GFI Tripping

[Fuzzy]

Boat is on the hard in the marina.  I wanted to plug into a regular 115V outlet.  I have a standard 15amp to 30amp adapter to fit the
boats ac "plug-in".  When I plug it in, and with all new cords in excellent condition the GFI trips.  Don't know why.  Anyone out there
that may shed some light on what's going on?  The boat's ac circuitry is in perfect condition and we used it all summer with no problems
when plugged in at the dock slips.
Thanks in advance, Larry

[KWKloeber]

Boat is on the hard in the marina.  I wanted to plug into a regular 115V outlet.  I have a standard 15amp to 30amp adapter to fit the
boats ac "plug-in".  When I plug it in, and with all new cords in excellent condition the GFI trips.  Don't know why.  Anyone out there
that may shed some light on what's going on?  The boat's ac circuitry is in perfect condition and we used it all summer with no problems
when plugged in at the dock slips.
Thanks in advance, Larry

GFI trips when you plug in the 30-amp to 15-amp adapter, or when you plug into the shore power outlet?

Ken

[Ron Hill]

Larry : You probably are using a (30a to 15a) adapter.  Try plugging into a 30 amp receptacle - to checkout the adapter?

You can try plugging into another power outlet for boat power, but remember that GFIs (especially if made in China) can go bad!!

A thought

[Fuzzy]

The GFI trips when I plug into the 120v outlet.  It is not a regular shore power outlet but just a standard exterior outlet.
It takes a regular extension cord and not the heavy duty 30amp cord that you normally use when at a dock.  That's why
the adapter to go from the regular 120v female plug at the end of the extension cord to the 30amp male recepticle on
the boat.
Larry

[Fuzzy]

Ron:
I understand that GFI's can go bad and that they are temperamental but I did try 3 different ones.  Previously I did the same
thing at home and that GFI did not trip.
Larry

[KWKloeber]

The GFI trips when I plug into the 120v outlet.  It is not a regular shore power outlet but just a standard exterior outlet.
It takes a regular extension cord and not the heavy duty 30amp cord that you normally use when at a dock.  That's why
the adapter to go from the regular 120v female plug at the end of the extension cord to the 30amp male recepticle on
the boat.
Larry

Fuzzy,

From what you describe then, and that you have verified that the GFi is okay -- I would suspect there's an issue in the shore power.
Does whatever circuit the receptacle in on, have a GFI breaker?

Ken K

[chuck53]

Buy one of those tester plugs that tells you if all the wiring is in the proper sequence.  I think they are only around $5 or so and you can get them in the electrical section of any hardware store.

[KWKloeber]

Buy one of those tester plugs that tells you if all the wiring is in the proper sequence.  I think they are only around $5 or so and you can get them in the electrical section of any hardware store.

Could be a false positive.
They only tell you if you have reversed polarity - which won't necessarily trip a GFI (unless you have a reversed neutral/ground.)

KK

[Fuzzy]

Ken:
The GFI IS the shore power.  It trips when I plug into the boat.
Fuzzy

[KWKloeber]

Ken:
The GFI IS the shore power.  It trips when I plug into the boat.
Fuzzy

Ohhhh Ok, I thought one of the GFis on the boat were tripping.
So it this the GFI breaker on the shore power circuit, or a separate GFI that you have plugged into the receptacle?
I'm confused here.  Fill in the missing pieces.


Ken

[Fred Koehlmann]

Take a look at the extension cord that you are using between the shore outlet and the boat. You might have a short in the line or at either in the plugs. The GFIs can trip at the slightest current leak. Also, make sure your connection is dry.

[Fuzzy]

Ken: 
The outlet is a standard exterior outlet, not the outlet that you see on the dock to plug into.  It's just a standard
115vac GFI outlet.
Larry

[Fuzzy]

Fred:
The extension cord is brand new, I unwrapped it the day that I tried using it.  Also I tried it direct to an electric heater and
it worked just fine plulgged in directly but when I tried to plug into the boat recepticle it would immediately pop the
ground fault.  I'm confused.
Larry

[KWKloeber]

Again, the GFI that is tripping -
Is it a breaker on the shore receptacle circuit? 
Or a separate in-line plug-in GFI that is yours?

So you eliminated the extension cord. 

Then the leakage is either the GFI (if it's the yard's breaker).  Or if it's your GFI and you tested/verified it elsewhere -- the leakage at the boat inlet, or somewhere thereafter. 

With the main breaker off, does she trip?  If so, it's seems to be between the breaker and inlet.

Are there GFI breakers at the slips? If so, are they working/tested?  How do you know?

Presuming there is GFI at the slip --
Not having "a problem" during the season -- doesn't necessarily mean that there wasn't some leakage -- it just means the breaker never blew. 
It could be bad, or it could simply be less sensitive than the one that's popping now.


Ken K

[KWKloeber]

Ken: 
The outlet is a standard exterior outlet, not the outlet that you see on the dock to plug into.  It's just a standard
115vac GFI outlet.
Larry

Larry,

OK I missed that prior post above.

So...... either the GFI receptacle is likely too sensitive, or you have leakage on the boat (does it pop with your main panel breaker off?)

Ken