Which is it,15 or 20 amp.

[dmc94572]

2014 Escape 19 - the exterior gfci
I thought should be 15 amps. I went to replace and this optional add on poorly installed gfci outdoor outlet that won't reset is 20 amp.

I do not have this detail in my second hand manuals.

I read it matters if I install 15 or 20. RIght now installed is a fresh 20 amp exterior wet environment covered outlet. Green lite is on. No power.

Should it be 15 and might that be why its not showing power while using my testing device?

[rubicon327]

The amperage rating of the GFCI has nothing to do with having power or not. If the outlets are wired with 14 gauge wire on a 15A breaker (which I believe they are) then replacing with a 15A GFCI is fine. A 20A is ok too because it is rated higher but it probably costs a few more bucks and would be unnecessary on a 15A circuit.

[tdf-texas]

Originally Posted by dmc94572

2014 Escape 19 - the exterior gfci
I thought should be 15 amps. I went to replace and this optional add on poorly installed gfci outdoor outlet that won't reset is 20 amp.

I do not have this detail in my second hand manuals.

I read it matters if I install 15 or 20. RIght now installed is a fresh 20 amp exterior wet environment covered outlet. Green lite is on. No power.

Should it be 15 and might that be why its not showing power while using my testing device?

The GFCI not having power has nothing to do with it being 20 amp - you need to go back and check the wiring. By the way, you should use a 15 amp GFCI to meet electrical code as the trailer is wired using 14 ga wire. It's the breaker in the wfco that protects the circuit but a 20 amp outlet has a different socket pattern to distinguish it from a 15 amp.

There are two GFCI protected outlets in your trailer. One is the outside outlet on the passenger side of the trailer. The other is the outlet located below the kitchen sink. They can be wired two different ways depending on your preference.

My preferred method of installing the GFCI in the Escape trailer is to have two GFCI outlets - one installed at the outside outlet and another installed at the kitchen sink outlet. This method is shown in the first pic. That makes resetting the kitchen outlet (the one that most commonly gets tripped) easier as you don't have to go outside to do it.
ps. Don't use wire nuts as shown in the pic.

The way Escape wires the GFCI outlets is like the second picture. The outside outlet is a GFCI and the kitchen outlet is a standard outlet which is wired to the "load" terminals on the outside GFCI.

Good luck!

[dmc94572]

Ok swapout to 15 pending. Galley non resetable GFCI failure seems remote? Are you suggesting a fresh resetable 15 amp there too, with that little green lite?

As for wiring, is that in the vacinity of breaker box?

[tdf-texas]

Originally Posted by dmc94572

Ok swapout to 15 pending. Galley non resetable GFCI failure seems remote? Are you suggesting a fresh resetable 15 amp there too, with that little green lite?

As for wiring, is that in the vacinity of breaker box?

Yes. Your trailer has a standard outlet box in the kitchen sink location so it is easy to replace the outlet with a GFCI.

The wires / breaker don't change - just where they land on the outlets. You would not have to change any breaker terminations, etc. - just where the wires terminate on the GCFI outlets. Using two GFCI, you would wire to the "line" terminals on both outlets.

I always hated having to go outside to reset the GFCI on the side of the trailer. With a GFCI installed in both locations, the one you trip can be reset right where you are.

I would suggest using a weather resistant outlet on the outside outlet.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Leviton-...996792#overlay

The kitchen outlet can be a standard GFCI as it shouldn't see rain.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Leviton-...-0KW/205996763

Why does Escape wire the GFCI in daisy chain (second pic)? It saves the cost of the second GFCI and they cut costs wherever they can. The downside is that you would not believe the number of posts here asking why their kitchen outlet is dead and they don't know why. (outside GFCI tripped)

[dmc94572]

Power failure may be i guess in the breaker box wiring? If so could they have made access any more difficult?

[tdf-texas]

Originally Posted by dmc94572

Power failure may be i guess in the breaker box wiring? If so could they have made access any more difficult?

Using a voltmeter, check the voltage on the line terminals of the GFCI - if it shows approx. 120 volts, the breaker wiring is good.
https://www.amazon.com/Multimeter-Ma...87&sr=8-6&th=1

An outlet tester is handy to own as it will check both your trailer wiring as well as campground pedestal wiring for miswiring.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Klein-To...T210/206517824

More than likely, your GFCI is miswired.

[dmc94572]

I do have two types of volt testers. The plug in variety is simple. The other has pointy objects and a wheel for multiple settings. Clueless how to use it.
I assume the OEM install was wired at least correctly. I mapped to that. I even reversed wiring. Made it worse as the green gfci light did not shine. These wires are dead. Not my first gfci.

[dmc94572]

Was not trying to be nasty. Sorry if it came out that way.

[CharlesinGA]

This is a 20 amp receptacle, NEMA 5-20R



This is a 15 amp receptacle, NEMA 5-15R



ALL 15 amp GFCI receptacles are capable of passing thru (downline) 20 amps via the LOAD terminals (daisy chain the receptacles to allow one GFCI to protect other regular receptacles downline from it). It has to be capable of 20 amps because NEC allows 15 amp receptacles to be installed on a 20 amp circuit (20 amp breaker and 12 gauge wire) provided there is more than one receptacle.

If 14 gauge wire is used such as in an RV, never use a 20 amp breaker or receptacle.

Charles

[dmc94572]

Good info!

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by dmc94572

Good info!

Hi: dcm94572... GFCI's are not infallible. They have been known to fail before. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[dmc94572]

Understood. I put in a 20 as that was per orig owner what ETI installed. Then i questioned that as I bought a 15. New 20 amp did not work but the little green lite did. Not able to reset. So i put in the 15 amp now installed and same result. Flipped the line vs load to see if i messed up. Same result. Dead. Put it back to what it was when I started and dead.

[dmc94572]

Solution found. Reread manual and used my Klein Tool to test power. Discovered in fact I had it reversed Line and Load. Thats how it was and I perpetuated the error. Got good counsel here and from a fellow Escape artist. Now ok.

[tdf-texas]

Originally Posted by dmc94572

Solution found. Reread manual and used my Klein Tool to test power. Discovered in fact I had it reversed Line and Load. Thats how it was and I perpetuated the error. Got good counsel here and from a fellow Escape artist. Now ok.

Great! You can't imagine how hard it is to help troubleshoot stuff over the internet where you can't look at the problem.

Glad you got it fixed!

[Shadious]

I’m trying to resurrect this post because I have a similar issue. The GFCI popped on the outside of the trailer and it could not be reset. I removed the old outlet and tested the wires with the voltmeter to verify which were line and which were load. Neither one was registering hot on the volt meter. The camper (2014 21C) is plugged into shore power and the AC is working. However, none of the 120 volt outlets is working currently. My assumption is that the GFCI protects all the other outlets, but that may not be correct. None of the breakers are tripped, any idea why I would lose all my 120 volt outlets at one time? The last thing I did was try to vacuum the floor with the vacuum plugged into the camper. I am running a 25’ heavy duty extension cord to the trailer on a 15 amp circuit. I have not had any issues with outlets before with this setup. No tripped breakers inside the trailer or at our house panel.

[TTMartin]

Be aware if you have an inverter. There is likely a separate small breaker box under the seat near where where your power center is. The power center outlet breaker goes to a transfer switch and there either the shore power or inverter power are sent from the transfer switch to a second breaker box that has breakers for each outlet circuit.

[Shadious]

Thank-you for that info. I did see that box and made sure the breakers were both on. I did notice the inverter is running constantly, even with the batteries turned off. Not sure if that is normal or not. I also noticed that the microwave is not coming on via the inverter when the shore power is unplugged. I’m pretty new to this trailer, so some of the systems are a bit more complicated than our old Casita.

[Dplandry]

You might try actually pushing the breaker handle to off then flip it back on. It should have somewhat of a snap when you turn it on. Most breakers when triped, the handle does not go all the way back to off and can be mistaken for on with just a visible inspection especially in low light situations. I'm not trying to insult your intelligence, just with 40 plus years as an electrician I have made that mistake. I hope this is your problem.

[Shadious]

Thanks- I’ve triple checked the breakers both inside the panel and the inverter. I went through the panel and checked the connections to be sure there were no lose wires. I did find a loose breaker connection (dual 30/15 amp) that is labeled Conv box in the panel. I tried to tighten it, but it was still lose. I’m wondering if the breaker went bad (or at least 1/2 went bad)?