Test button on GFI makes GFI respond to the only thing GFI
sees. Yes, the ground is helpful to make receptacle safer for
human. But a new human safety threat has been created that
probably cannot be found by future owners.

Again, never dump electricity into a pipe. The connection
from breaker box to water pipe is to remove electricity (a
fault) from that pipe (water pipe connection must also be five
feet from where pipe contacts earth ground). Since early
1990s, code requires a dedicated ground to earth. This is
different from safety ground to receptacles. Earth and safety
grounds are interconnected, but they serve different
functions.

Why did inspector fail that GFI? Because it had no safety
ground AND did not say it had no safety ground. So instead of
connecting to a safety ground or instead of installing that
required label, you dumped electricity into the pipes. You
did not fix the problem. You cured a symptom.

What happens when the plumber replaces metal pipe with
plastic. You must assume that will happen because he might do
just that. Now we have an even worse safety problem. Failed
appliance dumping electricity into a pipe. Electricity finds
no path to breaker box, so circuit breaker does not trip.
Human, standing in bathtub water, touches faucet and dies.
All because the symptom of a problem was cured rather than
problem cured.

Never dump electricity into pipes - a human safety problem.

Value and purpose of tester: it can find a failure but will
never prove wiring is correct. For example, a 36 AWG sliver
could fall down and make a ground connection. Tester would
declare ground as OK. But ground is not. When that safety
ground is necessary, instead the sliver vaporizes or
disconnects. Tester does not report a good condition. Tester
only reports failures.

Test button on GFI tests GFI operation. Tester's test button
tests for a missing safety ground. Each button looks for a
different failure. It does sound rather complicated. But
this is directly traceable to a problem created before
1962(?): 14 gauge wire without the necessary safety ground.
Code offers simple (kludge) solution. GFI with the attached
"no equipment ground" label. GFI with label is safer than GFI
safety ground electricity dumped into copper water pipe.

BTW, if you think routing a safety ground wire cannot be
done, the you have not seen why electrician have all those
fancy tools and tricks. The best solution remains a safety
ground wire to that outlet. Some interconnected appliances
may be intermittent or damaged if that equipment ground is not
provided - a concept that may be beyond the scope of this
original problem. But another reason why that attached "no
ground" provides useful information.


Jay wrote:
w_tom wrote:
First your created a serious human safety problem. No wire
must connect to a pipe to dump electricity in that pipe.

But that is what our breaker box does. The ground connects to
the water main. It was like that when we moved in. Is it now
code to drive a rod into the ground for an approved ground?

GFI works when test button is pressed because that is how a
GFI works. Electrical inspector simply discovered a missing
ground on a three prong plug without any indication of that
missing ground - a code violation. He did not fail the GFI.
He failed the missing safety ground.

I bought a tester as well. It failed to trip (in addition to
indicating the missing ground.) Fixing the ground fixed both
problems. Maybe the testers isn't worth a damn, but it
certainly showed more than the "test" button on the GFI box.

Now for that pipe
problem. Again, you have created a human safety problem
especially for people standing in water in a bathroom.

I grounded a previously ungrounded circuit. The 14/2 wiring was
effectively 14/0 (floating ground). The ground no longer floats and
goes to earth ground through half inch copper pipe. I would think I
made the entire circuit safer in that now all the fixture housings are
grounded to earth ground rather than floating.

The idea is not to pass the inspection. The idea is to make
a safe house.

The prime directive was to make the house safe. Passing the
inspection was a goal, however.