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110v Outlet Issue

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StephenH View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote StephenH Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: 110v Outlet Issue
    Posted: 17 Dec 2024 at 8:06pm
I looked at the picture again. I'm wondering if that bottom breaker is original as it looks like it is a different size than the others. 

How are your providing 110V power to your R-Pod? Do you have a dedicated RV outlet? Are you plugging into a 15A or 20A outlet with an adapter? Is that outlet that is supplying the power to your RPod wired correctly? Do you have a circuit analyzer to verify that?

Is the cord you are using to plug the R-Pod into shore power good? Is there evidence that the RPod is actually getting power? Is the clock on the convection/microwave showing time or blinking at least? 

StephenH
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Post Options Post Options   Quote jdel3266 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Dec 2024 at 4:49pm
This RPod is new to me and these outlets haven't worked since buying so not sure about any installations or mounting.

In my previous response, I had my meter set to DC Wacko when testing the GFCI but now have verified that there is no power coming to either breaker on the bottom 2-pole circuit. One being the W/H breaker (I assume this means water heater which I haven't got to test yet) nor the 110v breaker. There is 120v coming to all of the other breakers on the main panel. I also tested the back of the breaker in question to rule out that the wires had not come loose.

I previously assumed there was power from the breaker because I was using a cheap tester that showed there was power to the GFCI. I tested with my multimeter, and it shows .005v or 5millivolts. Not sure where that trickle is coming from. 

From the videos I've watched, forgive my ignorance, it appears that at least one of the two circuits should be live on the 2-pole breaker? I just want to verify that the issue isn't deeper before I replace the circuit breaker. 
Justin
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StephenH View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote StephenH Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Dec 2024 at 11:43am
Breakers can go bad, but the hot wire may not have been tightened adequately and may have slipped out. If so, then with the power off, reinsert the black wire into the breaker and tighten it. It is conceivable that the wire may have gotten cut or that a staple may have been driven through a wire downstream of the GCFI breaker that is not quite enough to cause a short, but will allow leakage of enough current to keep the GCFI from resetting. If it was working and you mounted something with a nail or screw, and then it started malfunctioning, that might be the place to look.
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Post Options Post Options   Quote GlueGuy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Dec 2024 at 11:08am
This can't be all that complicated.

The GFCI outlet has essentially two connections:

1. The line coming in
2. The line going out

You should be able to test the line coming in to see if the hot wire (the black one) has 110 VAC on it.

If it doesn't, then the next check is the circuit breaker in the main panel. You should be able to test that to verify that the circuit breaker out is live or not. If it's not, then the circuit breaker in the main panel is at fault. If it is live, then the wire between the circuit breaker an the GFCI is broken somehow.

The wire is almost assuredly a Romex wire, and it can't just "break". If that's the problem, it somehow got severed. I'm betting the breaker in the main panel may be your issue.
bp
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Post Options Post Options   Quote StephenH Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Dec 2024 at 3:12pm
I don't know about re-wiring all the outlets. Can you do some testing on various parts of the circuit? With the power off and with everything unplugged, use a multimeter to check for continuity between hot and ground, neutral and ground, and hot and neutral on each outlet. Any indication of current between hot and neutral or hot and ground could help you narrow down where to search. I suspect that a couple of wires may have gotten pinched and enough of the insulation has worn off to allow just enough current leakage to cause the GFI to trip. If that is inconclusive, then try this:

With power to the trailer disconnected and the breakers off, Leave the supply wires to the GFI connected, but disconnect the downstream outlets. Then turn on the power and breaker and try to reset the GFI. If the GFI resets, then the problem is downstream.

Turn the power off and connect the next outlet inline, again disconnecting the outlets downstream of that outlet. Do the test again. If the GFI does not trip or if tripped, you can't reset it, then you have found the wiring segment at fault. Keep doing this until you find which downstream outlet is causing the GFI to trip and not reset.

I hope you can find the cause of the problem. Keep us posted as to what you find.

StephenH
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Post Options Post Options   Quote jdel3266 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Dec 2024 at 11:48am
Hey All,

Thank you all for the suggestions and information. I disconnected all of the other outlets that I believe are on this circuit and saw no change. I also disconnected the fridge and microwave, no change. 

I finally got a multimeter and tested the voltage into the GFCI outlet. Interestingly enough, there was only 7 volts coming to the outlet with the breaker on and 35 volts with the breaker off. Clearly, there must be a faulty ground as Glueguy suggested but now I'm faced with trying to figure out how to find it. I'm thinking I may just need to rewire all the outlets on this circuit but I'm not sure if that's the extreme? Let me know what you guys think.
Justin
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Post Options Post Options   Quote JR Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Dec 2024 at 3:51pm

In your power distribution box, as per the photo, you have 7 breakers for the 110 volt side and you have 9 fused 12 volt circuits.  I believe the 2 / 40 amp fuses that are separated are for the reverse polarity protection on the trailer.  Your trailer is a 2016.

I have a 2019 179, therefore the wiring schematic has changed over the years.  My trailer is currently in storage, so I can’t go to the trailer for the ready reference, which is needed. At this point all I can do is go from memory (which isn’t great for me at this point in time).  On my trailer I have only 3 – 15 amp breakers labeled; first fuse, Interior lights, A/C (for controlling purposes only), second fuse, LP, WH, MP, Pump (powers LP-LP/Carbon Monoxide Tester, WH powers water heater controller, MP powers tank level indicators and monitor panel, Pump powers water pump), third fuse, Bath lights and fan, stereo radio. There is a 1 – 7.5 amp fuse for the furnace fan. Also there are 2 -30 map fuses the first one is labeled for the 2 slide out motors and the second fuse is labeled for the battery and the Refrigerator heating element. As you can see our trailers are wired differently on the 12 volt side of things.

On the 110 volt side my trailer has only 4 / 15 amp breakers, 1 / 20 amp breaker, and 1 / 30 amp breaker.  The 15 amp breakers are labeled for; the first is, converter, the second is for the GFI outlets & Refrigerator (heating element), the third is for the Microwave, the forth is for the electric heating element in the water heater. The 20 amp breaker is for the Air Conditioner. The 30 amp breaker is for the incoming shore power to the distribution box.

With all this being said and going from my memory the wiring in my trailer for the GFI outlet which is located between the bed and the dinette low on the bed support and then feeds the other in house 110 outlets which are 2 more by the kitchen counter (one on either side of the trailer) a third one by the television and the last one is mounted on the outside of the trailer. All of these house use 110 outlets are “protected” by the GFI outlet by the bed/dinette.  

Using a multi meter verify that you have 110 volts to the GFI outlet. If you don’t have power to that outlet, find the problem between that outlet and the distribution box. As a side light none of the house outlets are feed by the 12 volt system in a standard wired trailer.  You are correct in thinking that the refrigerator, microwave, and TV are on different 110 breakers.  It also may be helpful to find the labeling electrical schematic. Mine is mounted to the inside front cover (door) of the distribution box. Another side light to my understanding is that there is a converter in the distribution box converting 110 volts to 12 volts (battery) going to the battery. The R-Pods made in 2016 did not have as standard equipment an on board inverter to convert 12 volts (battery) to 110 volts.   Hope this helps.  

Jay

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StephenH View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote StephenH Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Dec 2024 at 3:09pm
Hello Justin,

Let me correct one thing. What is pictured is the Converter. The 2016 models did not come with an inverter. Unless you or a prior owner installed an inverter, it does not have one and so depends on having shore power to have 110V in the R-Pod. If you do not have the trailer plugged in, you won't have power.
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Post Options Post Options   Quote GlueGuy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Dec 2024 at 2:48pm
All the GFCI is telling you is that you have a ground fault. It is detecting current on the ground wire (and there needs to be none). You need to determine the source of the current by eliminating the other outlets and things that are connected to power from the GFCI.

So if you open up the outlet, you will find a hot wire coming in, and a "downstream" hot wire going to the outlets that are slaved to the GFCI.

If you disconnect the downstream hot wire at the GFCI, it should eliminate all the downstream outlets from the equation, and the GFCI should stay untripped.

At that point, you need to move downstream one outlet at a time until you find the culprit.

bp
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Post Options Post Options   Quote jdel3266 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Dec 2024 at 12:30pm
Hello World,

I have a 2016 Rpod 179 and am having issues with some of the 110v outlets not working. I've read through every forum I can find and not been able to replicate this exact issue. 

The outlet to the left upon entrance to the camper, the kitchen outlet (GFCI), outlet under the bed, and outside outlet are not working. The GFCI will not reset/test as if it's not getting power. However, I used a circuit tester to confirm power is coming to the bottom feed wires on the GFCI. No power to the entrance outlet, bed or outside outlet either, obviously. I replaced the GFCI (twice just in case) but still the same issue. Breaker has not been tripped but have cycled all visible breakers anyway.  The outlets for the fridge, microwave and TV are all working so I assume they are on a separate circuit. If I have read right, those are fed by the 12v system? Which makes me assume my inverter is working in converting the shore power to 12v. And yes, I am connected to shore power.

The only breaker I haven't been able to find is the one for the inverter itself but, again, I believe the inverter is working. I included a picture of the breaker panel with cover off if someone could point me to the reset for the inverter if we think that may be the cause.

I've used a plug-in GFCI tester but without power it won't give a cause and doesn't show any issues on the other working outlets.  Confused

Thanks all,

- Justin
Justin
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