Home electrical help Please

[Squidley]

Nothing to do with the bikes, but I have some questions, or perhaps some insight. Were here at Lonna's moms and I have been working off some small projects. The GFCI plugs aren't working in the bathrooms and from what I gather never have. This is a Mobile home and I purchased a small plug in tester to check the circuts.

It states that the hot and ground are reversed, now I wanted to shut the circut off and see if the plugs were the culprit. Can't get the supposed circut to kill the power so I'm not screwing with it any more.

What I'm driving at here is there are 3 women and 2 kids here, so they aren't handy with any of this. Do any of our Texas members know of a reputable electrician that can shoot over to N. Houston and get this problem recified. I will more than likely be footing the bill here as Lonna's mom doesn't have a lot of cash to play with. As Always, any help or guidance would be appreciated

[Thom]

give me a call , i know what is wrong , 386-717-1816 , its the way the m/h is hooked up the power out side no big deal give me a call and i'll tell you how to fix it

thom

[Brake Pad]

Like with most houses, a GFIC is triggered by another main.

Like if its in the kids bathroom, the re-set for it would be in the master bathroom.

If its an outside GFIC, the re-set button for it would be in the Garage.

Red/Black

White/White

Red/White

de-press the lower button, to trip the GFIC, and press the top button to reset

Hope that helps

[Marcarl]

If thom can't get you out of a pickle, post again, maybe some ideas floating in my head, trouble is, there seems to be sooo much room nowadays.

[93 venture]

Like with most houses, a GFIC is triggered by another main.

Like if its in the kids bathroom, the re-set for it would be in the master bathroom.

If its an outside GFIC, the re-set button for it would be in the Garage.

Red/Black

White/White

Red/White

de-press the lower button, to trip the GFIC, and press the top button to reset

Hope that helps

 

THATS HOW IT WORKS IN MY HOUSE TRAILER,TRY THIS LINK,MIGHT GIVE YA A BETER UNDER STANDING OF WHAT YOU DEALING WITH.

http://home.howstuffworks.com/question117.htm

[rod]

I am an electrician if you want to email me rod-virago@cox.net I will give my ph # and walk you through the fix. Rod

[Squidley]

I want to thank all the folks that have offered help and called. I spoke with Thom 440 and we have determined there is possibly a neutral wire off somewhere along the line. I haven't been able to locate it and we have run out of time.

What I would like is if anyone local here in Houston that knows of a reliable electrician in the area to have them get ahold of me. My cell # is in my profile and the VR assistance page. This hasn't been right since my mother inlaw purchased the trailer in '97 and I really would like to help her get it right. Thank you all again for the help and Happy New Year

[hipshot]

brad.

tomorrow , i will talk with our jobsite electricians, they worked in houston, for a long time. might get a name of a good ,reasonable guy, for ya.

check in with ya tomorrow.

just jt

[Squidley]

brad.

tomorrow , i will talk with our jobsite electricians, they worked in houston, for a long time. might get a name of a good ,reasonable guy, for ya.

check in with ya tomorrow.

just jt

 

Thanks JT,

 

I feel bad that we have to leave and I wasn't able to get the problem solved. One thing I hate is a craftsman who does shotty work

 

I appreciate all the help and really enjoyed being able to spend the time with Y'all yesterday

[Dano]

I'll be glad to come down and fix it for ya, but I would have to bring the bike and you'd have to put me up for awhile!

 

Master Electrician for 25 years, been to Houston to wire up a conveyor for Federal-Mogul before.

 

Need some heat (18f outside)

 

Any more reasons?!?

 

Dan

[Squidley]

I'll be glad to come down and fix it for ya, but I would have to bring the bike and you'd have to put me up for awhile!

 

Master Electrician for 25 years, been to Houston to wire up a conveyor for Federal-Mogul before.

 

Need some heat (18f outside)

 

Any more reasons?!?

 

Dan

 

Much appreciated Dan, I'm going to have a hard time driving back up north...getting used to the nice temps down here

[hipshot]

I'll be glad to come down and fix it for ya, but I would have to bring the bike and you'd have to put me up for awhile!

 

Master Electrician for 25 years, been to Houston to wire up a conveyor for Federal-Mogul before.

 

Need some heat (18f outside)

 

Any more reasons?!?

 

Dan

dan.

it's gonna be 30 degrees here in the a m, 24 tomorrow night, not much of an improvement, over where you are.

 

should have been here last week.!

beautiful, weather! or next week highs in the middle 70's!lows in the mid 50's!

just jt

[cowpuc]

Hey Squid,, I dont know what age of a Mobile Home your dealing with but I had very simular problems with our old one/ cabin... I ended up rewiring the bathroom circuits because I couldnt find the open in the ground.. My understanding of those GFI's are that they trip as soon as a very small amperage (milliamp) is sent to ground - if you have no means to ground you have no GFI..

Anyway,, If you end up rewiring PLEASE remember to completely disconnect the old circuitry from the system.. An electrician did exactly what I am talking about for a fellow business owner/friend a few weeks ago and failed to do so,, the result was the still connected wiring went to ground, caused arcing and a fire ensued with total loss of the building - thankfully no one was inside when it went...

Nickels worth

'Puc

[dray]

the cheap gfi's are noted for being bad even new you may want to try installing a new GFI just to make sure thats not it as they will go bad and not reset

[Dano]

My understanding of those GFI's are that they trip as soon as a very small amperage (milliamp) is sent to ground - if you have no means to ground you have no GFI..

 

Actually, this is a falsehood. THe GFI detects the current running through the hot and neutral, if it detects up to 3-5 milliamp difference, it will trip. That is why you are allowed to replace a 2 prong outlet with a GFI if you need the ground pin. (As long as you identify there is no ground present. ) I would guess that the lost neutral is on a receptacle somewhere before the GFI (back-stabbed or under scew). I agree on the electrician coming out to fix it. Only way to do it right.

Dan

 

 

[spear]

Hey guys.

No technical help but a query from an ignorant foreigner.

Do I gather a GFI is what we here in Oz call an RCD - Residual Current Detector? As soon as there's a short or other defect it immediately throws out to protect the circuits and the user?

I do electrical work on my house and once completely re-wired a motor home - but that was all double-pole stuff. Quite mysterious to work with but satisfying when you get it all working first go.

[dray]

Hey guys.

No technical help but a query from an ignorant foreigner.

Do I gather a GFI is what we here in Oz call an RCD - Residual Current Detector? As soon as there's a short or other defect it immediately throws out to protect the circuits and the user?

I do electrical work on my house and once completely re-wired a motor home - but that was all double-pole stuff. Quite mysterious to work with but satisfying when you get it all working first go.

 

 

one GFI for ya

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h269/drayco58/th_gfci.gif

[Dano]

Yes, that would be the same thing. They also make an "Arc Fault" Circuit Breaker that detects small current leakages (like an extension cord under a carpet getting hot and shorting out) that work on entire circuits (mandated for bedroom circuits).

By the way, your 240 volt electrical system in Europe is much more efficient than our 120/240 volt system here in the states. Different devices (switches, etc.) but same wiring cables.

 

Dan

[Yammer Dan]

My GFI is wired into my outside outlets. If I have a extenision cord ran to the bike and it rains it goes out. A heavy dew and it goes out. I would like to get rid of it.Going to add another one from main box to outside.

[spear]

By the way, your 240 volt electrical system in Europe ...

Europe?

[spear]

one GFI for ya

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h269/drayco58/th_gfci.gif

Damn Dic. I hope that's Carol's wallpaper, and not yours. :rotf:

[dray]

Damn Dic. I hope that's Carol's wallpaper, and not yours. :rotf:

nope im lazy i didnt even get out of my chair just pulled a pic off the ol internet

 

if we had wall paper like that some one would be in trouble anyways shed most likey put a woopen on me till i got it changed

[Dano]

Europe?

Sorry Spear, old eyes aren't the same. THought it said Squeeze up there, then tried to edit it and couldn't do it. Same for you guys, though. 240 volt system is just better than 120. Now we can get into the discussion of 50 hertz versus 60 hertz for the carrier/ sine wave!

 

By the way, have u heard back from Flatout yet? I stopped in there today, and Chris and Jim both had your email out discussing it when I came in the door.

[Dano]

My GFI is wired into my outside outlets. If I have a extenision cord ran to the bike and it rains it goes out. A heavy dew and it goes out. I would like to get rid of it.Going to add another one from main box to outside.

 

It sounds like rain is getting into the receptacles or where you're plugging in your charger. Put a baggie over the end of the cable where you plug in your charger, then go to your favorite "big-box" hardware store and get a "bubble cover" to fit over your outside receptacle. That way, it will cover the cord and plug while it is "in use". THis will probably cure your problem.

[Squeeze]

 

It sounds like rain is getting into the receptacles or where you're plugging in your charger. Put a baggie over the end of the cable where you plug in your charger, then go to your favorite "big-box" hardware store and get a "bubble cover" to fit over your outside receptacle. That way, it will cover the cord and plug while it is "in use". THis will probably cure your problem.

 

Good Morning,

 

i would like to underline the 'probably' in your Statement. I do know how your GFI' are dimensioned. We use 50 mA for such Purpose. Of Course, with 240 Volts instead of your 110 Volt System.

 

Anyways, my Experience is, when those GFI go wild under nearly normal Conditions, first change extension Wire, hide the Receptacle in a dry Place. If this doesn't help, change the GFI. These Units tend to trip very early when they have tripped often in Past. They just plain fail in other then dry Conditions. This is the same with Circuit Breakers.

 

 

Dan, i agree totally with your Opinion on 110 Volt System. But you have to see that this comes from History and i don't see how to change it now or in the Future. The Losses in the System are tremendous and there is not enough Safety gained with the lower Voltage to compensate the Disadvantage. The Currents which flow in low Voltage Systems are much higher and need a much higher Wire Diameter and therefore also just plain much more Copper. 60 Hertz Systems are easier to compensate and produce less reactive Power.