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Electrical Wiring

Outdoor GFCI tripped by ants

5 years ago

A friend of mine has a gfci receptacle in his garden, near a small fish pond. The pump for the pond is plugged into this receptacle, which is mounted in a weather proof box, on a short pipe. Recently, he noticed that the receptacle had failed, due to the sacrifice of some ants which had gotten into the box. The question is how to prevent this in the future. Since the pump is just plugged in, there are gaps through which the ants can squeeze. Of course, sealant was put around the mounting plate, but that wasn't enough. Short of hard-wiring the pump, any suggestions?

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Comments (10)

elltwo
5 years ago
Put some ant repellant at the base of the pipe.
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greg_2015
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
So where are the ants getting into the box? If it's a proper weather proof box, then it shouldn't let water in, let alone ants.

A picture might be helpful.
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Don't take what David is saying as a bad thing. He is only correcting false information you give out. On some of your first posts I sat at the computer with my mouth dropped open thinking "Is an electrician actually saying this!!!?) You mis such basic electrical principles. Just like the main breaker discusion. A gfci connected in a house does not trip from the main service having a bond from neutral to ground because the gfci only measures what is plugged into it or what is connected to the load terminals. If you had a circuit consisting of a gfci and a regular receptacle ahead of it connected to the load terminals. Jumper the ground to neutral and "Click!" The circuit then begins to use both the white wire and equipment grounding conductor to bring the load back to its source. Some of these things you are missing can be learned by reading the book "Wiring Simplified" Also check out the ohms law. All pluging a correctly wired subpanel into a gfci does is extend a gfci protected circuit. I've even worked on a gfci protected circuit disconecting what I am working on with a local light switch. Cutting through the de-energized romex still trips the gfci because of that temporary bond as the cutter touches neutral and ground.
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kudzu9
5 years ago
greg_2015-

With all of the weatherproof boxes I've installed, there is usually a space around the edge where the perimeter of the lid overlaps the perimeter of the box, and it is clearly big enough to let bugs in. This design doesn't compromise the watertight function...it's simply not a hermetic seal.

mtvhike-

Outdoor GFCIs often fail through exposure to humidity. I'm not sure that ants are to blame.
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greg_2015
5 years ago
I'm picturing something like this:

But I'll admit that I really haven't spend a lot of time looking at different weatherproof boxes. Maybe some are better than others.

That's why I think a picture might be helpful. Although I share your doubt that it is actually the ants that caused the problem.
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kudzu9
5 years ago
greg-

That is an older style that is not allowed in many code areas anymore because it's not fully weatherproof when in use (although it may be the type the OP was referring to). And when something is plugged in it obviously would allow ants to get inside the box through the open slots.

These are the types of boxes I've used for the last 15 years which are weatherproof, even when in use:

You can see how they can have a gap around the edge and/or where the cords come in.

But, again, I'd like to hear more about why the ants are to blame ;-)
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DavidR
5 years ago
Try planting mint around the base of the conduit. Ants don't like it and tend to stay away. Yarrow and Tansy are also supposed to work, though I haven't tried them for this purpose.
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jemdandy
5 years ago
The various photos above showing cover boxes are nice and will work when closed. However, the lid must be opened to plug in the pump and then ants can enter the box through the stab holes.

Look for safety stabs to plug into the unused outlet. To be effective, the safety plug must cover the ground plug hole as well.

Make sure that the pump plug is pushed all the way in so that the plug is snug against the receptacle to reduce openings that ants might use.

The receptacle may not fit tightly around its perimeter to the box. If there are gaps here, plug with caulk or plumber's oakum.
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jrb451
5 years ago
I’ve had this same problem with the oulet for my pond as well. I use the top outlet cover shown in kudzu9’s post. It’s the tiny black ants that like to nest here. Even the smallest space will allow them entry. Something about electrical outlets and attracting ants. This usually happens in the Spring when ant, bee and termite colonies divide and spread. Monitoring during this time and removing the nesting population early prevents tripping the gfi.
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