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GFI Circuit Irregularity

GFI circuit irregularity - 2002 Intrigue 36-foot with 2 slides
On two occasions, all power was lost on the GFI circuit. Two non-GFI bedroom outlets plus the Microwave were still functioning but they are not on the GFI circuit. Logic told me that the GFI outlet had somehow tripped. It is located in the right rear of the bedroom. I tried resetting the GFI outlet, but it was not tripped. I tried tripping and resetting it, but still no power on the rest of the GFI circuit.
I also checked the breakers on the inverter. So, I assumed that the GFI outlet went bad. Tried replacing it with another GFI outlet, and then another GFI Outlet. Still no power on that circuit all throughout the coach except as mentioned before, the microwave and the 2 non-GFI bedroom outlets. Eventually I tried reinstalling the original GFI outlet and to my surprise, all was well again. So essentially the problem fixed itself. I figured it was a quirk in the GFI Outlet and let it go at that.
Many months later, the GFI circuit went out again with the same symptoms. I again checked the GFI outlet and it was not tripped and of course I also checked the breakers on the inverter. There are no other breakers for the GFI circuit. Some hours later, the GFI circuit came back on again without me doing anything.
So It doesn’t appear to be the GFI outlet. What could there be in that GFI circuit that could cause an open circuit that heals itself over time? Based on the first incident where I actually tried replacing the GFI outlet and the 2nd incident where again the GFI outlet was not tripped, it’s got to be somewhere in the circuit itself and not the GFI outlet.
Any thoughts???
Steve Bufty
2002 Intrigue #11382

Re: GFI Circuit Irregularity

Reply #1 –
You will have a secondary breaker box in the 120 volt lines coming out of the inverter.  On my 2000 Magna that breaker box is located in the forward storage bay on the passenger side.  I discovered it after I had owned the coach for about a year.  There are two breakers in the box.  One for the microwave and one for all other circuits.  The later breaker is the one connected to my GFCI receptacle.

Given the age of your coach I would suspect you have a secondary breaker box.  I've seen newer coaches that bring the inverter output back to the main circuit breaker box.

Don't know if this information will help you and don't know if the secondary breaker box could have a breaker operating in an intermittent way.  Perhaps you can locate the secondary breaker box and check the connections in the box.  Be sure your inverter is turned off and you are disconnected from shore power before opening the secondary breaker box.
pete
2000 40' Magna, CAT C-10, #5892
Pete
 2000 40'  Magna #5892  CAT C-10

Re: GFI Circuit Irregularity

Reply #2 –
Hi Steve,

A few years ago I had a similar problem that turned out to be a loose connection on the neutral. When troubleshooting house wiring it is easy to overlook the white wire because the hot is what we follow on the schematic. Since you are comfortable doing your own wiring, check all the neutral connections. In my case, I found some neutrals inside of a twist-on wire cap that had not been twisted together before the cap was put on and one of them had slipped out.

Hope that helps.
Part-time meanderthal
'95 Magna 5233 - Luna

Re: GFI Circuit Irregularity

Reply #3 –
Dean, thanks for your input to my GFI problem. I assume that you are talking about checking the white neutral connections on all the other outlets throughout the coach. Is that right? I guess that I can start working through each of them one by one. Ugh! I suppose it would be wise to check all the connections at each outlet as long as I'm in there. Double Ugh!
Steve Bufty
2002 Intrigue #11382

Re: GFI Circuit Irregularity

Reply #4 –
Yes, since it affects all the outlets, I would start with the outlet closest to the breaker box. And check the neutral bus in the breaker box too. And as Pfhays mentioned, be sure the inverter is off while you've got your fingers in there. Safety first!
Part-time meanderthal
'95 Magna 5233 - Luna