GFI & storms

[Doug]

Originally Posted by StirCrazy

ok I am confused is it a outlet GFI or is it the gfi breaker that is tripping?

If it is the wall one change it. they go bad and start tripping more easy.

and just to be sure, the wall gfi isn't the same circut as the gfi breaker, right?

Steve

The breaker is a gfi/arc fault that controls the room the tank is in. Never trips when power fails. The other is a separate circuit, installed just for the tank. Its on its own regular 15amp breaker, which is the breaker I tripped for the test.

Yes, its a wall unit, that I installed. Its brand new. Its runs my controller, which runs the sump equipment, heater, halide and so on. The other circuit has my Vortechs on them, so when the other fails, both Vortechs are still running, plus I put an axillary heater on this circuit when away.

[Palytoxinhallucinations]

So is it a gfci or an arc fault? These are not the same thing... If you installed a gfi receptacle on a circuit protected by an arc fault breaker it could do weird things

[Palytoxinhallucinations]

Nevermind read your last post more carefully and it's the circuit with a regular breaker and gfi receptacle you're having issues with so toss the gfi and install a new one, faulty ones are quite common

[Doug]

Just as a point of fact. My breakers are GRI/Arc fault combined. Those are code in new homes now for bedrooms and bathrooms. I once posted a picture for someone that said there was no such creature.

Yes, I,m thinking its just a bad gfi. To bad as its brand new. Sigh, like most everything else one buys, its junk.

[StirCrazy]

Originally Posted by Doug

Yes, I,m thinking its just a bad gfi. To bad as its brand new. Sigh, like most everything else one buys, its junk.

if you got it at home depot just take it back and tell em its duff and you want to exchange it for one that works.

one thing to check first is that it is all hooked up properly. ie, wired to proper termanals, not the load ones. I had to redo 3 that a electrition put in because he wired them wrong one was to control the outside outlets so he installed the gfi in the back yard with the main power going into the load, then he installed the front yard plug to the source and couldn't figure out why my front yard outlet wouldnt work and the breaker kept tripping. when I saw him trying to figure out the problem I kicked him out and went and double checked everything he did. needless to say I pull home owner permits now as it is cheeper and I know it is done right.

Steve

[Skimmerking]

I believe, but don't quote me that in order for the GFI to work its got to be grounded too right.

[Doug]

Its grounded Mike, same as the receptacle I removed was.

Connected to the correct terminals Steve. The load terminals or whatever they are called, are red flagged as just that. The box only has the one dedicated wires, as it was put in just for the system. Unlike the rest of my house. Tried to put a ceiling fan in where my ceiling light is. Sheez, so many wires in there I need an electrician to figure it out.

[mike31154]

Originally Posted by asmodeus

I believe, but don't quote me that in order for the GFI to work its got to be grounded too right.

Negative, as in no. GFI devices only need the hot (black or red) and neutral (white) to do their thing. While all newer homes (circa post 1950s) are wired with hot, neutral and ground, homes built in the 50s and earlier do not necessarily have the ground wire. I still have several wire runs with ungrounded cables in my place. Purchased the BC edition of the 'Electrical Code Simplified' published by PS Knight some time ago and it states in there somewhere that one way to make an ungrounded circuit safer is to install a GFI in that circuit. The GFI does not care if the load imbalance required to trip it is caused by current leak to the ground in a circuit or through another object (you) and ground through your arm, body, leg, to that wet floor you're standing on.

Doug, I'd be interested in finding out more about this combined ARC fault/GFI breaker you have. I've never heard of these either. Can you post another link or photo? Must have cost a few bucks and use a bit of space in the panel. I managed to snag a couple of 3-wire ARC fault breakers on eBay some time ago and they're monsters, although you can wire two circuits with them since they can acommodate two hot wires. Code book says you can't use them for a 3 wire circuit but they're clearly designed to do just that. I reckon the code needs to catch up with the newer devices and I've installed one of them anyway.

[Doug]

Same size as a regular breaker Mike. I think I deleted the pic I posted here of it but will have a look or take another for you.

[BC564]

I have a few gfci plugs that when under load and the power goes out...they trip.....and yes it needs to be grounded.....

My tank has to be reset everytime there is a brown out or power outage...its a pain but not sure how to get around it.