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gfci breaker

2K views 16 replies 10 participants last post by  jeffnc 
#1 · (Edited)
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#2 ·
Are the wires hooked to the correct screws?
It makes a difference which set of screws you use.
One pair is for the gfi outlet, and the other pair to supply gfi protection to another device.
Wired upside down will result in non-gfi protected outlet.
 
#4 ·
Yes curious they are connected correct. I have 4 gfci's and none of them are triping. they eeach have their own 20 amp breaker in the panel ande all of the breakers willl trip but nopt any of the gfci's. I bought them from wal mart. could they possibly all be defective?
 
#15 ·
Yes curious they are connected correct.
How do you arrive at this? You haven't said anything to convince me of it.

A GFCI breaker should trip when the test button is pressed if only it is plugged into the panel and the neutral pigtail is terminated on the neutral bus. Nothing needs to be connected on the load side. I would sort out that most simplest scenario before even connecting a load.

Honestly, you don't seem to be very knowledgeable in such matters and since GFCIs are for protection this might be one time to call up a professional. Do you really want protection devices that don't protect? Who in your family can you live without?
 
#9 ·
Let me get the straight: You're "testing" your GFCI receptacles with a dead short between the slots of the outlets?

That will certainly blow the circuit breaker. And quite possibly damage the GFCI circuitry in each device.

What happens when you press the "test" button on those outlets?
 
#10 ·
carmst said:
I am using a #14 wire stripped 1/2 inch on both ends and holding it with rubber coated side cutters. This is correct am I right? Like a kid sticking a bobby pin in it except with rubber to protect me
While your at it why dont you try it with a capacitor instead of a wire. If your going to try and hurt yourself might as well do it right.
 
#16 ·
jeffnc said:
Finally, someone who understands how GFCI works. I've talked to licensed electricians who do not understand this.

This is why GFCIs do NOT protect you from electrocuting yourself if you touch the hot and neutral on the same device. No current is leaking to a "ground" outside of the circuit.

What the OP described is working exactly like it is supposed to. Assuming he is shorting the hot to the neutral, then the panel breaker should trip and the GFCI should not. This is actually a valid test I suppose, to make sure your GFCI is working correctly.

A lot of people also think a GFCI needs to be connected to ground to work correctly. Maybe GFCI is a bit of a misnomer because it confuses a lot of people. Instead of GFCI maybe it should be CLCI - Current Leak Circuit Interruptor. Or EGFCI - External Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter.
We all know how a gfci is supposed to work. The doesn't change to fact he putting a piece of wire on the plug to attempt to test it(which of course won't work). The rubber grips on the pliers make it ok though. Anyone actually ever read the grips on your Klein's. They say warning does not protect from electric shock and I highly doubt he was using a tool with a quality comparable to a real trade tool.
 
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