GFI question

[a]

I have a GFI that won't re-set. It's in the garage, but also is linked to the outlets in one of the bathrooms. Nothing unusual has happened. I was working in the bathroom last night, but nothing today, and it only tripped within the past couple of hours. I press the re-set, and it pushes back against me. Any thoughts, or how I would troubleshoot it? Thanks!

[Jeff Wisnia]

If I read you correctly, this is a GFCI outlet in the garage with the bathroom outlets connected to its output teminals. (And, you might want to make sure there's not something else like an outdoor outlet connected to it too.)

Is it only the outlets in that bathroom which shut down when the GFCI is tripped, or are their other things in the bathroom such as lights or an exhaust fan which quit too?

Was somebody maybe taking a shower in that bathroom about the time the GFCI tripped? That could be a clue too.

Try disconnecting the leads going to the bathroom from the output terminals of the garage GFCI to isolate the problem.

If it seems like it's related to the bathroom outlets try taking the outlet cover plates off and using a hair dryer to blow warm air into them in case there's moisture there causing the tripping. (You may need a heavy duty extension cord to power the hair dryer.)

I once had a bathroom GFCI outlet tripping problem caused by occasional moisture leakage in that bathroom's exhaust fan wired to its output terminals. I solved that problem by changing the wiring so the fan circuit took its power from the input terminals of the GFCI. (That fan wasn't over the bathtub/shower and its housing was grounded BTW.)

HTH,

Jeff

[Mark]

Did rain or water get into it or into one of the protected outlets someplace?

Mark

[peter]

either a bad GFI, or a ground fault, or a tripped circuit breaker. First make sure circuit breaker is not tripped.

Unplug and turn off everything in the bathroom and garage that is on this circuit. Can you reset the GFI now?

If not, turn off the power to this circuit and remove the GFI receptacle from the wall in the garage, disconnect the two wires from the "load" side of the GFI. Now turn on the power, can you reset the GFI?

If not, you have a bad GFI. Just to be sure, test to make sure there is power going into the GFI.

If yes, then something downstream is causing a ground fault. Normally wiring and receptacles are not likely to be the cause unless water got into them.

[jeffreydesign]

I have seen this before and all the above replies are correct; ground fault (your ground wire has been broken or power is leaking to ground) but there is one more possibility. Many people plug in power adaptors for various things (shavers, etc.) that have no ground plug. They may leave these adaptors in the outlet all the time. Sometimes the adaptor will still work but inside it has failed and will cause a GFI reset. Try unplugging anything plugged into your bathroom/garage GFI circuit FIRST. Then see if your GFI circuit will hold a reset.

Jeff

[e-mail] wrote:

[mm]

Only one? I have one gfi brewker that is connected to outlets in all

3 bathrooms, plus the kitchen sink area, plus the outlet on the outside wall. Since all these places are supposed to have GFI protection, it's likely that all such places in your house are connected to this gfi outlet, unless you have other gfi devices somewhere else.

Nothing you know about.

[Tom The Great]

IMHO: If this was me...

1. Do an assesment of the overall system. Is the GFCI old? Was there some wetting situtation in the recent past, examples: flooding, heavy rain.
2. Reduce the variables in the problem. I would remove the GFCI receptacle (with power off), disconnect 'downstream' receptacles (if any), ensure power source connection is strong/secure, then test the GFCI. Easy way, turn power back on and hit reset.

Ok, all fails, I would just buy another GFCI. They sometimes fail if they cannot work safely, meaning if it doesn't work safely, it doesn't work. So a new one is cheap enough to save time and replace.

Now this is me, but time is money, and I have very little of both. Remember only qualified people shall work on electrical systems. ;)

later,

tom @

[Goedjn]

Find out what it on the load side of that outlet that's causing a ground fault?

[Tom Horne, Electrician]

The newer GFCIs take a lot of pressure to reset. Try again and push more firmly.