[iceracer]

I installed 2 new coach lamps outside, next to the fancy new door I installed along with relocated the old GFCI receptacle off the kitchen onto the deck. :thumbsup:

In the past, there was just an outdoor receptacle with a GFCI installed.

I cut the wire for the old receptacle at a junction box in the basement as where the old receptacle was would be in the way, the circuit breaker was turned off....fast forward to today and I have done the following;

2 new coach lamps, with a single pole switch inside the kitchen.

power runs from the existing wire that was used for the old receptacle, into the new GFCI box. connection made to the GFCi, then off to the light switch and then to the lamps.

I turned on the power and the circuit breaker tripped.

I tried to reset the GFCI but the switch is stiff.

When I connected the leads to the GFCI, the load going into the GFCI and line coming out to the light switch are both connected at the GFCI.

Does the load go into the GFCI first, then come out to the lights?
If so, how do I do that, pigtails?

Also, the wire coming from the panel is 14ga the wire connectiing the new parts is 12 ga as that is what I had handy.


Thanks, Terry

 

[Jim Port]

The exterior lighting does not need to be GFI protected.

LINE terminals are where the power comes into the GFI. LOAD goes to anything downstream that needs GFI protection.

 

[iceracer]

I understand the lights do not need GFI.

So I have a live wire coming from the panel into the receptacle with which contains the GFCI.
the live wire needs to be connected first to the GFCI, correct?

How do I get the power to the lights after GFCI or bypass it? I want to use the same source to power the GFCI and the lights.



Thanks, Terry

 

[BigJimmy]

So the source/feed for the lights goes into the GFCI box? Just pigtail the wires from the source/going to the light switch and connect to the LINE side of the GFCI.

 

[Jim Port]

You can terminate the conductors going to the light on the LINE side of the GFI and then go to the switch.

 

[iceracer]

I did it!
thanks for the feedback and info.

I kept tripping the breaker and was blaming the GFCI for it. I had to trouble shoot the whole circuit, fearing I had put a nail or screw through the wiring during the door installation and the prospect of having to rip that all apart.

Turns out it was a single strand of the grounding wire from the coach lamp had managed to find its way under the neutral side of the marrette and I had taped them as well......when I was bundling them to put the housing of the lamp on, the wire found itself jammed in there, a single itty bitty strand. Glad I was able to find it....Terry