[DFATDC]

Hi,


Replaced traditional lights in bathroom over sink with allen + roth LED style from Lowes. Problem is that it sometimes trips the GFCI when turning the lights on OR off. I don't think the GFCI in that bathroom is too old, maybe a couple years.



So I took it off again, got some steel wool and made the ground nice and shiny, put it back on, doing same thing. It's somewhat random but does it both when turning on or off, while it's on, it's good. :confused1:


Any ideas??



Thanks!!

 

[joed]

Take the lights off the GFCI. There is no reason to have lights over the sink GFCI protected.

 

[DFATDC]

Take the lights off the GFCI. There is no reason to have lights over the sink GFCI protected.

May be easier said than done. I would have to perhaps rip out a bunch of the dry wall (then have to re-tape and texture / paint) which I'd rather not do.

 

[chandler48]

I would have to perhaps rip out a bunch of the dry wall

If the switch is fed from the LOAD side of the GFCI, move the wire to the LINE terminals. No drywall damage in doing that.

 

[joed]

May be easier said than done. I would have to perhaps rip out a bunch of the dry wall (then have to re-tape and texture / paint) which I'd rather not do.

It should be simple. Take the wires of the LOAD terminal of the GFCI and move them to the LINE terminals. The terminals of a GFCI will accept two wires per screw.

 

[DFATDC]

Okay, I think there is only that one plug in there with the light switch that controls the light and fan. I'm not sure of NV code on the light and fan, but understand what you mean now.



But as an update: The larger unit I put in the master bathroom didn't have any problem. So after redoing everything on the smaller unit and still have the same problem, and seemed to be to be some type of surge / drain issue that occurred both at on and off, I deiced to replaced the GFCI (I had two available), and so far so good.


So maybe the GFCI was about to go and the LED start/stop put more stress on it? I noticed when I took out the old one, the line side of the hot came out as I pull it, so must not have been tight as well. Not sure if that contributed to it?

 

[JoeSparky]

Take the lights off the GFCI. There is no reason to have lights over the sink GFCI protected.

You are right. However, GFCI rarely nuisance trips. Almost always a repairable problem or a faulty GFCI receptacle.

 

[DFATDC]

Just a follow up.


It's been a couple days now and no problem. So it was the GFCI unit.


Hope this helps someone in the future.