A week ago one of my GFI's started tripping. All that is on this circuit is my beer box. There are 5 outlets but nothing except the refrig was plugged in.
I swapped out the GFI and installed a mechanical ground but it still tripped. I opened the breaker box, checked all the connections for tightness including grounds, common and feed didn't find anything loose. Still tripped.
I replaced the other 5 receptacles, still tripped.
Wire is in metal conduit, never an issue before.
Any ideas?
Does the GFI trip when the refrigerator is not plugged in to this circuit? ie, when there is no load attached to the circuit at all???
I have a light and fan in my shower stall on a GFI. When the conditions are right (very cold and damp - raining), my hot shower produces a LOT of steam. That trips the GFI. Also, if I sloppily hit the two switches and they toggle on/off/on very quickly, that trips the GFI. Perhaps there is some moisture in or around the electrical connections?
Quote from: PC-Urban-Sawyer on May 08, 2017, 09:41:04 AM
Does the GFI trip when the refrigerator is not plugged in to this circuit? ie, when there is no load attached to the circuit at all???
yes,
I plugged the fridge into another GFI circuit and it works fine.
I would say either a short in your wireing someplace or a bad gfi. Had one that trip all the time back in the 80's replaced no problems after that. We have 5 in my sons cabin no issues. That said you have tried the applance in a different circit and it is ok. So change the GFI and see.
Replace the breaker in panel.
Resistive connection from corrosion in the breaker can trip the GFI even before your circuit becomes intermittent.
JJ
Actually the first indication I had of a problem was the breaker tripping then the GFI started popping but the breaker only tripped that 1 time.
It's off to the breaker store I go, I go!
A GFCI works by measuring the amount of current flowing from the hot wire to the neutral wire. If this differs by 4-5 milliamps the breaker in the GFCI will trip. The problem will be with what is plugged into the outlet or an outlet connected to the load side of the GFCI. Did you make sure you connected the wires coming from the fuse panel to the "LINE" side of the GFCI? Refrigerators are known for causing this problem even after running fine for years, I believe it has something to do with the fact that the motor wears out some and that it is turning off and on. Here is a link to an article from someone with a similar problem.
https://diy.stackexchange.com/questions/53252/why-is-gfci-tripping-on-refrigerator-circuit
Using your ohm meter, check if there is continuity between your GFCI outlet's ground, and the white and black wires. If you get continuity from disconnecting the white and black wires then the problem could be that the white and black wires are touching with the bare ground.
Time for a new gfi breaker
First thing I did was put the refridge on another circut with no problems, then I changed out the GFI, then all the outlets on that circut and then the breaker.
There is nothing plugged in.
I have 1 junction box I haven't opened up yet that will be this afternoon.
This was wired 13 years ago when I put the addition on my house. Never had a problem.
Of course, the cause of the problem will be in the last place you look...
After all, why should you keep looking after you get it fixed?
Good luck!
Be Careful!
Herb
When you say you tried the refridge on another circuit, was that circuit also GFCI protected?
Yes.
The next thing I think I would try would be to disconnect the outlets on the "load" side of the GFCI to see if that cures it.
I got up in the crawl space to look at the junction box and saw another run of conduit coming out of it so I followed that to a receptical that I thought was on another circut. Opened it up and there was a bunch of corrosion so I replaced the recep, cleaned everything up. Still powered up this morning so I'm thinking that was my problem.
The lights are still on and all my soldiers are Happy, Happy, Happy!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/14445/20170511_092946.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1494510107)
I love the way you have decorated that space!
Good to see a balance of orange juices with the other items.
Glad you found the problem:)
Update,
Everything was working good. Beer box cooling away.
Left a week and a half ago to go see my Daughters in Il.
Come back late last Thursday it was popped. Ran an extension cord, left for Jake's.
Back to the drawing board.
Dang
Come home and all the beer is warm 🙁
:( :o :( :o
Get rid of the gfci ,Use a good electrical outlet to do the job . And the beer will be happier also.
The problem is that this circuit also feeds the outlets on a my screened porch which when the wind blows just right during a rain gets damp..
Do you get the same problem if you plug the box into one of those outlets?
Don't know they are on the other side of a block wall. The way it's wired is 1 GFI outlet protects 5 outlets in the screen room which hardly get used.
I've plugged it into another GFI with no problem using an extension cord across the sports room floor which seems to conflict with Sue Anns idea of decoration. :D
I'm thinking of running a complete new circuit without GFI from the shop just for the box. That will not tell me why but at least I won't have to stress about warm beer.
Just wondering if it's the wiring on one of the other outlets causing the problem. Especially if they are subject to moisture on the screen porch.
I changed out all the receptacles and installed mechanical grounds.
Quote from: Raider Bill on May 24, 2017, 09:57:11 AM
I changed out all the receptacles and installed mechanical grounds.
Only way a ground has anything to do with a GFCI is if it's shorted. As was mentioned early in the thread, GFCI works by the difference in current between "hot" and "neutral". Somewhere there's a leak at a level that could stop your heart.
Might be in the fridge -- a mouse chewed the insulation on a wire, wire chafed on something. Might be inside the conduit. Might be in the other circuit. Might be condensation doing stuff in that junction box you said was corroded, or the receptacles on the screened porch.
BTW, were any of those receptacles you replaced back-stabbed? Those things are notorious for being bad connections.
BTW, were any of those receptacles you replaced back-stabbed? Those things are notorious for being bad connections.
Actually they all were but when I replaced them I attached via terminal screws.
Have you tried disconnecting the wires on the "Load" side of the GFCI? At least you would narrow it down.
Quote from: DFILER2 on May 24, 2017, 01:45:41 PM
Have you tried disconnecting the wires on the "Load" side of the GFCI? At least you would narrow it down.
Why make it so simple? :D :D :D :D