Warm Receptacle

[jmsbrush]

In the upstairs of the house we are working on there are 4 bathrooms.
There is only one GFCI and that is in the 1st bath room.
From the load side of the GFCI the romex goes up into the attic and enters a junction Box. From there it goes to the other bathrooms where it feeds a normal receptacle.
I was putting the GFCI protective stickers on and when I got to the 4th Bathroom, I noticed that the receptacle was very warm. I put my GFCI tester in and it displayed that it was fine.
I pulled the receptacle out and tested to see if there was any load and there was none.
What would cause this unusual warmth??? A loose connection somewhere?

[iwire]

There should be no heat with no load.

Something is very odd.

[480sparky]

Was the receptacle a dead end, or was there more than one cable?

If it's made up with the receptacle as the 'splise', then there's the possibility there's a load downstream yet.

If it's a dead end, and nothing is plugged in, something is seriously amiss.

[jmsbrush]

Yeah something is really wrong, As far as I know so far, It goes from the panel,
to the first GFCI, then from the load side of the gfci into the junction box it splits 3 ways and goes to the direction of each bathroom

[480sparky]

Yeah something is really wrong, As far as I know so far, It goes from the panel,
to the first GFCI, then from the load side of the gfci into the junction box it splits 3 ways and goes to the direction of each bathroom

So it was a recep protected by an upstream GFI and was a dead end?

[jmsbrush]

So it was a recep protected by an upstream GFI and was a dead end?
That is correct. In the other bathrooms the receptacles are not warm.
Just to clarify. The romex does not go from the load side of the GFCI to bathroom 2 then from bathroom 2 to bathroom 3 then 3 to 4 like a daisy chain.
Its hits a junction box and three runs go to each bathroom from that junction box

[ultramegabob]

is that recept in a stud space with a heat duct, or next to a hot water line?

[jmsbrush]

is that recept in a stud space with a heat duct, or next to a hot water line?
Directly behind the wall there is attic space that is very hot. So I thought that was my problem. So I tripped the GFCI and it cooled off. When I reset the GFCI it warmed up again. There was no amp draw. Tomorrow I will go to the panel and put the amp meter there. If there is no load there then I will be really miffed.
If there is a load, well, I will to search and search.

[480sparky]

Directly behind the wall there is attic space that is very hot. So I thought that was my problem. So I tripped the GFCI and it cooled off. When I reset the GFCI it warmed up again. There was no amp draw. Tomorrow I will go to the panel and put the amp meter there. If there is no load there then I will be really miffed.
If there is a load, well, I will to search and search.

I would put the ampmeter right on the wires in the device box where the recep is.

[jmsbrush]

I would put the ampmeter right on the wires in the device box where the recep is.
I did that where the recepts were warm and there was nothing
.

[brantmacga]

after doing the things you mentioned, my next step would've been to replace the receptacle.

[normbac]

try replacing the recep with new to eliminate it as the problem

[normbac]

after doing the things you mentioned, my next step would've been to replace the receptacle.
beat me to it
If a recep had faulty construction like thin metal would it act like a filament:-?

[480sparky]

beat me to it
If a recep had faulty construction like thin metal would it act like a filament:-?

I've known a case where an unused recepts started a fire. Firsthand account.

Not only would I replace the recep, I'd keep the existing one to do a little testing on.

[jmsbrush]

I agree. The hole thing is bizarre, I will let you guys know what I find tomorrow

[zappy]

I always wanted to say that:grin:

[hardworkingstiff]

Did you notice if the conductors were hot, hotter than the receptacle? Metal box or plastic box?

Intesting problem.

[billdozier]

Could it be a loose neutral in the jbox?

[wptski]

There is a electronic circuit inside working 24/7, why shouln't it get warm? In one GFCI thread "gar" figured the power comsumption and cost/year of a GFCI circuit breaker.

[cadpoint]

Since you said the receptacle was on the back side of a heated space, I'm just wondering about all that, if you capped the inlets , what then ?

There's no temperture probe on your Volt-meter ?

Loose sure, heated sure, loose and heated well what is it?
a true cause and effect yes, but which one!

[mivey]

Directly behind the wall there is attic space that is very hot. So I thought that was my problem. So I tripped the GFCI and it cooled off. When I reset the GFCI it warmed up again. There was no amp draw. Tomorrow I will go to the panel and put the amp meter there. If there is no load there then I will be really miffed.
If there is a load, well, I will to search and search.The attic space heat would have been my first guess. Any chance you changed the airflow during the period the device cooled down? Did you have the cover off when it cooled down? Since there was no current, I just can not seem to get away from the attic space heat.

What is the current resolution on your meter? How about trying an in-line current meter with better accuracy?

[ceb58]

I would check the joints in the box if that didn't cure it then turn off power and leave every thing normal ( recp. in box with cover on) if it doesn't cool down then the attic heat may be the problem. If it cools with out power then replace the recp. it may be a defect

[big john]

I'd take some actual temperature measurements with the receptacle tripped versus reset. I know you said it cooled down, but speaking personally, I would want to see the numbers on that.

I had one like this with a switch for a porch light that was running unusually hot. Turned out to be because heat from a steam pipe located at the bottom of the wall venting out of the switch opening.

-John

[bradleyelectric]

Could it be a loose neutral in the jbox?

you mean loose noodle?

[steve_p]

I had a gfci at a commercial location that was totally blackened. the face of the gfci was black, the back of the gfci and the inside of the 4 sq box were completely blackened. This was in an exterior wall with a wp cover. I doubt it was ever used, no signs of moisture, the breaker never tripped. The only thing I saw wrong in the box was #10 wires were landed, the next gfci down with #10 wire also showed signs of heat at the screws. The property manager had me blank these off. Never I had meant to post this before curious if the oversized wires when tightened created a fault inside.