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GFCI breaker keeps tripping

4K views 31 replies 8 participants last post by  Solidify 
#1 ·
The Gfci breaker controls only 2 exterior outlets: one on the back balcony and one on the front balcony. The back is being used. The front has my xmas lights plugged into it. Its a month ive been running the lights no issues with a timer. Tonight i got home and the lights werent on bc the breaker had tripped.

I reset it and all worked as it should. 2-3 minutes later, it tripped again. This keeps happening no matter how many times I reset it.

What could the problem be?

Thanks.
 
#6 ·
I've also seen this happen when an outlet was falling apart.

Sometimes it also happens with fog. I've heard that on Nantucket, for example, nobody used GFCI outlets outdoors despite the code because they would always trip in the fog. The outlets are better than they used to be so I don't know if that's still true.

And occasionally it can also be a bad breaker.
 
#7 ·
I took the wheatherproof cover plate off the outlet this morning (wjth the lights disconnected) and it trips the moment the outlet moved a little within the box. I reset the breaker afterwards and everything has been working good for the entire day so far (the lights included).
 
#8 ·
Could be a loose connection, could be the outlet needs replacing, could be the hot was just really, really close to something grounded. I had that happening with an outlet that fell to pieces when I took it out; the hot was shorting to ground at times and tripping the GFCI.
 
#10 ·
I just found it tripped again. I'm getting fustrated because it's -10C outside and this is the worst possible time this could be happening (I this outlet to be working for my Christmas lights). If it were warmer I could atleast work on the outlet without cracking my fingers off but this is just annoying. There's nowhere else I can safely run an outdoor extension (until the spring) without being a safety hazard for my snowblower.
 
#11 ·
Whilst a loose connection is not a good thing.
Replace it anyway, they are cheap
And its not worth further hassle.

But usually loose wire will trip a AFCI
But not a GFCI.
I am more inclined to think
There is a leakage somewhere.
Probably because if moisture.
You need to find where that moisture is.
 
#12 · (Edited)
I just took apart the outlet in the cold. Everything is wired well. Screws are snugged up. I should mention that my electrician used the backstabs on the outlet but there's no exposed conductor anywhere in the box. There's electrical tape around the outlet screws so no shorting occuring, especially since he used the backstabs.The box is properly grounded as wel (metal), as per my visual inspection and mm readings. The readings are all as they should be. The box is not wet or moist whatsoever. I don't understand tho if its likely to be moisture, why doesn't the breaker trip right after I reset it? Why do my Christmas lights stay on for a good 2-3 minutes, sometimes longer, before it trips again.

I'm going to check the second outdoor outlet on this circuit tomorrow morning. Maybe there's something amiss in there. But who knows, it's not gonna be as easy to notice as a flood of water in the box. Moisture isn't always visually apparent.

You said GFCIs don't usually trip with loose wires, so I'll rule that out in the second box tomorrow.

How can I troubleshoot the integrity of the GFCI breaker without replacing it? Are there any tests I can perform?
 
#14 ·
Move the wires on to the screws of the outlet..not the backstabs(many problems with those reguarding contacts inside).
Use a GFCI tester on outlet then test it with the light feature, . then press trip button if yours has one.See that breaker trips.Try same thing on other receptacle in that circuit.
 
#15 ·
If there is an issue with the backstabs/contact, wouldn't I not get the correct readings in that case? My meter tells me everything is fine in terms of the voltages.

I have used the GFCI receptacle tester on the outlet. Reads "correct. Pressing the red trip button successfully trips the GFCI circuit breaker at the panel. I'll try this on the remaining outlet tomorrow.

If I remember correctly, this outlet has one 14/2 cable coming into the box while the one I'm testing tomorrow has two 14/2 cables coming into the box. Considering these are the only two outlets on the circuit, does this necessarily imply that the first outlet is downstream from the second in my backyard?
 
#21 ·
It's more than 12 hours the circuit has had nothing plugged into it (I removed the lights last night) and the breaker has yet to trip. I'm going to check the integrity of the Christmas lights, see if I can spot any moisture. I don't even know what it would look like though. I made sure to put electric tape around all the unused extension cord plugs so no water can get in.
 
#22 ·
I did the round on my lights and found a few very loose bulbs which I tightened. I'm gonna leave the lights unplugged for one more day just to make sure there's nothing wrong within the circuit. After that, I'll try the lights again and hopefully those loose bulbs were the culprit.
 
#23 ·
After 24 hours without the Christmas lights plugged into the outlet, the breaker has yet to trip. So I plug them back in. They turned one. Stayed on for about 5 minutes before the breaker tripped for the first time in 24 hours. It's the lights for sure.

So I tried something that hadn't yet occured to me: I removed the timer and plugged the lights directly into the outlet. That was 30 minutes ago. The lights are still on now. :vs_karate:

So the timer is the issue. Then I took a closer look at saw this on the back of it:



I had the timer with the two receptacles facing upward because that was what proved easier when I was installing the lights. I'll exchange the timer for a new one just to be safe nothing got fried in the process and try to mount the new one with the receptacle holes facing down this time.

I'll keep you all posted.
 
#28 ·
After 24 hours without the Christmas lights plugged into the outlet, the breaker has yet to trip. So I plug them back in. They turned one. Stayed on for about 5 minutes before the breaker tripped for the first time in 24 hours. It's the lights for sure.

So I tried something that hadn't yet occured to me: I removed the timer and plugged the lights directly into the outlet. That was 30 minutes ago. The lights are still on now. :vs_karate:

So the timer is the issue. Then I took a closer look at saw this on the back of it:



I had the timer with the two receptacles facing upward because that was what proved easier when I was installing the lights. I'll exchange the timer for a new one just to be safe nothing got fried in the process and try to mount the new one with the receptacle holes facing down this time.

I'll keep you all posted.
Comment removed by admin.

 
#24 ·
I need some help.

I exchanged the timer for a new one and need to mount it with the receptacle holes facing down so it will be watertight. But as long as the cable for the lights (green) comes from above, this can't be accomplished because of how the timer is made. Ideally I'd need to hook it to the brick but I don't want to start putting holes in my home for a few months.

How can I accomplish this? Or perhaps just make it watertight and weather resistant wrapping it in something...

(The green is the lights and tiny red box under the mailbox is the GFCI protected outlet the time needs to plug into. I left an extension cord hang from the wall to reach the outlet. The extension cord has slack if I need to lower it.)
 

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