Shorline GFI tripping

[Midwest Greg]

Hi all
I've had my new Classic plugged into shorline power to 20 amp GFCI with no problems until recently. Now the GFI oddly trips after 10 seconds when I plug trailer to power.

This happens when the trailer is idle and nothing is operating (other than parasitic draw from LP detector, etc).

I am concerned for my batteries are discharging (down to 11v) and don't want to hurt the batteries.

Another trailer in storage next to me has no problems with using the same outlet and it does not trip.

Could this be a bad extension cord, or it it an on-board electrical issue?

Thank you!
Greg

[gator.bigfoot]

So when it trips you are tripping the other trailer's power as well then? There could multiple reasons you are tripping the power. Is this actually a breaker you are tripping or just a gfi outlet? Have you tried plugging in elsewhere? Are sure both trailers are not overloading the circuit?

You need to start somewhere with the debug. Start by only one trailer being plugged in. If you still trip the circuit then can you use a different cord? Try a different plugin altogether.

Right now there are not enough facts and too many variables to even guess at a diagnosis.

[Midwest Greg]

Thank you.
This storage unit allows both of us to share a single 20 amp GFI outlet.
When he uses outlet no problems.
As soon as I plug in my trailer, whether he is plugged in or not, the wall GFI trips off after 10 seconds.

Until a week ago the outlet worked fine and did not trip. Tailer has been and continues to be in storage and now trips the breaker. Wondering since battery voltage now low at 11 volts if the demand for the on-board charger is too high and tripping the breaker...again after 10 seconds, NOT instantaneously.
To clarify, the breaker is not being tripped; it's the GFCI "button."
Thanks

[LilPeanut]

I don’t have enough info to make much more than a guess. Here is my guess. Your batteries are drained enough to need bulk charging. You are using a dogbone to use a 15-20 amp outlet and the charger is eating more amps than that. If I knew what kind of batteries, and they were lithium, that would be even more likely.

Here is another thing to try. Get a battery tender and plug that in and directly keep the batteries charged. Don’t use the onboard charger. All will be fine. Just my guess.

[gator.bigfoot]

Originally Posted by Midwest Greg

Thank you.
This storage unit allows both of us to share a single 20 amp GFI outlet.
When he uses outlet no problems.
As soon as I plug in my trailer, whether he is plugged in or not, the wall GFI trips off after 10 seconds.

Until a week ago the outlet worked fine and did not trip. Tailer has been and continues to be in storage and now trips the breaker. Wondering since battery voltage now low at 11 volts if the demand for the on-board charger is too high and tripping the breaker...again after 10 seconds, NOT instantaneously.
To clarify, the breaker is not being tripped; it's the GFCI "button."
Thanks

Start by turning off the AC main breaker in your trailer. See if it still trips. If not then turn off all the breakers and turn on the main breaker. If it still doesn't trip, then turn in one breaker at a time. If you can't get past step one then take a look at your power cord.

Let me know the results. If you have a volt meter then also please take voltage measurements as well. Always good to know what the voltage is at the source.

[Sjcjr]

Originally Posted by Midwest Greg

Hi all
I've had my new Classic plugged into shorline power to 20 amp GFCI with no problems until recently. Now the GFI oddly trips after 10 seconds when I plug trailer to power.

This happens when the trailer is idle and nothing is operating (other than parasitic draw from LP detector, etc).

I am concerned for my batteries are discharging (down to 11v) and don't want to hurt the batteries.

Another trailer in storage next to me has no problems with using the same outlet and it does not trip.

Could this be a bad extension cord, or it it an on-board electrical issue?

Thank you!
Greg

I had the same problem. Try turning off your inverter breaker when hooked to shore power. This worked for me.

[Midwest Greg]

Originally Posted by LilPeanut

I don’t have enough info to make much more than a guess. Here is my guess. Your batteries are drained enough to need bulk charging. You are using a dogbone to use a 15-20 amp outlet and the charger is eating more amps than that. If I knew what kind of batteries, and they were lithium, that would be even more likely.

Here is another thing to try. Get a battery tender and plug that in and directly keep the batteries charged. Don’t use the onboard charger. All will be fine. Just my guess.

Thank you....I was actually thinking the same thing, especially given the multiple warnings of low battery voltage due to no shore power supply for last couple weeks. Heading back out there with a tender as you suggested. Also heard that the inverter could be faulty and causing the problem.
Thank you!

[Midwest Greg]

Thank you....tried that and with all breakers on, one by one, it did not trip and worked for a while. Then when leaving trailer and hitting "Away mode" for lighting, the breaker tripped. Really odd.
Suspecting either on-board battery charger pulling too high amps for a bulk charge, or the inverter is bad.
I'll take some voltage readings when I head out there today.
Thank you!

[Midwest Greg]

I think you may have hit the nail on the head. I called Airstream corporate and a tech there said they just had the same problem with one of their trailers and the inverter "pass-through" component was bad and tripping the shoreline breaker.
I plan to turn off the inverter breaker and see if this will temporarily work until I can get the inverter looked at.

Did you end up having to replace your inverter?
Thanks!

[BayouBiker]

The inverters and sometimes the water heater controller will induce an external GFCI trip. Neither are intended to be operated on a GFCI circuit so the electronics are not robustly designed to avoid false trips. You can describe them as faulty when they do trip GFCIs or you could write it off as a within the range of expected given what I described. So how you address it is up to you. You could isolate the offending device or plug into a standard outlet.

[gator.bigfoot]

Are you guys talking about inverters or converters? Inverters are what converts 12v to ac. Converter is what is charging you batteries and running your DC circuits when on shore power.

[gator.bigfoot]

Originally Posted by BayouBiker

The inverters and sometimes the water heater controller will induce an external GFCI trip. Neither are intended to be operated on a GFCI circuit so the electronics are not robustly designed to avoid false trips. You can describe them as faulty when they do trip GFCIs or you could write it off as a within the range of expected given what I described. So how you address it is up to you. You could isolate the offending device or plug into a standard outlet.

Hopefully no one stores their trailer with the hot water turned on.

[BayouBiker]

True that! but the controller is still electrically connected unless the fuse is removed so it can/does sometimes still interfere with the GFCI.