On 1/12/2011 2:27 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
I was discussing worklights with a friend. I told him that I have one
of these 500 watt units:

http://www.harborfreight.com/500-wat...ght-40123.html

In one email he said:

"I like the idea of these lights, but every time I purchase one for
use, they trip the GFCI receptacle in my garage. I've had to return
every light that I've purchased and have given up on the idea."

When I said that I've used this light in the rain more than once
without any problem, he replied with:

"I believe that it's the pure wattage requirements of these lights,
more than their quality (or lack thereof) that caused my GFCI to
trip."

Does that make any sense?


No.

It seems to me that the problem is with the GFCI, or more likely with
the wiring.

As mentioned elsewhere, the GFCI looks for an imbalance between the
current in the hot and neutral. If those don't cancel it is presumed a
current is flowing in the ground, and it shuts down.

My guess is that there is a fault in the grounding somewhere in the
garage and that the lamp draws enough current so the mismatch is large
enough to trip the GFCI.

I don't know much about these, so that is just supposition. If it
were me, I'd look at the neutral connections. Perhaps sub in a regular
outlet and look at the voltage drop between known good ground and
neutral. But I really don't know, but it is clear that it isn't the light!

Jeff


If it was an current overage the breaker would trip not the GFCI so
why would a "high wattage" device trip the GFCI?