the need to make a trailer at a certain price point, and the creativity often shown in pursuit of same...

To answer your question about the ROMEX gauge, 15 amp circuits use 14 ga ROMEX and 20 amp circuits use 12 ga ROMEX. Go to the circuit breaker panel, determine what size circuit breaker is in the circuit, use ROMEX of that appropriate size.

As a warning: Using 14 ga ROMEX in a 20 amp circuit "could cause a fire hazard" as the wiring may get too hot before the circuit breaker opens.

[wiredgeorge]

Romex that is white is 14 ga and yellow is 12 ga as far as I know. In home wiring applications, the 14 ga stuff is used on 15A circuits and yellow on 20A. Yellow is a tad more expensive and most builders use the lightest guage wire they can get by with to meet code. Problem with using a residential GFI is that it is intended to fit in a box and a residential box is designed for 2x4 framing. If you use one, you won't be using the box. The RV GFI outlet works like all the other RV outlets in that it is in its own shallow case that has wings to retain it to the wall. The wires are secured by blades inside the outlet as there are not screws like a residential outlet. I used a residential box and GFI in my camper for the microwave as the box goes through the partition where the microwave sits and an upper kitchen cabinet. I ran the wires down to an outside outlet and not through the breaker. I use a separate all weather power cord connected to the marine all weather outlet connected to a 15A outlet on a power pedestal. This is to avoid popping the main breaker when the A/C is on and the microwave is used.

[teacherman]

To answer your question about the ROMEX gauge, 15 amp circuits use 14 ga ROMEX and 20 amp circuits use 12 ga ROMEX. Go to the circuit breaker panel, determine what size circuit breaker is in the circuit, use ROMEX of that appropriate size.

As a warning: Using 14 ga ROMEX in a 20 amp circuit "could cause a fire hazard" as the wiring may get too hot before the circuit breaker opens.

Yeah, I see that a lot in house wiring. Residential codes around here stipulate 12 ga and 20 amp outlets for kitchens, but I use pretty much all 12 in my own stuff except for lights. Sort of the "no replacement for displacement" idea, reinforced by extension cords feeling hot to the touch near the plugs, and the weakest link theory. I've seen a good bit of aluminum wire as well, which was popular a while back. Scary stuff, with all the demands of modern living trying to be supplied with wiring barely adequate at time of installation.

Here's hoping for a quick and low cost solution to the problem!

[Par4x4]

I've corrected the problem and all outlets now are working correctly. I replaced the outlet that the refrigerator plugged into and that fixed it. The condensate drain line for frig was broken and had been dripping into the access area and eventually on the plug itself. I moved the plug to a protected area and replaced the drain line and now I'm good to go.

Thanks for everyone's advice.