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07-02-2017, 09:57 AM
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#1
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Junior Member
Name: Koren
Trailer: Scamp
New Jersey
Posts: 24
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Scamp electrical problem
Hi all, we have lost all AC oulet power to the fridge side of our '99 Scamp. The electrical outlet installed on outside of trailer only stays on 5min.and then trips off (This outlet was an addition from previous owner). Any help greatly appreciated! Thanks!
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07-02-2017, 11:14 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Name: KAY
Trailer: SCAMP
Missouri
Posts: 377
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Koren, are you trying to run something else on the fridge circuit through that outside plug?
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07-02-2017, 11:28 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Name: Steve
Trailer: 2018, 21ft escape— 2019 Ram 1500 Laramie
NW Wisconsin
Posts: 4,434
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Is the breaker tripping or the GFCI receptacle in the kitchen tripping ?
If it's the GFCI check the connections at the outside receptacle.
If it's not the outside receptacle then unplug the refrigerator . The 120V AC heater in the refrigerator maybe bad
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07-02-2017, 11:57 AM
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#4
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Junior Member
Name: Koren
Trailer: Scamp
New Jersey
Posts: 24
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No we're not running anything else on the outside plug. We'll unplug the fridge and see if that's the problem. Could it be a surge problem from the campground? But the air conditioner stays on so you'd think the whole trailer would shut down if it was the campground connection, right?
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07-02-2017, 12:33 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Name: Steve
Trailer: 2018, 21ft escape— 2019 Ram 1500 Laramie
NW Wisconsin
Posts: 4,434
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mswhipp
No we're not running anything else on the outside plug. We'll unplug the fridge and see if that's the problem. Could it be a surge problem from the campground? But the air conditioner stays on so you'd think the whole trailer would shut down if it was the campground connection, right?
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The campground pedental breakers and the circuit breakers in your trailer provide overcurrent protection , they do not provide surge protection. GFCI' s do not provide overcurrent or surge protection , they are looking for a leakage current to ground.
You may have a bad / defective circuit breaker or a bad / loose line or neutral connection in the panel or at the receptacle , or the breakers bus connection could be loose or burned.
If it's not something simple like a tripped breaker or GFCI and you lack knowledge of electrical then I would suggest you seek some qualified help .
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07-02-2017, 02:13 PM
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#6
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Junior Member
Name: Koren
Trailer: Scamp
New Jersey
Posts: 24
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Thanks all. We have unplugged the fridge and the GFCI has not tripped yet! So it must be a fridge problem.
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07-02-2017, 02:38 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Name: Mike
Trailer: 1986 Bigfoot FT20
Michigan
Posts: 926
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Not so, try leaving the ac off and run the frig. If frig works ok and not tripping breaker you found your problem.
If I was to guess your over loading the circuit. Running to many thing on one circuit.
AC, frig, microwave, coffee pot, toaster, etc. you may need to learn how to manage your power. Too many items running on a circuit will do it ever time.
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07-02-2017, 02:59 PM
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#8
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Junior Member
Name: Koren
Trailer: Scamp
New Jersey
Posts: 24
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We don't have a microwave or toaster. The only thing on is the air conditioner. We tried shutting off the air conditioner and it still tripped the GFCI. So I think it might be the fridge.
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07-02-2017, 03:04 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Name: Mike
Trailer: 1986 Bigfoot FT20
Michigan
Posts: 926
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RV frig or dorm type frig.?
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07-02-2017, 03:08 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Name: Steve
Trailer: 2018, 21ft escape— 2019 Ram 1500 Laramie
NW Wisconsin
Posts: 4,434
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The rooftop A/C on a Scamp is on a separate circuit and is not on the same circuit as the kitchen / refrigerator.
As I mentioned before the GFCI does not provide overcurrent protection so overloading the circuit would cause the circuit breaker to trip but not the GFCI.
Standard circuit breakers and GFCI's perform two different functions
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07-02-2017, 03:40 PM
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#11
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Junior Member
Name: Koren
Trailer: Scamp
New Jersey
Posts: 24
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It's the RV fridge, mszabo.
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07-02-2017, 03:43 PM
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#12
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Junior Member
Name: Koren
Trailer: Scamp
New Jersey
Posts: 24
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Thanks Steve. All I know is, I unplugged the fridge and the outside plug is now working. So is the fridge the problem? The fridge has not been working at all this trip.
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07-02-2017, 04:01 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Name: Steve
Trailer: Scamp 13
California
Posts: 1,890
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Sometimes loose wire connections heat up and expand and break connections. Check everything very carefully.
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07-02-2017, 04:59 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Name: Steve
Trailer: 2018, 21ft escape— 2019 Ram 1500 Laramie
NW Wisconsin
Posts: 4,434
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mswhipp
Thanks Steve. All I know is, I unplugged the fridge and the outside plug is now working. So is the fridge the problem? The fridge has not been working at all this trip.
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I would plug a small appliance or load into the refrigerator receptacle ( Refrigerator unplugged) and see if the GFCI holds under load .) If the GFCI holds under load , I would believe the problem lies with the refrigerator. If the GFCI still trips then I would check as SteveBaz suggested , the connections at the outside receptacle and refrigerator receptacle. Water has been known to leak past the gasket on the outside receptacle and cause the kitchen GFCI to trip
The electric heating element in the refrigerator has also been known to fail and creating a high resistance path to ground.
Good enough to trip the GFCI but not good enough or of a long enought duration to trip the circuit breaker.
A GFCI requires only 0.005 amps of fault current to cause it to trip.
High resistance grounds can sometimes be difficult to find.
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07-02-2017, 05:51 PM
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#15
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Junior Member
Name: Koren
Trailer: Scamp
New Jersey
Posts: 24
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Thank you, Steve! We'll try that now.
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09-08-2017, 07:13 PM
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#16
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Member
Name: Dave
Trailer: 2010 Escape 19
New Jersey
Posts: 50
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Koren: Just happened to come across this. Did you ever get this resolved?? This was my father's old trailer and I installed the exterior outlet. It was simply wired inline so it also afforded GFI protection to the kitchen area of the trailer which Scamp didn't provide. We never had a problem. Let me know if I can help.
Dave
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