Bad GFCI!

[stickboy1375]

Find this all the time... bummer.

 

[ptonsparky]

Gee whiz, plastic boxes have been out for over 20 years.

 

[jumper]

Gee whiz, plastic boxes have been out for over 20 years.

A metal box is not the problem. Just poor installation or a defective product.

 

[stickboy1375]

A metal box is not the problem. Just poor installation or a defective product.

Im thinking this got hit with lightning.

 

[jumper]

Im thinking this got hit with lightning.

Used to happen in VA a lot.

 

[steve66]

Looks to me like the screw on the side contacted the metal box because the backstabs were used, and the screw was left loose.

If the screws were tightened, that may not have happened.

 

[n1ist]

They look like pressure plates, not backstabs.
/mike

 

[steve66]

They look like pressure plates, not backstabs.
/mike

I thought the melted hole in the back looked like a backstab that melted.

But now that you mention it, there aren't backstabs on the other terminals, so you must be right.

Knowing that, my vote is also lightning.

 

[cowboyjwc]

Oh couldn't possibly a loose screw or like someone else said a poor installation. If it wasn't a backstab it was an "act of God".:huh:

 

[stickboy1375]

Funny responses, I posted the pic because of the hole in the back of the GFCI, i found it odd that it melted like that, just so were clear, the install was fine... all the burnt stuff you see is the exit and entrance wounds.

 

[Twoskinsoneman]

They look like pressure plates, not backstabs.
/mike

You know, I don't think I have ever seen a GFCI recep that had backstabs....

 

[hurk27]

Those photo's resemble a few I found where water was allowed to get into the box/GFCI and cause it to internally short out, very common on brick or stone flush mount and after someone has used a power washer, although I have found some like that without a power washer being used, some was burnt so bad it looked just like a glob of plastic.

 

[hurk27]

After looking closer I have to agree it looks like screw hit the side of the box as those Gem box's are too tight to put a GFCI receptacle in even if the screw is tightened down but what doesn't make sense is the screw hitting the box would not have caused the damage to the GFCI because it was on the line side of it, it should have just tripped the breaker, lightning/surge is my vote also at this point:?

 

[stickboy1375]

After looking closer I have to agree it looks like screw hit the side of the box as those Gem box's are too tight to put a GFCI receptacle in even if the screw is tightened down but what doesn't make sense is the screw hitting the box would not have caused the damage to the GFCI because it was on the line side of it, it should have just tripped the breaker, lightning/surge is my vote also at this point:?

Its nearly impossible for the screws to contact the walls of the box, they are recessed in that niche of plastic side walls of the GFI. I was really just fond on how the electronics in a GFI just do a total melt down. And I truly disagree with a GFI being to big for a gem box.

 

[ELA]

Do you still have the device and can you open it up? Ones I have taken apart do not require too much effort and you can see if something died internally.
Leviton devices I have taken apart have an MOV (surge suppressor) inside that may have blown. They often fail in a catastrophic fashion.