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  • Cameramonkey

    www.thechosen.tv
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    35   0   0
    May 12, 2013
    31,688
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    Bathroom GFI has been tripping for no reason. Normally if it trips its because the outdoor outlet cover has been left open and morning dew was enough to trip it. Covers are closed so not likely the problem this time.

    During the replacement as I disconnected the old one, one of the hot wires was broken inside the outlet. The wires push into the hole in the back and are clamped by the screw on the side. I disconnected the outlet, and when I set the old one down on the counter a little piece of the hot wire bounced onto the counter from inside the outlet.

    Would that loose hot be enough to trip an otherwise healthy GFI? This outlet has already been replaced once, and is less than 10 years old.

    Money is a little tight ATM, so that extra $20 would be nice to have back in my wallet.
     

    churchmouse

    I still care....Really
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    10 years on a bathroom GFI that has been tripped on several occasions...??? You have your moneys worth. Never put a questionable GFI back into service. JMHO of course.

    The hot wire could have been the or a loose/faulty ground.
     

    Cameramonkey

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    I think its dead. Stripped it back and only connected up the load. tripped itself in about 5 seconds.

    New one is in service and holding fast.

    Thanks, CM.
     

    Dead Duck

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    Apr 1, 2011
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    I worked for a big builder years ago.
    I have seen and repaired so much insane crap that you would think twice about buying a brand new house. Mostly due to the installers but there have been some NIB items that were the culprits. Because of what I've seen at work, I don't even second guess things anymore at my own house. I just throw and replace. It's what I call - "While You're There" so you don't have to come back and do it again later. Outlets aren't too bad but it really hurts when you need to repair pipes or wire problems under the drywall or concrete. I was the guy who would "Backcharge" the venders for repairs that were their fault. Oh boy - they hated me.

    "While You're There" can get really expensive when fixing cars too. :spend:
     

    Usmccookie

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    Jan 28, 2017
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    nwi
    10 years on a bathroom GFI that has been tripped on several occasions...??? You have your moneys worth. Never put a questionable GFI back into service. JMHO of course.

    The hot wire could have been the or a loose/faulty ground.

    Yup.
    Everytime it trips it's closer to being done. Especially at 10 years old. Save yourself the hassle and give yourself the peace of mind in safety and just replace it. That gfci is there for your well being.
     

    churchmouse

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    Yup.
    Everytime it trips it's closer to being done. Especially at 10 years old. Save yourself the hassle and give yourself the peace of mind in safety and just replace it. That gfci is there for your well being.

    Same with breakers. Every time the bi-metal heats up and trips is one less time and it weakens the breaker after a couple of trips.
     

    Dead Duck

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    And fire wise.....
    an arcing unit or wire can get that area real hot. Outlet, wires, wall, wood, etc... Just tell your wife your a hero for replacing it before the fire started. That should pay for itself right there. :yesway:
     

    Cameramonkey

    www.thechosen.tv
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    The way you typed this out sounds like you have an outdoor outlet feeding your bathroom gfci. Is that right?

    Not sure why dew is tripping the bathroom outlet?

    No, the downstairs half bath outlet as well as the outdoor outlet are all downstream. (load side) Downstream devices are also protected by the GFI, so you can use one expensive GFI to protect multiple wet location outlets. ($27 install cost for 3 outlets vs $75 install for 3 GFIs)
     

    Usmccookie

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    No, the downstairs half bath outlet as well as the outdoor outlet are all downstream. (load side) Downstream devices are also protected by the GFI, so you can use one expensive GFI to protect multiple wet location outlets. ($27 install cost for 3 outlets vs $75 install for 3 GFIs)

    Or, 1 gfci c.b. to cover the entire circuit..
     

    femurphy77

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    Mar 5, 2009
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    Same with breakers. Every time the bi-metal heats up and trips is one less time and it weakens the breaker after a couple of trips.

    When I first moved to the area I worked part time at a parts store in Danville. Part of the closing routine was turning off the store lights. The manager showed me which breaker to use instead of walking around flipping switches and I told him that was a bad idea. So one day I walk in the store after having not been in there in several weeks and smelled the distinct odor of an electrical fire. First words out of my mouth was "how much damage to the breaker panel did the fire cause?" So happens the district manager was in the store and wanted to know the meaning of my comment.

    They hired a new manager the next day.
     

    churchmouse

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    Dec 7, 2011
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    When I first moved to the area I worked part time at a parts store in Danville. Part of the closing routine was turning off the store lights. The manager showed me which breaker to use instead of walking around flipping switches and I told him that was a bad idea. So one day I walk in the store after having not been in there in several weeks and smelled the distinct odor of an electrical fire. First words out of my mouth was "how much damage to the breaker panel did the fire cause?" So happens the district manager was in the store and wanted to know the meaning of my comment.

    They hired a new manager the next day.

    Yup. The breaker panel is not an "On/Off" control panel.
     

    dudley0

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    Mar 19, 2010
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    Grant County
    Did you hook up the ground. GFI.........ground fault.

    GFCI's still work with no ground. They need labeled differently, but they still work.

    OP, spend the money to get a second GFCI for the outside. That way you shouldn't have to replace the bathroom unit again. If the outside trips you don't need to worry about it until you try and use it.
     

    churchmouse

    I still care....Really
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    GFCI's still work with no ground. They need labeled differently, but they still work.

    OP, spend the money to get a second GFCI for the outside. That way you shouldn't have to replace the bathroom unit again. If the outside trips you don't need to worry about it until you try and use it.

    The GFCI I put in for the hot tub would not even set to power it up without a proper ground. Just assumed (I know I know) the wall circuit units were the same. They need to ground to trip them.
     

    maxwelhse

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    Aug 21, 2018
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    GFCI's still work with no ground. They need labeled differently, but they still work.

    OP, spend the money to get a second GFCI for the outside. That way you shouldn't have to replace the bathroom unit again. If the outside trips you don't need to worry about it until you try and use it.

    Someone is welcome to correct me if I'm wrong here, but I don't think you can run 2 GFCIs on the same circuit, or they defeat each other in some way. I had some weirdo stuff going on like that in my last kitchen. Attempting to pop one or the other with pop the kitchen breaker in the panel instead.
     

    dudley0

    Nobody Important
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    Mar 19, 2010
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    Grant County
    I got into a rather heated conversation about GFCIs with a code enforcement guy. He kept telling me that all the wiring in the house had to be replaced because it didn't have ground wire. His reasoning was that since you must have GFCIs in bathrooms and kitchens it couldn't happen.

    He wouldn't take my word for it, so I got back to the office and sent him links showing that while not preferred it still worked. He went to the inspector to get verification as well.

    Wasn't smart on my part as he started a little harassment on a house I was bringing up to code. Oh well...
     

    ghitch75

    livin' in the sticks
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    Dec 21, 2009
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    Greene County
    I got into a rather heated conversation about GFCIs with a code enforcement guy. He kept telling me that all the wiring in the house had to be replaced because it didn't have ground wire. His reasoning was that since you must have GFCIs in bathrooms and kitchens it couldn't happen.

    He wouldn't take my word for it, so I got back to the office and sent him links showing that while not preferred it still worked. He went to the inspector to get verification as well.

    Wasn't smart on my part as he started a little harassment on a house I was bringing up to code. Oh well...

    neutral is a ground so yes they will work on 110v....220v needs a ground to work....
     
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