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Question GFCI Outlets

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Pappy1949

RVF Regular
Joined
Jan 30, 2021
Messages
20
Location
San Marcos, Texas
RV Year
1992
RV Make
Rockwood
RV Model
Regent
RV Length
30
Fulltimer
No
Over the weekend the outside outlet on my old Rockwood went dead. The outlet, along with the kitchen outlet are wired downhill form the GFCI outlet in the bathroom. It tripped and wouldn't reset. I know GFCI's are like breakers in that they get a little weaker each time they trip and it is likely this one is original to the 30 year old coach.

My questions are these. Is there anything special about the GFCI outlets that are designated as RV outlets? In the parts books from local RV lots and on Amazon these list around $35 while ones without the RV designation run from $10 for generic to $15 for a Leviton unit.

Also, would replacing the existing 15 A outlet with a 20 A make it less likely to trip?
 
I wouldn't change the amperage, they are designed for the load for a reason. If something is tripping it then that's what you need to figure out. AFAIK they are standard GFCI outlets but @J&JD seems to be the resident expert on them so maybe he can chime in.
 
Resident expert only because I have had several go bad for absolutely no reason. I don’t believe the GFCI’s know if they are in an rv or a home….makes no difference to them. I would, however, keep the same load range.
 
The only difference between a 15A and 20A outlet is the shape of the neutral plug. The 15A has only a vertical design, and the 20A has a vertical and horizontal design. The breaker prior to the outlet is what controls the amperage, not the outlet. Far as the outlet, any residential GFCI will do just fine, but you need to verify the depth of the space where the outlet is.
 
I got the GFCI plug replaced with a 15 A household GFCI. The duplex in the kitchen looks good. A little residue from years of cooking/use but I’m not going to replace it. The outside outlet is the middle of the run and I feel it’s best to replace it. The problem is finding a weatherproof cover to use or find new seals for the cover on it now. I’m going to go to Camper Clinic II and see what they have and then check out Home Depot and Lowe’s. I can get a direct replacement for the plug but I don’t have access to the special tool to seat the wires.
 
I can get a direct replacement for the plug but I don’t have access to the special tool to seat the wires.
I'm not sure if all coaches are this way or not, but, even though all the outlets in my MH require the special tool to seat the wires, all the GFCI's are standard residential type with screw terminals. I've replaced almost all the GFCI's in my MH with no difficulty.
 
To the best of my knowledge the one in the bathroom is the only GFCI in my coach and it has been replaced. The wiring runs from it to the outside plug and then to the kitchen outlet. Three different RV dealers didn’t have a replacement for the outside outlet and weatherproof cover. I picked an outlet and cover up at Lowe’s yesterday that should work.
 

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