

Some intentional conditions would include places where the neutrals of two circuits are unnecessarily (and improperly) combined in a multi-gang box, or where the neutral for lights of a GFCI-protected 3-way switch system is introduced from somewhere ahead of the GFI you put in. One unintentional condition would be where a ground wire is contacting the neutral side of a receptacle. Although this could be detecting a shock hazard you weren't aware of before, there are also a few wiring conditions from the past that are not GFCI friendly. Besides having to hook a GFI up correctly, anytime you introduce GFI protection onto existing wiring and existing loads, you may find unexpected tripping. If you don't know the complication, you won't be looking in the right place to restore power. For instance, if something at the bathroom outlet tripped a GFCI, it might trip the device that had been added right there as an "upgrade," or else it might trip the original one in the garage - whichever one happened to respond more quickly. It doesn't actually hurt to double-protect, but it can get confusing. They are under the impression that the outlets there are not already protected. When homes are upgraded, PEOPLE OFTEN THINK GFIs NEED TO BE ADDED in bathrooms, kitchens, and elsewhere. In over your head? Consider calling a nearby electrician. Reset pops out when something is turned on Reset is in but things plugged in don't work First, this chart summarizes troubleshooting the health of a GFI receptacle device: Is a GFI tripping for a ground-fault? If you are pretty sure you need to troubleshoot a ground-fault itself, you may want to go to Is an Unknown GFCI the Cause of an Outage?īad GFCI or a Ground-Fault? - Troubleshooting Little light on some GFIs?) Why Can't I Reset? Is GFCI Bad or Is There a Ground-Fault? That is the job of a circuit breaker at the main panel. And they do not prevent overloads on the circuit. They do not prevent shock altogether, only deadly shock. Their purpose is to protect people from electrocution. These are ground-fault circuit interrupters - GFCIs or GFIs. There are often special looking electrical receptacles in bathrooms or kitchens that have "Test" and "Reset" buttons - often black and red - on them.

GFCI Outlets in Homes Help With GFIs: Info and Troubleshooting
