Home |
Search |
Today's Posts |
|
Home Repair (alt.home.repair) For all homeowners and DIYers with many experienced tradesmen. Solve your toughest home fix-it problems. |
Reply |
|
LinkBack | Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
Posted to alt.home.repair
|
|||
|
|||
GFCI test button fails, but tester works?
I've got a GFCI outlet in a bathroom. If I test it by inserting one of those 3-light testers that has a GFCI test button, it works fine. I press the button, and *blam*, it trips right away. However, if I test by using the test button built into the GFCI, the light on the GFCI goes out while the button is pressed, but it does not trip, and the light comes back on as soon as I release the test button. Is this a serious "don't use that outlet until it is fixed" issue, or a "go ahead and use it, but replace the GFCI at your convenience" issue? -- --Tim Smith |
#2
Posted to alt.home.repair
|
|||
|
|||
GFCI test button fails, but tester works?
Since there are millions of homes that don't have GFCI protected outlets in
all the required by current code areas, you decide "Tim Smith" wrote in message ... I've got a GFCI outlet in a bathroom. If I test it by inserting one of those 3-light testers that has a GFCI test button, it works fine. I press the button, and *blam*, it trips right away. However, if I test by using the test button built into the GFCI, the light on the GFCI goes out while the button is pressed, but it does not trip, and the light comes back on as soon as I release the test button. Is this a serious "don't use that outlet until it is fixed" issue, or a "go ahead and use it, but replace the GFCI at your convenience" issue? -- --Tim Smith |
#3
Posted to alt.home.repair
|
|||
|
|||
GFCI test button fails, but tester works?
We made it nearly a hundred years without them. I'd not worry about it.
-- Steve Barker "Tim Smith" wrote in message ... I've got a GFCI outlet in a bathroom. If I test it by inserting one of those 3-light testers that has a GFCI test button, it works fine. I press the button, and *blam*, it trips right away. However, if I test by using the test button built into the GFCI, the light on the GFCI goes out while the button is pressed, but it does not trip, and the light comes back on as soon as I release the test button. Is this a serious "don't use that outlet until it is fixed" issue, or a "go ahead and use it, but replace the GFCI at your convenience" issue? -- --Tim Smith |
#4
Posted to alt.home.repair
|
|||
|
|||
GFCI test button fails, but tester works?
On Apr 14, 7:42 pm, Tim Smith wrote:
I've got a GFCI outlet in a bathroom. If I test it by inserting one of those 3-light testers that has a GFCI test button, it works fine. I press the button, and *blam*, it trips right away. However, if I test by using the test button built into the GFCI, the light on the GFCI goes out while the button is pressed, but it does not trip, and the light comes back on as soon as I release the test button. Is this a serious "don't use that outlet until it is fixed" issue, or a "go ahead and use it, but replace the GFCI at your convenience" issue? -- --Tim Smith Personally I would replace it. They cost less then $10.00 and take less then 30 minutes to install. While it is true that most of us have managed to survive without them, a lot of dead people might have lived longer lives if they had used a GFCI. IMHO |
#5
Posted to alt.home.repair
|
|||
|
|||
GFCI test button fails, but tester works?
I agree.
When in doubt throw it out. Like the man said they really don't cost that much. |
#6
Posted to alt.home.repair
|
|||
|
|||
GFCI test button fails, but tester works?
On Apr 15, 8:37 am, wrote:
I agree. When in doubt throw it out. Like the man said they really don't cost that much. I agree. It's not worth trying to figure out why it's behaving this way. And I'd have to disagree with those that say it's no different than the millions of other non GFCI outlets. This one is in a bathroom, which depending on when the work was done and local codes, may very well be required by code. Second, it's marked as a GFCI. Someone seeing that is more likely to believe it offers GFCI protection when using it. For example, someone going to work outside with an extension cord would be plugging it into a GFCI protected outlet, expecting it to actually be one and work. |
#7
Posted to alt.home.repair
|
|||
|
|||
GFCI test button fails, but tester works?
On Apr 14, 10:42 pm, Tim Smith
wrote: I've got a GFCI outlet in a bathroom. If I test it by inserting one of those 3-light testers that has a GFCI test button, it works fine. I press the button, and *blam*, it trips right away. However, if I test by using the test button built into the GFCI, the light on the GFCI goes out while the button is pressed, but it does not trip, and the light comes back on as soon as I release the test button. Is this a serious "don't use that outlet until it is fixed" issue, or a "go ahead and use it, but replace the GFCI at your convenience" issue? -- --Tim Smith It can mean the difference between getting a shock and getting fried to death, but on the other hand you could save $8 to $10 bucks. |
#8
Posted to alt.home.repair,sci.electronics.repair,alt.sports.baseball.sd-padres,alt.radio.satellite,sci.engr.electrical.compliance
|
|||
|
|||
GFCI test button fails, but tester works?
On Apr 14, 7:53 pm, "RBM" rbm2(remove wrote:
Since there are millions of homes that don't have GFCI protected outlets in all the required by current code areas, you decide Just because Sitre Magana is in a wheelchair from stuffing his face with doughnuts and making himself fat doesn't mean you have to as well. |
#9
Posted to alt.home.repair,sci.electronics.repair,alt.sports.baseball.sd-padres,sci.engr.electrical.compliance,alt.radio.satellite
|
|||
|
|||
GFCI test button fails, but tester works?
On Apr 14, 7:58 pm, "Steve Barker"
wrote: We made it nearly a hundred years without them. I'd not worry about it. -- But we've made it millions of years without doughnuts but Sitre Magana literally can't stop stuffing his fat face with them. |
#10
Posted to alt.home.repair,sci.electronics.repair,alt.sports.baseball.sd-padres,sci.engr.electrical.compliance,alt.radio.satellite
|
|||
|
|||
GFCI test button fails, but tester works?
On Apr 15, 7:49 am, " wrote:
On Apr 14, 10:42 pm, Tim Smith wrote: I've got a GFCI outlet in a bathroom. If I test it by inserting one of those 3-light testers that has a GFCI test button, it works fine. I press the button, and *blam*, it trips right away. However, if I test by using the test button built into the GFCI, the light on the GFCI goes out while the button is pressed, but it does not trip, and the light comes back on as soon as I release the test button. Is this a serious "don't use that outlet until it is fixed" issue, or a "go ahead and use it, but replace the GFCI at your convenience" issue? -- --Tim Smith It can mean the difference between getting a shock and getting fried to death, but on the other hand you could save $8 to $10 bucks. What's $8 to $10 dollars these days. Sitre Magana can go through more than that in doughnuts in under an hour. |
Reply |
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Forum | |||
GFCI Tester Problem | Home Repair | |||
Tester: "open hot" but GFI WORKS? | Home Repair | |||
GFCI reset button keeps popping out | Home Repair | |||
How do I actually "test" a GFCI | Home Repair | |||
RCCB not tripping when test button pushed | UK diy |