Private RV Park - 06/28/11 11:16 PM
My customer has a private (family and friends - no rentals) RV park - for use by family and friends during the summer - seasonal only. The site has provisions for 3 campers, complete with septic hook-up.
He asked me to upgrade the 3 20A 120v GFCI outlets to 30A. Not having a copy of the 2011 NEC with me, I called the State Inspector to get a reading on the requirements. He referenced me to 551 III - 551.40 (C) and said they must be GFCI protected.
I ordered the GFCI's (special order with my supply house, and Square D doesn't make a single pole Homeline 30A GFCI, so I had to convert the panel to Square D QO). Swap went fine, with 30A 120 "RV" receptacles. Then the campers started arriving, and every one of them tripped the 30 A GFCI breakers! My cost for the QO GFCI's is $68.00 - expect a customer dispute.
I believe my State Inspector was wrong. 551.40 (C) references the requirements for inside the RV; 551 VI 551.71 references RV Parks, and the only mention there is for GFCI protection on 15 and 20 amp circuits; references to 30 A and 50 A do not mention GFCI protection. 551.71 also proscribes that I must have some 50 A receptacles as I have 3 sites....
QO 30A GFCI's trip at 5 ma, and these campers have air conditioners and refrigerators, which have capacitors on the motors, and over time they leak......
Any comments or guidance here?
Thanks guys (and gals).
Grov
He asked me to upgrade the 3 20A 120v GFCI outlets to 30A. Not having a copy of the 2011 NEC with me, I called the State Inspector to get a reading on the requirements. He referenced me to 551 III - 551.40 (C) and said they must be GFCI protected.
I ordered the GFCI's (special order with my supply house, and Square D doesn't make a single pole Homeline 30A GFCI, so I had to convert the panel to Square D QO). Swap went fine, with 30A 120 "RV" receptacles. Then the campers started arriving, and every one of them tripped the 30 A GFCI breakers! My cost for the QO GFCI's is $68.00 - expect a customer dispute.
I believe my State Inspector was wrong. 551.40 (C) references the requirements for inside the RV; 551 VI 551.71 references RV Parks, and the only mention there is for GFCI protection on 15 and 20 amp circuits; references to 30 A and 50 A do not mention GFCI protection. 551.71 also proscribes that I must have some 50 A receptacles as I have 3 sites....
QO 30A GFCI's trip at 5 ma, and these campers have air conditioners and refrigerators, which have capacitors on the motors, and over time they leak......
Any comments or guidance here?
Thanks guys (and gals).
Grov