GFI Outlet Bad?

[friz]

I plugged our 28 EFS into a GFI outlet near the front door. Cable head had been in the rain for months and it is 18 years old. I got a slight shock while plugging it into the GFI outlet. Should have stopped there and unplugged but I did not. 5th wheel worked fine until the next evening. I unplugged the cable to re-route it and plugged it back in without incident. Maybe an hour later the house panel circuit breaker tripped which controls the GFI outlet. Unplugged the cable and the breaker stayed on. There is black scoring around one of the plug holes on the GFI. So I will replace the GFI outlet and rebuild/replace the cable head. but that is not the issue. I thought the GFI would pop before the house breaker opened? Maybe I don't understand the purpose of the GFI outlet.

[flybouy]

Gfc outlet will only tripif it detects voltage to ground, it is not an overcurrent device. The gfi outlet failed if you were shocked plugging in. The sole purpose of the definition is to PREVENT a person from electrocution by tripping quickly.

The circuit breaker trips when the current flow thru it exceeds its rating. The melted outlet is indication of high amperage load creating heat. What was running in the camper? A 15 amp circuit is only capable of running the converter to charge the battery and the fridge only IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE PLUGGED INTO THAT CIRCUIT like say a freezer in the garage.

I don't know what a 28 EFS is as there's no model name associated with it or year so I can't find out if you have a 30 amp or a 50 amp trailer. Most folks create a signature with make, year, and complete model number of trailer and truck. This will help folks give more context to their answers with less back and forth questioning to get that information. To create a signature go to the top left of the page and click on "UserCP".

[flybouy]

After looking at your second picture it apperars that you are using one of those $3 hockey puck adapters. They are just a fire hazard. Throw that junk away and buy a dog bone adapter. If you are regularly plugging your trailer in at home have an electrician install the proper RV disconnect and outlet on the side of your house. A couple hundred dollars to have it installed is a small cost when compared to the possibilities of a house fire.

[friz]

Originally Posted by flybouy

Gfc outlet will only tripif it detects voltage to ground, it is not an overcurrent device. The gfi outlet failed if you were shocked plugging in. The sole purpose of the definition is to PREVENT a person from electrocution by tripping quickly.The circuit breaker trips when the current flow thru it exceeds its rating. The melted outlet is indication of high amperage load creating heat. What was running in the camper? A 15 amp circuit is only capable of running the converter to charge the battery and the fridge only IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE PLUGGED INTO THAT CIRCUIT like say a freezer in the garage. I don't know what a 28 EFS is as there's no model name associated with it or year so I can't find out if you have a 30 amp or a 50 amp trailer. Most folks create a signature with make, year, and complete model number of trailer and truck. This will help folks give more context to their answers with less back and forth questioning to get that information. To create a signature go to the top left of the page and click on "UserCP".

Thanks for the response. You explained it. So, it was an emergency situation. Friday afternoon the house's septic tank decided it was full of it and was not taking any more caca from us. Pump out service would not be here until Monday. Naively I thought I could run the 5th wheel on the GFI outlet. In hind sight I could have by leaving the AC off. I am surprised the house breaker did not trip sooner. Anyhow, as I stated the cable is 18 years old which would make it and the 5th wheel a 2004. "28 EFS" is the model number. It is a 28' 11" Keystone Cougar 5th wheel. 30 amp circuitry. Sorry but I apparently do not fit the "most folks" mold. Presently I prefer not to have a "profile" on this web site. Privacy/security. Thanks again for the response.

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by friz

Thanks for the response. You explained it. So, it was an emergency situation. Friday afternoon the house's septic tank decided it was full of it and was not taking any more caca from us. Pump out service would not be here until Monday. Naively I thought I could run the 5th wheel on the GFI outlet. In hind sight I could have by leaving the AC off. I am surprised the house breaker did not trip sooner. Anyhow, as I stated the cable is 18 years old which would make it and the 5th wheel a 2004. "28 EFS" is the model number. It is a 28' 11" Keystone Cougar 5th wheel. 30 amp circuitry. Sorry but I apparently do not fit the "most folks" mold. Presently I have no motivation to create anything on this web site. Thanks again for the response.

No issue not being "most folks", just a suggestion to try to help you. You just shared that information so it's out there but whatever.

[friz]

Originally Posted by flybouy

After looking at your second picture it apperars that you are using one of those $3 hockey puck adapters. They are just a fire hazard. Throw that junk away and buy a dog bone adapter. If you are regularly plugging your trailer in at home have an electrician install the proper RV disconnect and outlet on the side of your house. A couple hundred dollars to have it installed is a small cost when compared to the possibilities of a house fire.

lots of advice there, thanks. I have never before, in 5 years of ownership plugged it into a house outlet. As I stated it was an "emergency". I brought it down to the house to avoid a 200' walk to use the head. The 5th wheel is normally parked up the hill, plugged into a RV female on a 30 amp breaker. I beg to differ but the "$3 hockey puck adapter" worked as intended. It did not fail, the GFI outlet did. Anyhow, I am outta here. Gotta drive to Ace Hardware and buy a new GFI outlet. Thanks again.

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by friz

lots of advice there, thanks. I have never before, in 5 years of ownership plugged it into a house outlet. As I stated it was an "emergency". I brought it down to the house to avoid a 200' walk to use the head. The 5th wheel is normally parked up the hill, plugged into a RV female on a 30 amp breaker. I beg to differ but the "$3 hockey puck adapter" worked as intended. It did not fail, the GFI outlet did. Thanks again.

No problem, glad you like and defend the hockey puck adapter but I'd postulate that IT caused the outlet to melt, not the other way around. They are notorious for failing, if you don't believe it I suggest you do some searching. Good luck with your septic woes.

[sourdough]

I agree with Marshall on the hockey pucks. I've probably got a couple out at the barn that look far worse than your outlet. They're way cheap and that's the kind of performance you get from them which makes them dangerous IMO.

[travelin texans]

Better pickup a handful of new GFCI receptacles if you plan to continue using that hockey puck adapter, if it still works after this incident.
Personally while at the hardware store I'd recommend the dog bone 30 to 20 adapter & toss that firestarter as far as possible before you burn the house down.

[friz]

Originally Posted by travelin texans

Better pickup a handful of new GFCI receptacles if you plan to continue using that hockey puck adapter, if it still works after this incident.....

"I have never before, in 5 years of ownership plugged it into a house outlet. As I stated it was an "emergency".


Is there any electrical difference between the 2 types of adapters? They are rated the same and perform the function. The two headed adapter (spiffy) merely looks like a more expensive and complicated design performing the same function as mine.



So, as you may have gleaned, my adapter did not fail. It appears to have worked as designed. It was the GFI outlet which failed when the RV demanded more current than it was designed to pass. and the house breaker popped when it was asked to pass more than 20 amps. So, it was the most expensive part in the circuit which failed. I just spent $28 on a replacement.

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by friz

"I have never before, in 5 years of ownership plugged it into a house outlet. As I stated it was an "emergency".


Is there any electrical difference between the 2 types of adapters? They are rated the same and perform the function. The two headed adapter (spiffy) merely looks like a more expensive and complicated design performing the same function as mine.



So, as you may have gleaned, my adapter did not fail. It appears to have worked as designed. It was the GFI outlet which failed when the RV demanded more current than it was designed to pass. and the house breaker popped when it was asked to pass more than 20 amps. So, it was the most expensive part in the circuit which failed. I just spent $28 on a replacement.

You're right, the folks here that have been doing this for hundreds of years cumulative have no clue what they are talking about. Your logic in your description is like saying a Yugo and a Mercedes are equal. They both start, run, and "get the job done" taking you someplace.

[travelin texans]

Originally Posted by friz

"I have never before, in 5 years of ownership plugged it into a house outlet. As I stated it was an "emergency".


Is there any electrical difference between the 2 types of adapters? They are rated the same and perform the function. The two headed adapter (spiffy) merely looks like a more expensive and complicated design performing the same function as mine.



So, as you may have gleaned, my adapter did not fail. It appears to have worked as designed. It was the GFI outlet which failed when the RV demanded more current than it was designed to pass. and the house breaker popped when it was asked to pass more than 20 amps. So, it was the most expensive part in the circuit which failed. I just spent $28 on a replacement.

From my experience if you had grabbed that hockey puck just before the breaker tripped I'd bet $$ it would've burnt your hand from being overheated which in turn melted that plug.
Yes the dog bone adapters cost more which is why the rv dealers give away those hockey pucks. I've never had that issue with the dog bones but have burnt up 2-3 of those hockey pucks, tripped breakers & melted a couple plugs before realizing they were the problem, fortunately didn't burn down the house.
With that said it's your house, your rv, your $$, your choice!

[ChuckS]

Post deleted .. didn’t read OPs post thoroughly

[rhagfo]

Originally Posted by ChuckS

That GFCI of course is toast and trying to us an adapter to plug in more items will only cause problems .. continuously..

The self contained outlets are marginal at best that are used throughout your RV..

The spring clips that are supposed to provide good contact with with wires may or may not have good penetration through the insulation.las shown in images..

Also each circuit leg from the breaker most Linley has yet another inline splice quick disconnect that further compounds the issue when trying to draw high amperage loads on any RV wall outlet

The OP’s GFCI is in the house front porch, not on the trailer.

[ChuckS]

Originally Posted by rhagfo

The OP’s GFCI is in the house front porch, not on the trailer.

Twas early in the morning and not enough coffee.. oh well.. stuff happens

[friz]

Originally Posted by flybouy

You're right, the folks here that have been doing this for hundreds of years cumulative have no clue what they are talking about. Your logic in your description is like saying a Yugo and a Mercedes are equal. They both start, run, and "get the job done" taking you someplace.

I doubt if you have survey data supporting your "hundreds of years" claim. How about something from Comsumers Report? Consumer Product Safety outfit etc? Hearsay comes to mind. Good analogy about a Yugo and a Mercedes. They accomplish exactly the same work. Yugo does it for 1/4 the cost. Maybe you are justifying your spending 4 times the money needed? Look at me, I drive a Mercedes! No one has said the plug is electrically inferior because I expect it is not. I see snobbery to justify spending a lot more money.

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by friz

I doubt if you have survey data supporting your "hundreds of years" claim. How about something from Comsumers Report? Consumer Product Safety outfit etc? Hearsay comes to mind. Good analogy about a Yugo and a Mercedes. They accomplish exactly the same work. Yugo does it for 1/4 the cost. Maybe you are justifying your spending 4 times the money needed? Look at me, I drive a Mercedes! No one has said the plug is electrically inferior because I expect it is not. I see snobbery to justify spending a lot more money.

OK, now you've progressed to attempting to elicit a response and I'm not biting. Good luck to you.

[CedarCreekWoody]

Originally Posted by friz

I doubt if you have survey data supporting your "hundreds of years" claim. How about something from Comsumers Report? Consumer Product Safety outfit etc? Hearsay comes to mind. Good analogy about a Yugo and a Mercedes. They accomplish exactly the same work. Yugo does it for 1/4 the cost. Maybe you are justifying your spending 4 times the money needed? Look at me, I drive a Mercedes! No one has said the plug is electrically inferior because I expect it is not. I see snobbery to justify spending a lot more money.

People are just trying to help. Were your questions answered?

[Bustinbeards]

I don’t understand, Why come here and ask a question for a solution to an electrical problem and then argue and try to insult those sharing their advice based on experience.

Yugos were basically a disposable vehicle unlike a Mercedes.

Good luck with your problem, hope you have it all figured out like you think!

[rlh1957]

I would use a dogbone adapter. Tgrow away any othertypes.

Plugging the RV into a GFCI outlet in your house sometimes doesn't perform well.
Try plugging it into an outlet that isn’t GFCI and one not outside.

An RV gfci and a house gfci have been known to not play well together.
No danger but can trip arbitrarily. An electrician or electrical engineer can explain the grounding differences.