"Chris Cooper" wrote in message
...
So I thought I would be extra-safe this year, and plugged my outdoor Xmas
lights into some GFCI-protected outlets. All was well until the snow came
(6") and now somewhere in the system (I've probably got 30 different
extension cords out there) is a leak that the GFCI is "protecting" me
against.

I can certainly see how snow could potentially produce enough conductivity
to generate the small amount of ground current that GFCI's are designed to
sense.

I am planning (by next Xmas) to run some underground conduit and have some
outlets "popping up" at various places in the yard, so I don't have to be
running extension cords quite so far. My question is, should I _not_ use
GFCI outlets in the yard? Will I encounter this problem every time there
is
snow?

DO NOT BYPASS THE GFCI. It is your only protection with the decorations!
Just be carefull with the plug-recepticle connections, don't let them lie on
the ground. You can wrap the Plug-Recepticles with plastic food wrap and
tape that up, or buy a comercialy avail product that keeps the connection
dry.

Should I make sure to _not_ use grounded cords for this? I mean, none of
the Xmas lights have ground connections, so they only thing the ground
connection is doing, is providing a means for the GFCI to complain?

That won't help. The current will return through the earth!


Thanks!
Chris