jolted with gfci
#1
03-09-03, 09:53 PM
jolted with gfci
I had an electriction (boy that cant be spelled right, wish this site had a spell checker).
ANYWAY he was to wire the house up to code in my 1975 rehab home.
He was approved by the County housing athourity.
The house was inspected and signed off for occupancy.
HERE IS THE REAL QUESTION; an out side outlet with gfci has zapped me twice with a tingle up the arm. once when I had an INDOOR clamp on light hanging outside and I tried to turn it on while damp.
And then again while I was holding the cover open with my left hand and plugging in a wet with snow out door X-mas display with the other hand.
IN EACH CASE THE OUTLET DID NOT SHUT OFF.
Is it normal to get a small shock when doing something this stupid?
I thought a gfci was to keep jolts from happening?
signed: A Some What Carless Almost Know It All.(please dont be too rough on me)
ANYWAY he was to wire the house up to code in my 1975 rehab home.
He was approved by the County housing athourity.
The house was inspected and signed off for occupancy.
HERE IS THE REAL QUESTION; an out side outlet with gfci has zapped me twice with a tingle up the arm. once when I had an INDOOR clamp on light hanging outside and I tried to turn it on while damp.
And then again while I was holding the cover open with my left hand and plugging in a wet with snow out door X-mas display with the other hand.
IN EACH CASE THE OUTLET DID NOT SHUT OFF.
Is it normal to get a small shock when doing something this stupid?
I thought a gfci was to keep jolts from happening?
signed: A Some What Carless Almost Know It All.(please dont be too rough on me)
#3
03-10-03, 05:46 AM
While it sounds like a bad gfci,I would also have the electrician doublecheck the ground connections at the ground rod as well as the bonding screw in the main panel.
On second thought,it sounds as though that there is a fault on the line side of the GFCI in a metal box that is not bonded.
Is your wiring 2wiire without a ground?Are the boxes metal?
This seens like the most likely scenario.
On second thought,it sounds as though that there is a fault on the line side of the GFCI in a metal box that is not bonded.
Is your wiring 2wiire without a ground?Are the boxes metal?
This seens like the most likely scenario.
#4
03-10-03, 06:21 AM
Call the electrician back!!!!
It is possible to get the tingle that you describe from a GFI receptacle. The key is that after you get that tingle the receptacle should should trip.
It sounds like he wire the the GFI incorrectly and placed the line leads on the load side of the receptacle. regardless of what he did, that receptacle is not operating as it should, have him come back and fix it.
GFI receptacles look for a difference in current between the hot and the neutral, it doesn't matter if you don't have a ground, the outlet should still work as it's suppsoed to.
It is possible to get the tingle that you describe from a GFI receptacle. The key is that after you get that tingle the receptacle should should trip.
It sounds like he wire the the GFI incorrectly and placed the line leads on the load side of the receptacle. regardless of what he did, that receptacle is not operating as it should, have him come back and fix it.
GFI receptacles look for a difference in current between the hot and the neutral, it doesn't matter if you don't have a ground, the outlet should still work as it's suppsoed to.
#5
03-10-03, 04:26 PM
Thanks gfci
It was 12 years ago the work was done and my first jolt was about 4 or 5 years ago.
I feall some what ok about wireing small simple jobs, but I know jack little about 3 ways or gfci's.
Thanks for letting me know that the unit or wires are NOT right.
I will get someone here to check that it's done the proper way.
I feall some what ok about wireing small simple jobs, but I know jack little about 3 ways or gfci's.
Thanks for letting me know that the unit or wires are NOT right.
I will get someone here to check that it's done the proper way.
#6
03-10-03, 06:07 PM
I agree with the others.
Now for the embarrassing self-disclosure...
Last summer, I was cutting a couple of sheets of plywood which were supported by some 2x4s on the lawn. All was going well but I was running late and in a rush. After several cuts, I apparently ended up with the cord underneath the plywood. BTW, I was using an old, but reliable steel cased worm drive saw (not double insulated).
Anyway, sure enough I nicked the cord with the blade. The good part was that I was plugged into a GFI receptacle. I did feel the tingle from my hand up to just below my elbow, but literally by the time I realized I was getting a shock, the GFI had already tripped and the saw powered down.
I took the rest of the day off.
Now for the embarrassing self-disclosure...
Last summer, I was cutting a couple of sheets of plywood which were supported by some 2x4s on the lawn. All was going well but I was running late and in a rush. After several cuts, I apparently ended up with the cord underneath the plywood. BTW, I was using an old, but reliable steel cased worm drive saw (not double insulated).
Anyway, sure enough I nicked the cord with the blade. The good part was that I was plugged into a GFI receptacle. I did feel the tingle from my hand up to just below my elbow, but literally by the time I realized I was getting a shock, the GFI had already tripped and the saw powered down.
I took the rest of the day off.
