The title sure sounds like the "goovy days" doesn't it? I just had my O'Day rewired up to code, along with a GFI installed in the galley. Periodically, when I switch my fan (new fan and only draws .35 amps) from high to off the GFI trips. If I switch the fan to another plug, all is well. If I use the plug for anything else, the GFI is ok. Could it be the surge of the fan motor which trips the GFI? The GFI is a 30 amp, I think. I am trying to problem solve so I can communicate with my electrician to get this problem solved. Electrican thinks that if the fan plug is not perfectly straight the plug may not be touching the ground right. The plug on the fan looks pretty darn straight to me. Suggestions?
GFI Tripping
- Thread starter vmaks
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That particular GFI outlet might be touchy; try the fan on another one. Also, try the fan on GFI outlets in your house.
Otherwise, I doubt there's a wiring problem, I'm thinking there's just something about the fan. Some appliances have small capacitors to ground to reduce generated noise... maybe the fan generates a big transient at switch-off that momentarily dumps enough current into ground to trip the GFI.
Simplest remedy - don't plug that fan into a GFI outlet. Unless the fan is in danger of contacting someone at the sink, you don't really need to GFI-protect it anyway.
Otherwise, I doubt there's a wiring problem, I'm thinking there's just something about the fan. Some appliances have small capacitors to ground to reduce generated noise... maybe the fan generates a big transient at switch-off that momentarily dumps enough current into ground to trip the GFI.
Simplest remedy - don't plug that fan into a GFI outlet. Unless the fan is in danger of contacting someone at the sink, you don't really need to GFI-protect it anyway.
I have a (Walmart) fan that does that. It only has two pins. It doesn't trip on another GFI circuit. Only on that one. I replaced the GFI and it works now. BTW, the GFI works at home. Don't know why.
The fan on the range hood for our stove at home sometimes does that to the circuit it's on. Sometimes, when I get up in the middle of the night and want a drink of water, I wander into the kitchen and turn on the range hood light. If I miss and turn on the fan, my impulse is to just as quickly turn it back off. About half the time, when I do that, it trips the GFCI on that circuit. The GFCI never trips if the fan's allowed to come up to speed and is then shut off. Nothing else on that circuit trips the GFCI.
Jim
Jim
A tripping GFCI indicates one of two things: There is a problem or the GFCI is faulty. I assume you're talking about a GFCI receptacle, in which case it is either only 15 or 20A like any other household receptacle.
Oh, it also could be that the electricians used the push in tabs instead of the screws to mount the wiring to the receptacle.
So, go check the wiring behind or better yet, replace the receptacle and see if that does it.
Oh, it also could be that the electricians used the push in tabs instead of the screws to mount the wiring to the receptacle.
So, go check the wiring behind or better yet, replace the receptacle and see if that does it.
Your electrician doesn't seem to understand how the GFCI works. The devise does not need a safety ground (green wire) to operate. The GFCI senses the difference in the current flow between the hot and neutral wires. If that difference is more than 5 milliamps then the GFCI is tripped and both the hot and neutral circuits are opened.
The assumption is that the only thing that could cause a difference in current flow between the hot and neutral, would be a short to ground with you or me being the conductor. The GFCI trips so fast that the current doesn't have enough time to kill us.
It's kind of interesting how the GFCI senses the current difference between the hot and neutral wires. Well, I at least I find it interesting... feel free to fast forward.
The GFCI has a tiny coil with the hot and neutral wires passing through it. It is exactly the same way clamp multi-meters work. If you have ever tried measuring AC current with the clamp meter you know that if you put the clamp around both hot and neutral you will not get a reading on the meter, because the current flows are equal and cancel each other out. You have to pull the wires apart and clamp either the hot or neutral to get a reading. So, if you were getting some current reading while clamped around both wires, there is a fault to ground somewhere or there could be a break in the neutral wire. When the GFCI coil sees current above 5 milliamps it assumes the worst and trips the circuit..
Like others have said, there several things that can trip the sensitive GFCI that are not a safety concern.
If the fan doesn't blow any other GFCI, I'd replace the outlet. I've had them not work right out of the box. It takes 5 mins to replace it yourself. But I'd also check to make sure that either the hot (black wire side) and neutral (white wire side) aren't touching ground (green wire, metal electrical box, etc) while you have the old outlet out of the box.
Yeah VMacs. Just go to Lowes and get a new one for $20 and install it. Don't bother with your electrician. Connect hot (white) to silver and black to gold on the GFI. That is all there is to it. (I think I got that right -- but read the instructions just in case)
I had a GFI on my back deck that would trip ALL THE TIME. So I replaced it and now everything is fine. Sometimes they just don't work right.
I had a GFI on my back deck that would trip ALL THE TIME. So I replaced it and now everything is fine. Sometimes they just don't work right.
Hey guys - Don't kill yourselves. On AC circuits the black wire is hot and the white wire is the neutral.
The white wire does go to the silver screw which is the larger blade on the plug.
http://inspectapedia.com/electric/0506s.jpg
The white wire does go to the silver screw which is the larger blade on the plug.
http://inspectapedia.com/electric/0506s.jpg
If you look closely on the GFI, it will either indicate white or black or hot. However, you have to make sure that the black wire which is designated as hot with white is for neutral. If you are not sure, get an electrician. However, over the years I have seen the black and white wires reversed and it made some exciting choice of words.
On the battery or DC side, you will see yellow wiring which is for ground or negative. This was done to get away from black so folks would not interprete that being hot for AC.
On the battery or DC side, you will see yellow wiring which is for ground or negative. This was done to get away from black so folks would not interprete that being hot for AC.
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