Problem with GFCI (bath hookup) ...

Nov 04, 2004 4 Replies
M

Hi all,



I just connected the motor of a therapeutic bath in the following way: continuing the circuit from a nearby electircal outlet, I ran the circuit (black-white-green wires)to a faceless GFCI (line side). Then a I connected the black-white-green wires from the bath blower to the load side of the GFCI.



I tested the everything and all seemed fine, EXCEPT that the blower randomly and mysteriously starts itself every once in a while (and when it does, the only way I can turn it off is by pressing the button on the GFCI to break the circuit).



Does anybody know why this is happening?


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S

Does the near by outlet have GFCI protection?

GFCI's as an general rule do not like to be in series, which is what you did if the near by outlet is GFCI protected.

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M

The near by outlet is (or at least was) the end-of-circuit receptacle - HOWEVER one of the middle-of-circuit outlets (on that circuit) is in the washroom and it does have GFCI protection.

If what you're saying is so - then I should remove the GFCI protection from the middle-of-circuit outlet ... This would leave me with NO protection on the electrical outlet that is right beside the bathroom sink -- but, on the other hand, I'd be able to enjoy a therapeutic bath! Uhmmm?

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M

How would this cause the therapeutic bath's blower to come on?

--Mike

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C

Indeed. If there were problems with serial GFIs, they WON'T cause something to come ON. They'd cause something to go OFF.

I suspect a miswiring in the control circuit for the motor, or perhaps even an intermittent terminal-to-terminal short in the control box.

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