GFCI troubles

[Irishman]

I’m at at lost with my GFCI outlet. House is new, just got done being built in December 2018. Got my fish tank’s plumbing tested and leak free. Meanwhile while that is going I decided to switch the receptacle out for a GFCI one. I had one already and thought, hey that saves me like $10 and a trip to the store, sweet! Turn off the breaker, take off the old recepticale, it had line and load on it, removed wires one at a time and put them in the same spot on the GFCI. BOOM I was done and took less than 5 min. Turn on the breaker, come inside to push the test button and I don’t hear a pop, although I can see the green light still illuminated . Thought I wired it wrong and did the whole thing again. This time I try to push the reset button and the reset keeps popping with no light illumination this time. Thought the receptical was bad so went and got a 20A one since that’s what the breaker is, wired it up exactly like I had it before and got nothing, reset and test buttons don’t work. Swapped the wiring around, still nothing except no light in the kitchen. But both wires in the line side, got the kitchen light back but no power to the circuit.

I can’t figure out what is going on. The breaker only controls kitchen, laundry and garage lights. Not a clue what I’m doing wrong.

 

[Big G]

Is there another GFCI on the same circuit?

http://www.electrical101.com/troubleshoot-gfci.html

 

[Hitman]

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/how-to-wire-a-gfci-outlet.54912/

 

[Irishman]

Is there another GFCI on the same circuit?

Not that I can tell. With the breaker off I have tested every outlet along the wall and in the kitchen and they’re all on a different breaker. This is the only one off and the lights feed/run off this receptical.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/how-to-wire-a-gfci-outlet.54912/

That’s a great thread! I’ve done a few GFCI outlets and have been able to get them all done properly. I guess my biggest issue of telling which one is the line wires coming out of the box. I’ve hooked back up the old non GFCI receptical and everything works like it did. Now when I hook up the new one exactly the same, it doesn’t work.

 

[Hitman]

Your line should be hot if the breaker is on while your load will be dead.

 

[Irishman]

So I believe my breaker is already a GFCI, it has a test button on it when I go to turn it off. When it’s on I can push the test button and the breaker flips. Is this why I can’t get my GFCI working? Also if it is a GFCI breaker do I need a GFCI?

 

[Hitman]

So I believe my breaker is already a GFCI, it has a test button on it when I go to turn it off. When it’s on I can push the test button and the breaker flips. Is this why I can’t get my GFCI working? Also if it is a GFCI breaker do I need a GFCI?

I have the same breakers in my house, it’s my understanding they are actually a spark guard not a gfci. I personally couldn’t get the gfci I installed for the tank to work with them so I installed a normal breaker for the outlets to be used for my tank then installed gfci outlets at the tank. Not sure if it’s the best way but that’s what I did and the city code guy signed off on it. Where I live you have to have a code person inspect just about everything you do due to our dumb HOA rules.

 

[Irishman]

I have the same breakers in my house, it’s my understanding they are actually a spark guard not a gfci.

Would this be the reason why I can’t get my GFCI to work then?

 

[FoD]

The “spark guard” is not a GFCI breaker. It is an AFCI (Arc Fault). Two different functions. A GFCI receptacle will work as normal on a GFCI breaker circuit. My assumption is you are installing the GFCI Receptacle incorrectly. Disconnect the wiring from the receptacle. Get a meter, or a tick tracer to identify your line side. Make sure you hook the line lead and neutral to the line side of the GFCI. The remaining wiring would go to the load side, feeding any other receptacles you want protected.

 

[Irishman]

My assumption is you are installing the GFCI Receptacle incorrectly. The remaining wiring would go to the load side, feeding any other receptacles you want protected.

This is the only receptacle controlled by the breaker. The other wiring leading up to it/off of it controls the kitchen, garage and laundry room lights. While the breaker is off I’ve tested every outlet in these rooms and they’re still hot.

I’ve wired the receptacle both ways, with still no power to the GFCI. Wired one way the light doesn’t work above the kitchen table, wired the other way the light doesn’t work, still no power to the GFCI.

 

[KStatefan]

This is the only receptacle controlled by the breaker. The other wiring leading up to it/off of it controls the kitchen, garage and laundry room lights. While the breaker is off I’ve tested every outlet in these rooms and they’re still hot.

I’ve wired the receptacle both ways, with still no power to the GFCI. Wired one way the light works above the kitchen table, wired the other way the light doesn’t work, still no power to the GFCI.

Can you post a picture of what you have?

 

[Irishman]

Can you post a picture of what you have?

Is there a specific pic your looking for?

 

[Irishman]

Had an electrician come over and help me out and wired it up for me correctly. He said that there is a wiring fault to the one light that is running off of it and that’s why it wouldn’t stay hot and kept on popping. He was able to fix the issue and now have a GFCI receptacle for the fish tank.

 

[KStatefan]

Glad you got it fixed

 

[RobW]

I'm an electrical contractor myself... anytime you install a gfci receptacle into an existing circuit that was not originally intended to have or need one, you need to take the sets of wires passing through the original receptacle and splice those together and pigtail off of them to feed the gfci. If not, when your gfi trips it will kill power to anything down stream from it. Just like in your kitchen when the gfi trips it usually kills a series of receptacles on the countertop.