Maybe this will be a good approach?

[GARY MINKER]

The National Electrical Code calls for a neutral bonding screw in the first disconnect or panel. Look in the disconnect or panels for this screw that is driven through the neutral bar in to the case. It is normal. Coaches are not meant to be plugged in to GFI recepticals because of this. You take a low risk removing the bolt/screw. This is why many newer units only have a 3 conductor cord. Gary --- On Wed, 3/25/09, Chuck Wheeler wrote: From: Chuck Wheeler Subject: RE: [WanderlodgeForum] Maybe this will be a good approach? To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com Date: Wednesday, March 25, 2009, 9:41 AM That should work, and was what I was trying to say...guess I do not write too clearly. The reason I disconnected more than one at a time was that I had several small "leaks" adding up. The worst was the front heater, but that is when I discovered that the various monitors all cause a little resistance. I had a red marker with me and when I discovered a circuit that caused the resistance to increase when disconnected I put a red mark on it. When finished I had three circuits open, the heater and the two that fed the power monitor and shore power. The heater and shore power monitor I could clear with repairs, the power monitor by design will draw a small ground current for it's proper operation but this is less than .5ma which is well below the GFI trip point. Since you have your power monitor out, I would think you should be able to clear it all. - Chuck Wheeler- 1982 FC 31SB Fort Worth TX From: WanderlodgeForum@ yahoogroups. com [mailto:Wanderlodge Forum@yahoogroup s.com] On Behalf Of Robin Sent: Wednesday, March 25, 2009 5:06 AM To: WanderlodgeForum@ yahoogroups. com Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Maybe this will be a good approach? I did a little homework and read about the "hot skin test". One post there mentioned simply checking continuity between neutral and ground on the coach side of the shore power plug (with the power off of course). I've got only 2 Ohms of resistance, should be infinite. Leads me to think that I can do the same test at the panel, checking continuity between the neutral bus bar and ground. Pull one white at a time, and when I finally get an open circuit, there is the problem. I may leave them all disconnected as I proceed to allow for more than 1 bad circuit, checking again after reconnecting each. Does this procedure make sense? John Churchill --- In WanderlodgeForum@ yahoogroups. com, "Chuck Wheeler" wrote: > > John, > > There are some active circuits even when all breakers are off. They are > involved in the circuit that warns you if you turn the ignition on with > shore power applied. Turning off the breakers only breaks the "hot" side. > If there is a cross between Neutral and ground it will still be there even > with the breakers off. That is why I had to disconnect the neutrals in > order to isolate my problem. There may be a different or better way,but > this was the only way I could think of. > > - Chuck Wheeler- > 1982 FC 31SB Fort Worth TX > > > _____ > > From: WanderlodgeForum@ yahoogroups. com > [mailto:WanderlodgeForum@ yahoogroups. com] On Behalf Of Robin > Sent: Tuesday, March 24, 2009 9:19 PM > To: WanderlodgeForum@ yahoogroups. com > Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] gfci still tripping > way > > > Well, I've completely removed both my PowerWatch reverse polarity indicators > to re-do them. Decided to check the coach with them removed and the GFCI > still trips when I plug the 30 amp cord in. It trips when I plug it into > either of the two 30 amp receptacles on the coach. (I do not own a 50 amp > cord.) Trips even though all the breakers are off including individual > circuits, main breaker and the separate 30 amp disconnect breakers. If I > switch the master shore power switch to off, gen or 50 amp it does not trip. > It does trip if this switch is set at 30 amps. If I start with everything at > off, then gradually flip switches it seems to barely hold, but if the > switches are on and I plug in the cord, the GFCI trips, suggesting I am > right at the trip point. > > One possible problem area is the genset which has been replaced in the past, > but does not ever seem to have been run prior to my getting the coach. > > I am looking for advice on the proper troubleshooting technique for this > problem. > > John Churchill > 1980 FC33 > LARGE MARGE > Sanibel, FL >