Tester not tripping GFCI
#1
02-29-16, 09:51 AM
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Tester not tripping GFCI
Ok so I installed a whole new circuit, it is a 20amp breaker in the main panel that goes to a 20amp gfci receptacle in the garage, and from there goes 40ft to another receptacle, and then about 50ft more to a final receptacle, according to my tester everything it is wired up right and the gfci trips normally when pushing the test button on the receptacle, now when I bring my 3 light tester to the other receptacles the first one trips fine with the testers button but the second does not, any ideas? Does the distance make a difference?
#2
02-29-16, 10:04 AM
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That type of tester creates a measured short to ground to trip a GFI. It would appear that you may not have a ground at that point. Distance makes no difference.
#3
02-29-16, 10:58 AM
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Ok I will recheck that everything is connected and not loose, it's just weird. Considering the tester is not showing and open ground
#6
02-29-16, 05:25 PM
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Checked the ground to the box and the outlet, they are both tight and on, tester still shows the wiring is correct
#8
03-01-16, 04:28 PM
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Anybody else have any other ideas?
#11
03-01-16, 07:37 PM
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Tester show correct lights in the house and also the test button works everywhere else, even on the other receptacle on that circut, could that one receptacle be bad? Is there another way to test the gfci? I will also try a new tester just in case
#15
03-02-16, 07:40 PM
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Double checked all ground wires and made sure grounds worked with the multimeter, only think I can think now is to try a different gfci even though it is brand new
#16
03-02-16, 09:16 PM
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Someone asked if the last receptacle was dead when the GFI was tripped. Was that a yes ?
Last edited by ray2047; 03-02-16 at 09:58 PM. Reason: Removed remark about deleted post.
#17
03-03-16, 03:59 AM
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Yes it is dead when tripped from the gfci's test button and from another receptacle, but won't trip when testing from that receptacle
#18
03-08-16, 05:16 PM
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Finally got a chance to look at it again and found the problem, the neutral and ground wires from one receptacle to the other were reversed and that still shows as correct on the tester, all fixed
#20
03-08-16, 06:38 PM
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Because I ran a whole new circuit with all black wires and the last 6in taped the color I they were to be somewhere in between the conduit for the 2 receptacles i lost the tape on the white so when I put everything back together I had mixed them up
#22
03-08-16, 06:46 PM
Because I ran a whole new circuit with all black wires
In general by code wires #6 or smaller can not be recolored. The exception being cable where the white can be remarked as an ungrounded conductor. However for ground #6 or smaller code says bare or factory green only. It would be best to redo the wiring.
#23
03-08-16, 07:35 PM
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Can I not just strip the wire bare on all the ground wires that are not in the conduit? As it is gonna be almost impossible to get the wires back out and more back in.
#24
03-08-16, 07:41 PM
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Is this the code you are referring to?
200.6 Means of Identifying Grounded Conductors.
(A) Sizes 6 AWG or Smaller. An insulated grounded conductor of 6 AWG or smaller shall be identified by a continuous white or gray outer finish or by three continuous white stripes on other than green insulation along its entire length.
200.6 Means of Identifying Grounded Conductors.
(A) Sizes 6 AWG or Smaller. An insulated grounded conductor of 6 AWG or smaller shall be identified by a continuous white or gray outer finish or by three continuous white stripes on other than green insulation along its entire length.
#25
03-08-16, 09:04 PM
Means of Identifying Grounded Conductors.
(A) Sizes 6 AWG or Smaller. An insulated grounded conductor of 6 AWG or smaller shall be identified by a continuous white or gray outer finish or by three continuous white stripes
(A) Sizes 6 AWG or Smaller. An insulated grounded conductor of 6 AWG or smaller shall be identified by a continuous white or gray outer finish or by three continuous white stripes
Can I not just strip the wire bare on all the ground wires that are not in the conduit?
it is gonna be almost impossible to get the wires back out and more back in.
#26
03-09-16, 04:02 AM
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3 wires 1/2 emt conduit to 1/2 pvc underground under concrete, 6 wires in the small sections that change direction to go to the receptacles, it's kinda hard to explain but there is a bunch of angles before it goes outside then once it does its a straight run until it turns to go up a wall to one receptacle then back down to the straight run then the same for the other, the directon changes are done with a waterproof j-Box that is only being used to change directions, no connections inside.
#27
03-09-16, 05:58 AM
I will make no further comment except that before you do any more electrical work you buy a book such as Wiring Simplified and read it cover to cover so you don't make so many mistakes on your next job. Maybe post your plans here so we can check them out.
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#28
03-09-16, 08:04 AM
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Well it has already been inspected as of this morning and the inspector had no problem with the way It is done,"neutral wire taped white and ground stripped bare",so I will leave it the way it is, oh and BTW he said the "taping technically follows the rule that it is an outer finish", I know all inspectors are different but if he's happy I'm happy,
Thanks for your help
Thanks for your help
#29
03-09-16, 09:32 AM
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the inspector had no problem with the way It is done,"neutral wire taped white and ground stripped bare"
