having issues with power outlet

[mn_smokeater]

Ok guys so the power outlet outside my Apt. is currently about driving me to drink i have been having issues with it all last night and this morning. the main issue is that i am tripping the GFCI/GFI. its on a 120 volt plug in.

what i have running out of the box was a 2/10/50 amp battery charger/starter and a block heater on the GFs Dakota and that seemed to run just fine allnight with that and the charger was at the 10amp setting. i had been tripping it though when i attempted to plug in my F150s lower Rad hose heater so i chose to leave that off and then plug that in when she was at work and i had more power to use.

but now my current issue(no pun indended i think?) is that i have JUST the lower rad hose heater on it and its Tripping the switch almost under 10 secs in from the last reset. i have had it on there before and i dont recall if it tripped or not.

could there be a short somewhere in the wireing for the heater? if so is there a way to adress that or do i have to replace the unit as a whole? could it also be a worn out GFI? i dont know much about this stuff

thanks for any help you can offer guys

 

[Aramis]

If you can plug your rad-hose heater somewhere else and not trip the breaker, i'd start pointing fingers at the GFI socket...

 

[mn_smokeater]

i tryed it on the other Apts just a bit ago same result it tripped right after i plugged it in theres is also a GFI socket. right now im pulling the battery to bring it in too keep it warm and charged.

I HATE -35

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I was gonna say that GFI outlets can and do go bad, but if it's tripping other ones, it might not be the outlet unless they are all wired together or heavily worn.

 

[mn_smokeater]

I was gonna say that GFI outlets can and do go bad, but if it's tripping other ones, it might not be the outlet unless they are all wired together or heavily worn.

the one i used to test is on a seperate meter/circut.
im leaning twards a short in the heater or its cord

 

[Ronv]

If it is tripping on another ckt. it is most likely you. Try changing the ext cord, possible leakage from your extension cord. If you have a meter check your pins at the heater to the block, you should have NO continunity. If you do the heater is at fault and needs to be replaced.

In the past the GFCI were infamous for problems but now they are true life-savers!

Good Luck

Ron V

 

[mn_smokeater]

power cords brand new could there still be leakege?, i have no meter though but maybe i can soruce one somehow

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

power cords brand new could there still be leakege?, i have no meter though but maybe i can soruce one somehow

All you need is a simple test meter from like harbor freight. Couple bucks and you can check just about anything.

 

[mn_smokeater]

ok guys later today il get a ride to town and pick up a basic meter and look into alternete engine heaters that our ace hardware or L&M Fleet Suppy might have. im thinking about a pad heater maybe for the oil pan or a magnetic one. id like a block heater but its not an oppertune time to put one in if i can get one.

if yall have thoughts or ideas and suggetions keep em coming.

Thanks Guys!

 

[strvger]

-23 here last night, still -12 at 10:30 this am. similar thing was happening to me. discovered a bare wire short right where it goes into the hose heater. it was arcing over to the nearby frame. being underneath, took me some time to find it. it was only 3-4 years old, too. replaced it with new heater and no problems. if you get the magnetic pan heater, get the one that has the handle coming out the side, not the one where it comes straight out the top at a 90 deg angle. that handle is bound to hit on something low sooner or later. good luck, and STAY WARM!!!!

 

[mn_smokeater]

-23 here last night, still -12 at 10:30 this am. similar thing was happening to me. discovered a bare wire short right where it goes into the hose heater. it was arcing over to the nearby frame. being underneath, took me some time to find it. it was only 3-4 years old, too. replaced it with new heater and no problems. if you get the magnetic pan heater, get the one that has the handle coming out the side, not the one where it comes straight out the top at a 90 deg angle. that handle is bound to hit on something low sooner or later. good luck, and STAY WARM!!!!

yeah the lil thinger in the side bar said it got to -38 as i type this its up to -18. it sucked balls getting the battery out with a bare hand on a wrench yeah the side mount would be wise.

 

[99RangerBoss]

how corroded is the plug on the end of the wire? If the plug is corroded that could be tripping your GFI. Or what i would do just change the damn plug to a regular 15 amp receptacle in parking lots you would never see one of those GFCI's in Canada only for the one reason that they always trip when your block heater cord gets a little wet or a little salt on it.

 

[mn_smokeater]

how corroded is the plug on the end of the wire? If the plug is corroded that could be tripping your GFI. Or what i would do just change the damn plug to a regular 15 amp receptacle in parking lots you would never see one of those GFCI's in Canada only for the one reason that they always trip when your block heater cord gets a little wet or a little salt on it.

went out an cleaned it up and its not very corrded. much as i would love to change it i dont own it.

 

[mn_smokeater]

went out and picked up this:
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200339107_200339107
its seeming to take. did not trip the GFI but i will check in a half hour or so. il be keeping it on over night then drop in the battery in the morning round 0830 and attempt a start.

 

[Will]

Winter sux.

GFCI's might be great in a perfect world, but as people have said, they can trip when there is nothing wrong. Very sensitive and it's the times that you really need power that sensitive things aren't necessarily helpful.

Doesn't get that cold here but I've had to dig up the camp stove and push it under the oil pan to thin the straight-30 enough to turn the engine over. Trickle charger won't keep a pair of 1,000CCA batteries up either--I run the 10amp charger on them all night when it's going to be cold.

My new house has a 3-car garage so I was hoping I could keep the truck inside at night now. But it's too long to fit inside the garage. And there is no outlet next to the garage either so I'm a step behind you already.