I woke up this morning, took a shower. When I went to shave I noticed that the GFCI receptacle in my bathroom had tripped. I pushed the "RESET" button back in but it immediately popped back out. Tried it about 10 more times...kept happening. I remember reading on this NG years ago about this, and so I checked the "downstream" receptacle - which I'm assuming is just the other bathroom in my house which is adjacent to this one on the opposite wall (if that makes sense). That is not a GFCI receptacle, but it must be downstream of the GFCI in my bathroom because there is no longer any power to that receptacle either.
There is nothing plugged in anymore to either of these outlets, yet the GFCI keeps tripping. My guess is, the GFCI has gone bad - it is most likely 20 years old, as my house is 20 years old and I'm the 2nd owner (been here about 4 years), and the receptacle quite frankly looks old (if that is of any relevance).
So how should I proceed? I have knowledge of electrical safety (ie, how not to get electrocuted, and how to use a meter). I also have basic wiring skills/tools, so my thought to was to buy a new GFCI and install it. However, there is one thing I'm concerned about:
Yesterday the wife and I put up all of the Christmas lights outside. And of course right afterward, here in the Philadelphia area, it started raining and has ever since. So I'm concerned that perhaps the christmas lights (the standard series-wired little bulb things) are somehow playing into this. If not, then it's just odd coincidence? Those lights are not connected to the GFCI and are not "downstream" so I don't see how they could affect it. Come to think of it, I need to go check to make sure those still work - I haven't plugged them in yet today.
For the time being - how should I troubleshoot this? Should I just go ahead and replace the GFCI receptacle?
Thanks in advance.