When the insulation wears down enough, the hot wire can contact the ground wire and cause a ground fault. The older your electrical wiring is, the more likely it is to have worn-out wiring insulation. Ground faults get caused by several different things, including: Ground faults are when the hot wire touches the ground wire or something grounded. It may be necessary to wire it into a separate circuit or run a new circuit entirely. Plugging appliances in one at a time is also an excellent way to determine which appliance is causing the problem. If it does, an overloaded circuit is likely the cause of your tripping GFCI. Next, plug everything back in, one device at a time, and see if the problem reoccurs. Unplug all the devices receiving power from the GFCI circuit breaker or outlet to determine if an overloaded circuit is a problem. If two exposed wires are touching one another, it will cause the GFCI breaker or receptacle that’s powering them to trip. Depending on the size of your electrical wiring, your GFCI circuit can only handle so much power.Īn overloaded circuit can short circuit due to faulty or exposed electrical wiring. An overloaded circuit happens when you are trying to operate too many appliances or electrical devices on the same circuit. An Overloaded CircuitĪnother common reason your GFCI will trip is an overloaded electrical circuit. You should replace your old GFCI outlet with one to prevent further tripping.Įxterior outlets need GFCI protection and a bubble-type weatherproof cover to keep moisture at bay. Modern GFCI outlet boxes are waterproof and can withstand rain, humidity, and flooding. The best way to prevent this is to install a new GFCI outlet and box with extra protection. However, in humid areas, such as Florida, it’s also possible for enough humidity to accumulate inside the outlet and cause it to trip. These include bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms, outdoor areas, and unfinished basements or attics.Ī physical splash of water is typically the cause of moisture in an outlet box and is easily detectable. Water is hazardous around electricity, so GFCI outlets often get installed in potentially moist areas. The most common reason GFCI outlets trip is because of moisture or water in the outlet or outlet box. To help you get started, let’s go over the five main reasons why GFI outlets trip and what to do about it. There are five main reasons why these outlets and breakers trip, and it’s challenging to put your finger on the right one without an in-depth investigation. Troubleshooting your GFCI devices is often a process of elimination. However, whenever a GFCI outlet is not working, you must get to the bottom of the problem, or it will keep happening. Accidental trips are highly inconvenient and are often the result of improper wiring or installation or a faulty outlet. While there’s usually a good reason for a GFCI outlet to trip, it can also happen accidentally. The electric leak will attempt to take the shortest unintended path to the ground, creating an electric shock that can be fatal. If the current flows aren’t the same, the device will trip and terminate electricity like a breaker.Īn electrical leakage current is when the electric current deviates from its intended path. GFCI devices can detect small electrical leaks between hot wires and neutral wires.Ī ground fault occurs when the incoming electrical current flow exits on the hot side of the outlet but doesn’t return the same electric current flow to the neutral side. Ground fault circuit interrupters protect you from a fatal electrical shock around your home.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |