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Electrical Wiring

Failed GFCI receptacle

last year

One of my GFCI receptacles just failed. Pressing either the reset or test buttons does nothing (no "click"), but the green light is on. Should I just assume the receptacle failed and should be replaced, or there other troubleshooting steps I can make?

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Comments (6)

HU-178658043
last year
It's certainly not unheard of for a GFCI to fail, but nuisance trips can also occur when moisture is present and causing a high resistance short. Extending the receptacle from the junction box and disconnecting the LOAD side wires will help you determine if the fault is there or downstream.
HU-867564120
last year
If the GFCI doesn't re-engage when pressing the reset button, it's likely toast. It happens.
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To the OP: I'm intrigued you had/passed an inspection of a KITCHEN, withOUT a "rough-out" of something as std. as a range hood, which is just now "being added"...? (Sounds like a clueless AHJ, where you can "get away" with just about anything, but... SAFETY COUNTS, so don't.) If your question boils down to should the range hood be connected to the LINE or LOAD side of your GFCIs, then the answer is LINE... but I guess that doesn't meet NEC 2008, so, you're pulling new wire. If there are counter receptacles on the circuit you cannot put the range hood on the same circuit, no matter how many 'small appliance' circuits you have. Well, you CAN, it just won't meet the latter day NEC. I have at least six early 1960s vintage properties where ALL the countertop receps AND the range hood were on a single 15A (now 20A) branch. I'm ass-u-ming this met code AT THAT TIME... or the developer greased the right palms. AFAICT, no harm has come to any user (incl. moi) in 4.5 decades, and GFCIs were not added until circa 2001. ;') To their credit, these props do have a separate branch for the refrigerator, and everything is run in well-laid EMT, w/ the homeruns in RIGID... sadly most of the EMT is only 1/2", and cannot support add'l conductors without severe de-rating.
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Remember a GFCI does not trip due to an excess of current, it trips when it detects current (what's a standard one here, around 50ma?) going to ground, so it doesn't carry a 'load' per se. I also like the receptacles because you see and KNOW that circuit's protected, when I first bought my house and saw a regular receptacle in the main bathroom, I assumed it was unprotected (former owners had done so many dumb things already) and bought a protected outlet...now I'm trying to decide where I'll put it, probably in my kitchen where I have outlets near the sink that don't comply with the current BC electrical code - I've assumed it's a 'grandfather clause' but I'd still prefer the protection.
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Comments (5)
Are you sure that wire is 10/3? Before 2005, kitchen countertop outlets were wired with 14/3 fed with a double pole breaker, so you'd have the top and bottom of the receptacle on separate circuits. There is a tab that goes between the two brass screws that you needed to clip off, but you'd leave it on the silver colored screws. However, unless you really need a GFCI in that location, I personally would leave it as it is, or splurge for a double pole 15 amp GFCI breaker (they are pricey)if the new code allows it. You would basically be replacing two 15-amp circuits with one 20-amp circuit, and depending what you used to plug in at that location, you may no longer be able to do so. For instance, you no longer will be able to use your 1200 watt toaster while your 1400 watt coffee maker is in use.
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All 15 and 20A 120V receptacles in a garage MUST be GFCI protected. There's nothing that says garage circuits can't be shared with other things. There are certain circuits that serve receptacles that are barred from being shared: kitchen, bath, laundry. Other circuits are fair game for sharing (look for the words "no other outlets" in the code). The requirement for GFCI is found in Art. 210.8. The requirements on circuit sharing is found in 210.52.
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mtvhike
Original Author
last year
Update: The original GFCI receptacle has two green lights, which were on, confirming that there was power to the device. I purchased a new one, yesterday, and I had a little difficulty selecting the best one. I wanted one which is labeled WR (Water Resistant), because this is outside, in a waterproof cover. Since my primary use for this receptacle is for a level 1 EV charger, which draws 12 Amps, I wanted a 20 Amp one. My store is Lowes, and it appears they have changed their stock in the last month or so, only carrying Eaton brand, and they had lots of them, but finding a WR 20 Amp was difficult. With the help of an associate, I did find one and now have installed it and it works.

One question re 15 vs 20 Amp receptacles. Most (if not all) are labeled 20 Amp feed through, even if they are only rated 15 Amps. Is the only difference that the 20 Amp ones have one T-shaped slot?
dennisgli
last year
I assume that the outlet that wouldn't reset was wired correctly - I think a bad ground might cause it to fail the test.

Does your EV charger have a 20 amp plug? If not, a 20 amp outlet isn't going provide any advantage. And I assume that this is on a 20 amp circuit with 12 gauge wire.

To answer your question - yes, I think the only difference is that the 20 amp outlet has a "T-shaped slot" that can accept either a 15 amp or 20 amp plug. Either can be used on a 20 amp circuit.
mtvhike
Original Author
last year
Thanks for your quick response, Dennis. Part of my thinking is that perhaps the next EV I get might be able to use closer to 20 Amps, but my guess is that the car marketing would rather have their cheap charger run on a 15 Amp circuit. Regarding the grounding, the ground wire from the panel is attached to the green screw on the metal box, but I'm assuming the receptacle is grounded through its tight mounting screws.
dennisgli
last year
There is no problem with a 20 amp outlet on a 20 amp circuit. Yes, I would assume that car manufacturers would not want provide 20 amp chargers that would require upgrading common 15 amp circuits. If you you have to rewire it's probably worth the added cost to go to a 240 volt circuit - and get a 500% increase an capacity vs. the 30% increase that you'd get going from a 120 volt 15 amp circuit to a 20 amp circuit.

I would not rely on the mounting screws to ground the outlet - that may have been your problem in the first place.

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