2 GFICs in series???

[Gary]

Is it ok to have 2 GFICs in series, or will it affect the operation of them?

I have a Jacuzzi tub that has a GFIC near the motor. There was no access panel on the motor side and I planned on putting one in at a later date (well after the bathroom reno). Well the GFIC there died, we have a front access panel that I was able to reach through and put a tester into it and found no power, and playing with the test and reset buttons did nothing. Went almost a year without the Jacuzzi during which time I decided to pull the Jacuzzi wire from the panel and connect it through a GFI next to the electrical panel with the thoughts that if it happens again I can easily replace the GFIC. A few months after that my wife said "what is that noise" I went to check it out and the Jacuzzi had come on and has been working now for a few months. I made an access panel behind the Jacuzzi and can now remove the second GFIC in the circuit.....or I can leave it until it dies again. Should I remove it? And how can I GFIC quit working and then start working again?

Thx Gary

[RBM]

If you put two GFCI devices in series before the motor, they both have to pass current before the motor will work. The one that stopped working, then started, may just have a loose connection

I have a Jacuzzi tub that has a GFIC near the motor. There was no access panel on the motor side and I planned on putting one in at a later date (well after the bathroom reno). Well the GFIC there died, we have a front access panel that I was able to reach through and put a tester into it and found no power, and playing with the test and reset buttons did nothing. Went almost a year without the Jacuzzi during which time I decided to pull the Jacuzzi wire from the panel and connect it through a GFI next to the electrical panel with the thoughts that if it happens again I can easily replace the GFIC. A few months after that my wife said "what is that noise" I went to check it out and the Jacuzzi had come on and has been working now for a few months. I made an access panel behind the Jacuzzi and can now remove the second GFIC in the circuit.....or I can leave it until it dies again. Should I remove it? And how can I GFIC quit working and then start working again?

Thx Gary

[Jeff Wisnia]

Sounds to me like there was some moisture collected somewhere in the wiring or components downstreanm the original GFI which caused an electrical leakage to ground, tripped that GFI and kept it from being reset.

When you installed the second GFI ahead of the first it didn't trip because the tripped first GFI (which opened the circuit) kept the second one from "seeing" the leakage to ground, so the second one didn't trip.

In the intervening year the moisture dried up, which allowed the original GFI to pass current to the motor without tripping due to leakage to ground.

The only thing wrong with my explanation is....Who the hell reset the original GFI? I've not heard of any which reset themselves.

I'd take out the original GFI. And hope that whatever caused it to trip doesn't reoccur. Because, as my Uncle Schlomo used to say, "Things which go away by themselves usually come back by themselves."

Jeff

[Gary]

Good wisdom