Thread: GFI & storms
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Old 05-31-2010, 05:18 AM
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Most wall receptacle GFIs are designed to stay set when there is a power outage and power is restored. However, in the case of some outages, it's possible an imbalance causes it to trip, in which case it must be reset manually when power comes back on. There are some 'plug in' type GFIs and power bar GFIs that are designed to remain tripped when there is a power failure. The reason for this is that if they are used with certain power tools, the tool won't start spinning if you lose power and it's restored. This is a safety feature for if you happen to walk away and leave the tool turned on. In this case when power is restored and you're not in control of the power tool, it could have disastrous consequences.

GFIs are very sensitive devices, taking only milliamps in current differential to trip. Even though the one you have is only a few months old, it could still be faulty. Probably worth your while to try a new one, or at least see if you can duplicate the problem by tripping and resetting the circuit breaker feeding that device. That will simulate a power outage. If it stays on after tripping and resetting the breaker, it may have been a one time glitch and nothing to be concerned about. Always a good idea to split your system load between more than one circuit for peace of mind when you're away and some sort of power backup for added insurance.
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Last edited by mike31154; 05-31-2010 at 05:20 AM.
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