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I wired a trailer with 110V power. I have a female plug on the outside of the trailer I use to plug an extension cord from a generator to. Inside, I have a fuse box and power running to a light and a 4 gang electrical box.
When I plug my trailer into a generator, it works fine. When I plug it into a GFCI outlet (I only have access to GFCI's), it trips it.
What is wrong here?
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2004 F250 6.0, 4" T-back MBRP, AFE Stage II/PG7, CFM+ Largemouth, Snow Stage II Meth injection, Pyro, Trans, Boost pillar mount, SCT running Extreme Street, ITP reg return, AirDog, Oilguard bypass, CCV mod, Diesel Site coolant filter, harpooned, 08 Diff cover, Daystar levelling kit, Viair onboard air with Siege train horns, heated mirror switch, Hella 500 Driving and Fog lights behind Billet grille, back-up lights, Kenwood 7019 in-dash DVD, Alpine S in the doors, 2 10" JL subs with Alpine amp.
My first guess would be that the hot side and neutral or ground is reversed on the feed into the trailer. The generator wouldn't care but the GFI would see the fault and trip. What happens when you disconnect the fuse's on the fuse box and you plug in from the GFI does it still trip? If not then the problem is in the wireing from the fuse box to the outlets or light. This should be a simple fix, just need to check things with a meeter. If you look at the plug the hole on the right should be your hot side and the one on the left is the neutral or ground along with the single hole on the bottom. This is presuming that they look like this
You are probably not adequately grounded. Go to Home Depot or Lowes and buy a test plug. I can't remember the mfg. but it will have three lights on it and costs under $10. It will show an open leg of the circuit, and will have a button to push to test the GFCI.
That is where I would start.
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2007 F-350 Crew Cab King Ranch SRW 6.0L FX4 -100% Stock. B&W Turnover GN Hitch.
And a bunch of other stuff with engines... all of which require a wrench.
I turned off the breakers and it still trips right away. So this would be either where I wired the female plug end or where I wired that cord to the fuse box, right?
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2004 F250 6.0, 4" T-back MBRP, AFE Stage II/PG7, CFM+ Largemouth, Snow Stage II Meth injection, Pyro, Trans, Boost pillar mount, SCT running Extreme Street, ITP reg return, AirDog, Oilguard bypass, CCV mod, Diesel Site coolant filter, harpooned, 08 Diff cover, Daystar levelling kit, Viair onboard air with Siege train horns, heated mirror switch, Hella 500 Driving and Fog lights behind Billet grille, back-up lights, Kenwood 7019 in-dash DVD, Alpine S in the doors, 2 10" JL subs with Alpine amp.
That is what it sounds like to me. Just a guess but what does it do if you plug it into a non GFI plug, besides the generator? Or get one of the test lights that FarmerK suggested and plug in the generator and see if that part is wired right.
I wired a trailer with 110V power. I have a female plug on the outside of the trailer I use to plug an extension cord from a generator to. ... What is wrong here?
First, you have the wrong gender connector. This is the connector which should be mounted on the outside of the trailer. It's called an "inlet".
I recommend that you immediately disconnect all of your 120-Volt wiring, then request the on-site assistance of someone who knows what they're doing. What you've done is dangerous.
As for the GFCI tripping, the most likely defect is the grounded (white) wire in the trailer being connected to the trailer frame ground.
If the fusebox you've installed was designed for a building, not a trailer, it is likely that there's a bonding screw in there which connects the W terminals to the box. Remove that screw.
The next-most-likely defect is compromised insulation on either the hot or white wire(s) causing a current leak.
To test for a current leak, unplug the trailer's 120-Volt plug. Use an ohmmeter to check for any continuity between the trailer plug's grounding (G) pin and the grounded (W) blade, then check for any continuity between the grounding (G) pin and the hot blade.
If either test reveals a continuity 20,000 Ohms, (or less) the GFCI is tripping because you have a 6 milliAmp (or more) current leak, which is precisely what GFCIs are supposed to do. Find that current leak and insulate it properly.
Although it may "work" on a generator, it's unsafe.
The hot & grounded (white) wires being reversed will not cause a GFCI to trip if that's the only defect in the trailer. As long as the outbound and inbound currents are the equal, (no current diverted to ground) a GFCI is satisfied.
This is the face view of a NEMA 5-15 (125 Volt, 15 Ampere) receptacle.
(courtesy of levitonproducts.com) The plug will be a mirror image.
The terminal labeled "G" carries the "grounding" conductor and is identified by green screw terminals and green or bare wires. It connects to a ground rod buried in the Earth and doesn't carry any current when all's well.
The terminal labeled "W" carries the "grounded" conductor and is identified by white-metal (silver-colored) screw terminals and white or tan wires. It is grounded at exactly ONE point in the building's service entrance, no more, no less. It is a current-carrying conductor and carries however much current your trailer uses. It is not a "neutral" conductor; there is no such thing as a neutral conductor in a single-phase system.
The remaining terminal carries the hot conductor and is identified by yellow-metal (gold-colored) screw terminals. In residential work, the wire is often red or black but may be any color other than green, white or tan. It, too, is a current-carrying conductor and carries the same amount of current as the grounded (white) conductor.
Although named "grounded", the white wire(s) must not be grounded anywhere in the trailer. It must be grounded at exactly one point, at the building's service entrance. (strictly speaking, that's called "bonding", not "grounding". For the complete scoop, see the National Electrical Code, Article 250 – Grounding and Bonding.)
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Douglas Campbell
November 5, 2008: The fat lady sang. Back to actually working for a living.
1986 Isuzu P'up, 177,673.8 miles. Hella headlights, (highly recommended) DOT C-2 back end. (also recommended) R-12 air conditioner converted to R-406a. 4.1:1 rear axle converted to 3.4:1.
9/22/2007, age 21: Still running well when reluctantly sent away for reincarnation due to rust.
Not affiliated with the Campbell Soup Company.
Last edited by drcampbell : 07-11-2009 at 11:24 PM.
I am so relieved to hear the mistake was writing, not wiring.
I retract what I said about "dangerous" and "unsafe".
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Douglas Campbell
November 5, 2008: The fat lady sang. Back to actually working for a living.
1986 Isuzu P'up, 177,673.8 miles. Hella headlights, (highly recommended) DOT C-2 back end. (also recommended) R-12 air conditioner converted to R-406a. 4.1:1 rear axle converted to 3.4:1.
9/22/2007, age 21: Still running well when reluctantly sent away for reincarnation due to rust.
Not affiliated with the Campbell Soup Company.
Last edited by drcampbell : 07-11-2009 at 01:17 PM.
The test light is quick and easy but if you have a ohm meter you can do the tests as pointed out by drcampbell. If you know how to use it the meter is better.
Be over cautous with the grounding.
I have seen appliences and stainless counter tops hot. Not a good thing. You may even want a gfi of your own in the trailer.
Having the test light is not a bad thing. I use one to check my hook ups at parks. You just don't know who did the wiring. Could be a maintenance guy with no clue. It happens. Its comforting to know your wired right. Safer too.
People do the darndest things. I have seen a ceiling fan connected to AC 120v with gator clips to striped wires in over head. Then covered with insulation. Not exactly to code. The supporting box was wrong too.
But thats why there is a code and inspectors.
The wiring your doing is fairly simple stuff. Basicly keep the whites going to the whites, and blacks to blacks, and grounds to grounds.
You can fix this.
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Jim
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97F250 7.3 PSD 4x4 Ext Cab E4OD, 4:10LS, about 110k on the clock, Guages: Pyro,Boost,Trans. 4" intake, 3" Dp, 4" msrp exhuast, Cat MIA, Adj 10k, AMI Wheel chair lift.
The GFI is tripping as soon as I plug the trailer in - with all the circuit breakers off. To me, this means the wiring in the box is wrong, right? The wiring in the male plug end is right.
I attached a pic of the wiring - is there something wrong?
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2004 F250 6.0, 4" T-back MBRP, AFE Stage II/PG7, CFM+ Largemouth, Snow Stage II Meth injection, Pyro, Trans, Boost pillar mount, SCT running Extreme Street, ITP reg return, AirDog, Oilguard bypass, CCV mod, Diesel Site coolant filter, harpooned, 08 Diff cover, Daystar levelling kit, Viair onboard air with Siege train horns, heated mirror switch, Hella 500 Driving and Fog lights behind Billet grille, back-up lights, Kenwood 7019 in-dash DVD, Alpine S in the doors, 2 10" JL subs with Alpine amp.
lets start with the fact that the BX is brought into the box incorrectly. Next, there are no anti-short (redhead) bushings in the end of the armor. The box you have is a 220volt box and not one approved for mobile/ camper use for 110 volt only. this has the makings of the Uncle Fester Electrical Company......
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2008 F-450 Lariat loaded on order 7/3/07 delivered 9/13/2007 Pueblo Gold and all the goodies except Nav radio and moonroof and Fisher 8'6" X-blade
2005
F-350 Lariat LOADED CC SRW LB 6.0 SOLD
Med. Wedgewood Blue
All Options except moon roof
8'6" Fisher X-blade SS
2003 PSD 6.0 Lariat CC SB SOLD
All options but the moon roof
Yep, you guys are smarter than me. I have got so much help on this forum for my truck - no one ever threw out a little bit of info and told me I am stupid. I am surprised you guys aren't willing to help. Whatever.
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2004 F250 6.0, 4" T-back MBRP, AFE Stage II/PG7, CFM+ Largemouth, Snow Stage II Meth injection, Pyro, Trans, Boost pillar mount, SCT running Extreme Street, ITP reg return, AirDog, Oilguard bypass, CCV mod, Diesel Site coolant filter, harpooned, 08 Diff cover, Daystar levelling kit, Viair onboard air with Siege train horns, heated mirror switch, Hella 500 Driving and Fog lights behind Billet grille, back-up lights, Kenwood 7019 in-dash DVD, Alpine S in the doors, 2 10" JL subs with Alpine amp.
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This is the connector which should be mounted on the outside of the trailer. It's called an "inlet".
This is the face view of a NEMA 5-15 (125 Volt, 15 Ampere) receptacle.
F250 7.3 PSD 4x4 Ext Cab E4OD, 4:10LS, about 110k on the clock, Guages: Pyro,Boost,Trans. 4" intake, 3" Dp, 4" msrp exhuast, Cat MIA, Adj 10k, AMI Wheel chair lift.
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