On Mon, 04 Feb 2013 20:03:52 -0500, DerbyDad03
wrote:

On 02/04/13 5:43 PM, Oren wrote:
On Mon, 4 Feb 2013 13:49:40 -0800 (PST), DerbyDad03
wrote:

A couple of years ago I built a shed and ran power to it through some
underground PVC conduit. Power to the shed is sourced from a GFCI
receptacle under my deck. The shed has an interior light fixture, an
external receptacle and an external motion sensor light fixture.

Last week I noticed that the motion sensor fixture was not turning on
so I went out to the shed and found that the GFCI receptacle had
tripped. I reset the GFCI, both lights came on and seconds later the
GFCI tripped again. I turned off the disconnect switch in the shed,
reset the GFCI and it stayed on. Flipped on the disconnect and the
GFCI tripped.

Satisfied that (thankfully) it did not appear to be my underground
wiring, I opened the junction box for the motion sensor fixture and
disconnected it. When I reset the GFCI it stayed on. OK, problem
found.

I took the Made In China light fixture - which was clearly marked "For
External Use" - off of the shed and into the workshop. I opened the
bulb housing and saw water around the wires that went to the bulb
socket. I guess it's "For External Use" in dry locations only. The
best I can tell is that the water got in through the ball and socket
joint that allows you to aim the light.

I let the unit dry out and then filled the tube from the ball and
socket joint to the light socket with silicone so the water can't
reach the socket. I remounted it, aimed the light and then put some
more silicon around the exterior of the ball and socket joint to
hopefully prevent water from entering the fixture in the first place.

Piece of crap Chinese fixture. Maybe the GFCI was made in China also,
but at least it works the way it is supposed to.

I've believed that GFCI's work or don't work. I think two
(pool/garage) act funny during a reset.

Well, in this case, the one protecting the shed did exactly what it was
supposed to do, so I'm pretty satisfied. I've had the one in the garage
trip when the receptacles on the extension cords for the Halloween
decorations get wet. I try to wrap the ones that are going to be lying
on the lawn in plastic and/or to position them under a chair (or
tombstone) to keep them as dry as possible, but it's not always possible.


The garage trips occasionally as it is also a bathroom circuit. It
trips if a hairdryer is used when I have something plugged in with a
higher amp draw? Lately, it tripped a few times. When I try to reset
it would not, but a little force on the reset button it did. The
thing "chattered" as I reset it.

I had one near the kitchen sink that was used all the time for juicers,
coffee grinders, etc. It was there for years and never tripped except
when I tested it. It was looking kind of grimy so instead of trying to
clean it, I figured I'd just grab a spare from the shop and replace it.
Now when we use the juicer or coffee grinder, it will trip maybe 25% of
the time.

These devices do not trip any other GFCI's nor did they trip the
original one, so I have to assume that the new one is faulty. I keep
thinking about replacing it but I never remember...until it trips.


I'll be replacing both the garage and the one for the pool light -
real soon (next trip to the Borg).

(something tripped at the Super Bowl G)

I think all the computer generated animations during Beyonce's
performance sucked the power out of the grid.

Or perhaps it was Flacco's F-Bomb.