GFI burned up


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Old 01-15-16, 12:52 PM
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GFI burned up

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The GFI in my kitchen shorted out on the Line hot side. I have another one but is there something I need to have an electrician look at before I try a new one?
This one is for the plugs in the kitchen for the stove and other outlets.

Thanks,

Brian
 
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Old 01-15-16, 12:54 PM
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I see that all the time. The screw wasn't tightened properly and the wire/terminal overheated from the resistance. You didn't get a short or the breaker would have tripped.

Make sure the wire isn't burned and replace the receptacle.
 
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Old 01-15-16, 01:00 PM
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Thanks for the quick reply Pete. I guess when I put it in a couple of years ago I did an amateur job!

Brian
 
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Old 01-15-16, 01:10 PM
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Just make sure the screws are all tight.

You need to keep in mind that all the receptacle that are connected to that GFI receptacle all draw their power thru there so the load can be quite high.


* * * * *

As an aside..... I was called to a high end kitchen incident last month. A receptacle was completely melted and was smoking so the fire department was called in. The homeowner turned off all the kitchen circuit breakers. The firemen said it was cooling off and was ok now and left. However that one was mislabeled as laundry room and was still live when I got there. I found out when I went to remove the screws and it was still sparking.

I ended up finding most of the screws were loose as well as several push ins used where #12 wire was forced in.

This kitchen had approx 15 receptacles on two circuits. 14 duplexes on the problem circuit and 1 on the other circuit. The homeowner had no idea how the kitchen had been "redone" when the kitchen guys did the work. I had a hard time explaining the issue to the homeowner as it was just so wrong.
 
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Old 01-15-16, 04:00 PM
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Pete I put the new one in and all is well. My question is the old GFI was the type that the wires go in the hole. The new one I put in is the loop around the screw type. Which do you like better?

Thanks for the advice!
Brian
 
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Old 01-15-16, 04:15 PM
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That new one should also be the type where the wire goes into a rear hole.
The older ones had side screw mounting only.

With some of them... the nut plate is loose letting the screw head pull away from the receptacle allowing you to wrap the wire around the screw.

As long as the screw is tight it will be ok.
 
 

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