GFCI Looks Correct But Not Working

2marshall8

Here's my situation. I just replaced an existing old GFCI outlet with a new one from home depot. There were 4 wires and one ground coming into the old outlet when I first checked it. I took the 4 wires (two black, two white) and placed both black wires on one side (copper colored screws) and both white wires (silver colored screws) on the other side. I turned the breaker back on and I do get the little green light in the upper right of the outlet. But when I hit "test", the reset button never pops out and when I plug in a light there is no power. I then went and flip flopped the black wires and the white wire positions and didn't get any power. I tried many different combinations and no power. the connections right now look exactly like how they are shown in this youtube video which is frustrating because things don't work

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OD-XI...eature=related

The circuit is labeled "lights dinner" which is strange because this outlet is no where near that area. it's in a bathroom on the other side of the condo.

this is a 20amp circuit.

What should I do to fix this and where could the problem be?

thanks

mpoulton

Looking right and being right are different. Each wire must go to exactly the right terminal. There's no flexibility, there's only one right way to connect it.

The incoming power from the breaker goes to the "LINE" terminals on the GFCI. Black goes on the "hot" side (brass screw, narrow slot on the receptacle, the right side when looking at the front of the receptacle) and white on the "neutral" side (silver screw, wide slot, left side). The other cable connects to the "LOAD" terminals on the receptacle, also with white and black on the correct sides. From your description it sounds like you had line and load reversed, then you swapped wires so you had line and load reversed and also hot and neutral reversed.

Jim Port

As a test put both blacks and both whites on the LINE terminals and see if the GFI functions correctly.

You need to make sure the white is paired on the same line or load terminals as the black. You cannot have line black with the load white.

__________________
Answers based on the National Electrical Code. Local amendments may apply. Check with your local building officials.

2marshall8

I ended up finding that I should have hit the reset button when I was changing pairs of wires. So I found the correct incoming hot pair, crimped it down, and hit the reset button, which brought everything online.

thanks