Three-way switch & GFCI
 

Hi and thanks for any help.

I just pulled out a standard outlet in our bathroom to replace with a
GFCI. Got the GFCI in fine. However, apparently the load side powers
our hallway's three way switch (which has there separate switches) and
then runs into a bedroom and provides lighting there.

Whenever I turn the hallway light on it trips the GFCI. The lights
farther down the line don't trip the switch, just the three-way
hallway lights. Is this expected or is there a problem with the
hallway lighting?

Doug

Three-way switch & GFCI
 

It shouldn't trip unless there is a ground fault. There is no requirement to
have the wiring outside of the bathroom outlet,protected by the gfci.



"Doug" wrote in message
ups.com...
Hi and thanks for any help.

I just pulled out a standard outlet in our bathroom to replace with a
GFCI. Got the GFCI in fine. However, apparently the load side powers
our hallway's three way switch (which has there separate switches) and
then runs into a bedroom and provides lighting there.

Whenever I turn the hallway light on it trips the GFCI. The lights
farther down the line don't trip the switch, just the three-way
hallway lights. Is this expected or is there a problem with the
hallway lighting?

Doug

Three-way switch & GFCI
 

On Sun, 14 Oct 2007 00:56:29 -0000, Doug wrote:

Hi and thanks for any help.

I just pulled out a standard outlet in our bathroom to replace with a
GFCI. Got the GFCI in fine. However, apparently the load side powers
our hallway's three way switch (which has there separate switches) and
then runs into a bedroom and provides lighting there.

Whenever I turn the hallway light on it trips the GFCI. The lights
farther down the line don't trip the switch, just the three-way
hallway lights. Is this expected or is there a problem with the
hallway lighting?

Doug

Your electrician has incorrectly wired the 3 way switches. This
condition could cause the screw shell of the lamps to be hot under
certain conditions.

One way to get help is pull the switches out and take pictures or pull
the switches out and assign each cable a number.

Switch 1
B1
w1

b2
w2
r2

switch 2
b1
w1
r1

Three-way switch & GFCI
 

"Doug" wrote in message
ups.com...
Hi and thanks for any help.

I just pulled out a standard outlet in our bathroom to replace with a
GFCI. Got the GFCI in fine. However, apparently the load side powers
our hallway's three way switch (which has there separate switches) and
then runs into a bedroom and provides lighting there.

Whenever I turn the hallway light on it trips the GFCI. The lights
farther down the line don't trip the switch, just the three-way
hallway lights. Is this expected or is there a problem with the
hallway lighting?

No it is not expected. It seems that there may be a problem with the
hallway lights. After you get it corrected you can remove the lighting feed
from the load side of the GFCI unless it is also protecting a shower light
or shower fan or another bath, garage, basement, or outdoor outlet.

Three-way switch & GFCI
 

On 2007-10-14, Doug wrote:

I just pulled out a standard outlet in our bathroom to replace with
a GFCI. Got the GFCI in fine. However, apparently the load side
powers our hallway's three way switch (which has there separate
switches) and then runs into a bedroom and provides lighting there.

I believe the NEC requires that the circuit serving a bathroom
receptacle either (1) serves only bathroom receptacles or (2) serves
only loads in that bathroom. So you need to run a new circuit for the
downstream loads, in addition to investigating how the downstream
loads are miswired.

Cheers, Wayne

Three-way switch & GFCI
 

Wayne Whitney wrote:
On 2007-10-14, Doug wrote:

I just pulled out a standard outlet in our bathroom to replace with
a GFCI. Got the GFCI in fine. However, apparently the load side
powers our hallway's three way switch (which has there separate
switches) and then runs into a bedroom and provides lighting there.

I believe the NEC requires that the circuit serving a bathroom
receptacle either (1) serves only bathroom receptacles or (2) serves
only loads in that bathroom. So you need to run a new circuit for the
downstream loads, in addition to investigating how the downstream
loads are miswired.

Only required for new circuits.

My guess is that the light that is on the 3 way switches connects to the
neutral on another circuit, but it could be something else.

--
bud--

Three-way switch & GFCI
 

On 2007-10-14, bud-- wrote:

I believe the NEC requires that the circuit serving a bathroom
receptacle either (1) serves only bathroom receptacles or (2) serves
only loads in that bathroom. So you need to run a new circuit for the
downstream loads, in addition to investigating how the downstream
loads are miswired.

Only required for new circuits.

You don't believe that changing a receptacle out would cause the
requirement to come into force? I thought it might. In any event, it
would be good practice to comply.

Cheers, Wayne

Three-way switch & GFCI
 

It certainly wouldn't come into force. The guy decides, for his safety, to
install a GFCI where one didn't exist, and you think the NEC wouldn't allow
it unless he completely upgrades to current standards. That would be
ludicrous




"Wayne Whitney" wrote in message
...
On 2007-10-14, bud-- wrote:

I believe the NEC requires that the circuit serving a bathroom
receptacle either (1) serves only bathroom receptacles or (2) serves
only loads in that bathroom. So you need to run a new circuit for the
downstream loads, in addition to investigating how the downstream
loads are miswired.

Only required for new circuits.

You don't believe that changing a receptacle out would cause the
requirement to come into force? I thought it might. In any event, it
would be good practice to comply.

Cheers, Wayne

Three-way switch & GFCI
 

On 2007-10-14, RBM wrote:

It certainly wouldn't come into force.

OK. Wayne

Three-way switch & GFCI
 

On Oct 13, 11:03 pm, "RBM" rbm2(remove wrote:
It shouldn't trip unless there is a ground fault. There is no requirement to
have the wiring outside of the bathroom outlet,protected by the gfci.

"Doug" wrote in message

ups.com...



Hi and thanks for any help.

I just pulled out a standard outlet in our bathroom to replace with a
GFCI. Got the GFCI in fine. However, apparently the load side powers
our hallway's three way switch (which has there separate switches) and
then runs into a bedroom and provides lighting there.

Whenever I turn the hallway light on it trips the GFCI. The lights
farther down the line don't trip the switch, just the three-way
hallway lights. Is this expected or is there a problem with the
hallway lighting?

Doug- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

AIUI what actually trips a GFCI is an unbalance in the current
between the currents flowing through the live and neutral wires beyone
(downstream) of the GFCI. While agreeing that it is not necessary that
the lighting circuits be fed 'through' the GFCI, it would appear
advisable, instead of looking for a 'ground fault', to look for the
possibility of miswiring or at least an 'oddity' of the 3 way switch
and lighting.

Three-way switch & GFCI
 

No question bout it, and I think Bud probably nailed it. If there are
multiple circuits involved, sometimes neutrals from different circuits can
get tied together in multiple switch boxes, in fact I'm sure that I've
inadvertently done it myself. This would cause the GFCI to trip




"terry" wrote in message
ups.com...
On Oct 13, 11:03 pm, "RBM" rbm2(remove wrote:
It shouldn't trip unless there is a ground fault. There is no requirement
to
have the wiring outside of the bathroom outlet,protected by the gfci.

"Doug" wrote in message

ups.com...



Hi and thanks for any help.

I just pulled out a standard outlet in our bathroom to replace with a
GFCI. Got the GFCI in fine. However, apparently the load side powers
our hallway's three way switch (which has there separate switches) and
then runs into a bedroom and provides lighting there.

Whenever I turn the hallway light on it trips the GFCI. The lights
farther down the line don't trip the switch, just the three-way
hallway lights. Is this expected or is there a problem with the
hallway lighting?

Doug- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

AIUI what actually trips a GFCI is an unbalance in the current
between the currents flowing through the live and neutral wires beyone
(downstream) of the GFCI. While agreeing that it is not necessary that
the lighting circuits be fed 'through' the GFCI, it would appear
advisable, instead of looking for a 'ground fault', to look for the
possibility of miswiring or at least an 'oddity' of the 3 way switch
and lighting.

Three-way switch & GFCI
 

Thanks a load for all the responses. As a temp fix to allow light in
the hallway I wired the load & line sides through the line side of the
GFCI. I'm not comfortable doing more than replacing outlets/switches
myself so I'll have an electrician out to determine the problem and
solution. I just wanted to know if it was something I should be
concerned about.

Doug