John Gilmer wrote:
I've heard others say no, they don't drop out before, but I haven't
yet found one myself that didn't, nor anyone whose story about same
seemed believable. From what I've seen of GFI designs on the 'net,
they operate on a "latch" system and that "latch" drops when the ac
goes away.

I would like to see a URL to that design.

Oops, misread that. Try these:
http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/smallbusiness/sec14.html

Lots of other, better links too if you bother to try.

Pop`



The designs I have seen "on the net" and my own experience are that
the GFCI contacts stay closed when the input power goes away.

You always
have to press the button to let power thru a GFI when they're new
also, according to those, so that seems to support my own
experience. It might have been wikipedia; not sure.

It definitely would be a good idea to "ship" with the device already
tripped. They will not reset without power being present. If it
is wired backwards (load and line switched) and pre-tripped, it will
never pass current (which is good.)