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ctdair · 08-18-2004, 08:15 AM

http://home.howstuffworks.com/question117.htm
explanation of gfci and stuff

ctdair · 08-18-2004, 08:27 AM

http://repair.usenews.org/group/alt....ge-313353.html
black and white description of why NOT to bond neutral and ground in trailer

ctdair · 08-18-2004, 08:38 AM

ok hopfully one last time. the link above does refer to trailers being 4 wire
keep in mind they are refering to the trailer park type of trailer supplied with 220vac but the concept of the metal becoming energized still applies to 110 vac the is just one less hot wire on our trailers.

roadeo · 08-18-2004, 12:48 PM

Man now I am confused.
Glad this thread resurfaced.
Both John HD and Davidz71 (craig) are still regulars here. (I think). I know nothing about electrical but sure wonder why the thread died over two years ago. Davidz tell us what you finally decided and fill in any blanks please.

bake315 · 08-18-2004, 03:06 PM

It looks like once Davidz71 pulled the jumper wire back on Page 1, it stopped tripping the GFCI. John initially thought it needed to be there, but later after reviewing wiring diagrams for USA and Canada models, was able to determine that this jumper never existed as an original necessity, and corrected himself. Since we hadn't heard anything additional beyond their last discussion, I guess the jumper was ultimately left out permanently, and no further problems have arisen. Recent posts seem to support the notion that it should not be in there for this particular electrical application.

roadeo · 08-18-2004, 04:09 PM

Further searching has brought me to this thread:

http://www.airforums.com/forum...ead.php?t=1357

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidZ71

08-12-2002, 12:46 PM
davidz71
Posts: 1,286

Tullahoma, Tennessee
1977 31' Excella 500 Electrical problem resolved

--------------------------------------------------------------------------I think that with the help of forum members I have resolved my 110 v. electrical problem. I believe it started with a 30 amp plug which had loose blades and they somehow were arching inside the head of the plug. This was what was tripping the GFI system at the campground. One of the individuals helping me was an electrician parked in the next site. While diagnosing the problem, I believe he hooked a jumper wire from the ground bar to the neutral bar in the circuit breaker box, an acceptable practice for a nonGFI circuit according to several sources on the forum. No matter what we did after that, it would trip the GFI breaker at the campground box. Once I got home, a new plug was put on but I believe I checked it on a nonGFI circuit at the house because there was no problem when I tested it. When I checked it the other week, it was kicking the GFI at the garage breaker box. Since there was no reference in the service manual regarding the jumper wire, I removed it. That solved my problem. I have checked continuity on all wires and there is no crossing over. I have to isolate the ground bar to check it but it looks like everything is OK (I hope). Every plug and every system in the trailer has been checked with a meter and an instrument that verifies whether there is an open, fault, etc. and everything checks out. AC even checked out for a quick run of one minute.
Thanks for the help.
__________________

bake315 · 08-19-2004, 08:15 AM

And now you know...... the rest of the story.

davidz71 · 03-12-2005, 10:52 PM

Thanks Rodeo for finding the additional thread. Somehow I missed a number of posts after 8/10/02 and just noticed them tonight. Yep, the guy wired the jumper so no matter what I did it would trip the GFIC. After replacing the 30 amp plug and pulling the jumper wire out, I haven't had a single electrical problem since. Everything continues to work like clockwork, knock on wood.

87MH · 03-13-2005, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by john hd

top is ground
left is hot
right is neutral
this looking at the back of the plug as if you were about to plug it in.

Another quote is "Start at the Beginning"

On another related (electrical) thread I described the electrical problems in my 1978 31' Sovereign. Reading the electrical threads to help understand what is going on with the electric system, I decided to "Start at the Beginning".

I pulled apart the connector at the end of the umbilical line, and here is a picture of it taken apart...besides the obvious corrosion, check out the color of the wires......the positive and neutral are wired in backwards.

In addition to the reversed leads, the rust (and dust) on the interior of the plug case may also be a contributor to the "voltage bleedover" I was experiencing.