[morrison49th]

Hello,

I also bought a Commercial Electric Stop Shock OUtlet & Ground Quality Tester:

https://www.google.com/search?q=Com...UICCgC&biw=1760&bih=890#imgrc=aQn3PKVpCeQzuM:


You can see it has a button to trip the GFCI. However, when I plug this into my kitche GFCI, it trips immediately. I cannot reset the GFCI, as it trips immediately.

I then went and tried this device in a GFCI socket in the bathroom. It doesn't trip the GFCI until I press the trip button on the device. Does this mean my kitchen GFCI socket is installed incorrectly?

Thanks

 

[AllanJ]

If you plug a table lamp into the kitchen GFCI receptacle and switch that on and then press the test button on the GFCI, does the lamp shut off?

If you measure hot (smaller prong slot) to ground, do you get about 120 volts?

If you measure neutral to ground, do you get zero volts or nearly so?

If all of the preceding are true than the GFCI receptacle is wired correctly and working correctly (not counting additional receptacles daisy chained to receive GFCI protection also).

 

[MrElectricianTV]

Hello,

I also bought a Commercial Electric Stop Shock OUtlet & Ground Quality Tester:

https://www.google.com/search?q=Com...UICCgC&biw=1760&bih=890#imgrc=aQn3PKVpCeQzuM:


You can see it has a button to trip the GFCI. However, when I plug this into my kitche GFCI, it trips immediately. I cannot reset the GFCI, as it trips immediately.

I then went and tried this device in a GFCI socket in the bathroom. It doesn't trip the GFCI until I press the trip button on the device. Does this mean my kitchen GFCI socket is installed incorrectly?

Thanks

That would be my first thought.

 

[brric]

If the GFCI recep does not trip when using the test button on the recep the recep is not wired correctly.

 

[morrison49th]

I've confirmed with a multi meter and lamp what you've said - so it is wired correctly.

The GFCI does have other sockets connected to it's load terminals (pressing test will trip a number of other sockets in the kitchen). Could this be the reason why the test device is causing the GFCI to trip, or are cheap test devices (10 USD), just not trustworthy.

Thanks

 

[poiihy]

Those basic outlet testers connect hot to ground through a neon indicator to test if there is a ground connection. Hot to ground faults would trip a GFCI, but usually the amount of current the indicator uses is lower than the threshold of the GFCI.
In your case, there are two reasons why your tester always trips the GFCI:
1. There is a hot to ground leak somewhere on the circuit, that is just below the tripping threshold of the GFCI, and so when the tester is plugged in, the current goes over the threshold
2. The GFCI has an unusually low threshold and very little currents will trip it.

You shouldn't worry about it. It just makes it safer, though you'd have more nuisance trips.

 

[dmxtothemax]

Take your tester to a friends house
Who also has a gfci
Does it trip his also ?

This will tell you if it is the tester ?
Or a close threshold.

 

[poiihy]

Take your tester to a friends house
Who also has a gfci
Does it trip his also ?

This will tell you if it is the tester ?
Or a close threshold.

He tested it on a different GFCI, in his bathroom, and it didn't trip the GFCI unless the button was pressed, as it should.

 

[gregzoll]

The only thing I can think of is that someone "Bootlegged" the ground. It always helps to remove the cover and pull the device first, before jumping ahead of yourself and asking questions why some test device did something.

 

[Jim Port]

The only recognized test method is the built in test buttons on the gfi.