GFI Good Sometimes 8)

[flintman]

So im home tonight watching my lights and all of a sudden no lights hmmm there is a light mist of rain in the air. I go and investigate ahh haa my GFI tripped i guess i forgot to seal something up. So i spend about 2 hours cleaning every connections and resealing every connection and i reset trippes right out hmmm. I disconnect the power supply and reset it stays hmmm. So now im really not having a good day i start to meg out every line they are all good. hmmmmm. At this point im pretty wet. i have an idea i grab a radio from the house and plug it in and reset tripps out. Ahh haa BAD GFI Got to love them but sometimes Got to Hate them. Luckey i have a stock pile of them(New of course) and replace and my Show is back on. A little word to the wise if you tripp a GFI try something that works before spending hours in the cold rain trying to fix something that isn't there. :D

[ben]

So im home tonight watching my lights and all of a sudden no lights hmmm there is a light mist of rain in the air. I go and investigate ahh haa my GFI tripped i guess i forgot to seal something up. So i spend about 2 hours cleaning every connections and resealing every connection and i reset trippes right out hmmm. I disconnect the power supply and reset it stays hmmm. So now im really not having a good day i start to meg out every line they are all good. hmmmmm. At this point im pretty wet. i have an idea i grab a radio from the house and plug it in and reset tripps out. Ahh haa BAD GFI Got to love them but sometimes Got to Hate them. Luckey i have a stock pile of them(New of course) and replace and my Show is back on. A little word to the wise if you tripp a GFI try something that works before spending hours in the cold rain trying to fix something that isn't there. :D

They can be a pain when you put a MEGA BOOKCASE infront of one!! My grandpa has an old ont eh weighs like 200lbs loaded and there was a(unknown at the time) GRCI behind it!! He spent about $200 with an electrician having him look at all the outlets on that circuit till he tested one side and got power and not on the other side. After 2hours of unloading and moving the bookcase we hit the reset button and all was good!!

Moral: never put bookcases over GFCi's

Ben

[Walden]

Seems like everyone is have problems with GFI's

[xmus]

Mine work perfectly :) And out in the enclosures, that is actually 2 GFI's deep. (GFI on house circuit, GFI in enclosure).

I must admit, i haven't been shocked ONCE on this project*

Dave




* fine print - until last week. But the gfi tripped instantly and all i felt was a tiny tingle, then, no lights :) Push reset button, all is good.
I got shocked because, I shortened light strings and dipped the cut wires into liquid electrical tape, but a strand of wire was poking through, so it stabbed me when my hands went by it.

[flintman]

got to love them little devils 8)

[AI]

So im home tonight watching my lights and all of a sudden no lights hmmm there is a light mist of rain in the air. I go and investigate ahh haa my GFI tripped i guess i forgot to seal something up. So i spend about 2 hours cleaning every connections and resealing every connection and i reset trippes right out hmmm. I disconnect the power supply and reset it stays hmmm. So now im really not having a good day i start to meg out every line they are all good. hmmmmm. At this point im pretty wet. i have an idea i grab a radio from the house and plug it in and reset tripps out. Ahh haa BAD GFI Got to love them but sometimes Got to Hate them. Luckey i have a stock pile of them(New of course) and replace and my Show is back on. A little word to the wise if you tripp a GFI try something that works before spending hours in the cold rain trying to fix something that isn't there. :D

You only have one GFCI for your hole display? Spread the load out. AI

[flintman]

it's a 20 amp GFI and im running a Max of 10 amps

[AI]

it's a 20 amp GFI and im running a Max of 10 amps
Thats fine but if you had two GFCIs then you would only loose hafe your show if you have a problem. AI

[ketas]

RCD's (read: CFCI) maximum current capability doesn't matter here. The idea of spreading the power between RCD's is good because some devices leak even under normal conditions. For example, a computer PSU has RF filter on AC side. It has capacitors which are connected to ground. They... leak. A lot of such devices can put RCD "on edge". We here usually use 30mA one for people protection. You can even measure it when you have extra-sensitive earth leakage current clamp on hand. They're expensive, though.

I hope this helped someone :)

[ketas]

Sorry :(

[zaker]

RCD - Residual Current Device (We call it a GFI in US)

Can drive you crazy when the same thing has too many names. My school bought some software, from a US company, for electronics class, and they started talking about condensors. Drove the teacher nuts explaining wherever the kids saw/heard condensor, replace with capacitor. :o

Tom

[RavingLunatic]

Dude try once more, in English.


That remark probably didn't help much, did you notice his location? English probably not primary language, even though his post was as well written as most posts from those who only speak english.

I know you didn't mean anything by it but you might have made him feel a little unwelcome.

[xmus]

Yeah I realized that from his response. I was in a hurry (never a good thing, but always the norm with me these days) and so I definitly wanted to follow up and apologize.

Didn't notice the location.... I assumed he was English speaking but a super intelligent guy, like i assumed maybe he was an electrician or somebody who was an expert on this stuff, foot in mouth for me! Sorry all. I just meant "dumb it down for me".

Sorry again. Now I realize how offensive my post must have been, seeing how they weren't english speaking as a first language perhaps.

I deleted my post, seriously sorry about that laps of judgment.

Everyone is welcome here, just to be clear!

[ketas]

I feel somewhat better now...

Actually I first thought about writing whole post using "CFI" only. To not confuse anyone.
It just happens that I'm more familiar with RCD when it comes to English. And mm2 instead of AWG.

[Deast]

The jokers I bought my house from buried a GFI behind the drywall in the ceiling of my basement. I had replaced 2 switches, and was working on pulling the light out of the ceiling. I noticed that it had a regular power cord coming off of it. looked up in the hole with a mirror... an outlet... not just any outlet, a GFI. I spend half the day screwing around before I found it. Reset it. DONE.

I cut a hole in the drywall. I don't like the idea of an outlet in the ceiling.

[wbuehler]

They hid an outlet in your ceiling?
That was mean

Bill

[Trepidati0n]

They hid an outlet in your ceiling?
That was mean

Bill

I had the same problem...however, when I was cutting a hole in the ceiling to put in an outlet intentionally (I have a PJ)...I found it with my saw. :shock:

[AI]

Thare ot to be a Law. AI

[Deast]

There are laws (code) about hiding outlets. A licensed electrician would loose his license for doing that.

[ketas]

http://www.electrical-contractor.net/forums/ubbthreads.php/ubb/postlist/Board/4/page/1

Just look what "electricians" can do...