testing gfci with a wood head

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Buck Parrish

Senior Member
Location
NC & IN
I know y'all we're on a similar topic the other day. But not testing these circuits.
When I use the wood head with the button on the top for gfci testing.
It will not work if their is no ground wire. So if you have a gfci protected circuit with no ground. When you plug the wood head in and push the button
nothing happens. I've tried several woodheads on the same circuit.
When I use the same tester with the same gfci, this time with a ground wire.
Then push the button, it trips. Do these wood heads use the ground for testing.
 

Buck Parrish

Senior Member
Location
NC & IN
That must drive bank home inspectors crazy.

Hey Sticky I've reached a 100 post. Wow , what a mile stone.
Only 4473 more and I'll have caught up with you.
 

frizbeedog

Senior Member
Location
Oregon
buckofdurham said:
That must drive bank home inspectors crazy.

Hey Sticky I've reached a 100 post. Wow , what a mile stone.
Only 4473 more and I'll have caught up with you.

Good Luck. Type fast. He's got a head start. :D
 

electricalperson

Senior Member
Location
massachusetts
i ended up buying a real nice gfci tester from ebay. its made by slater and you can dial in the actual trip current. and also you can measure leakage current also to see if the appliance or tool is the one tripping the gfci. not sure if they make this tester anymore its about 20+ years old also but works great. i seen a copy of it by a company named ITE or something
 

Buck Parrish

Senior Member
Location
NC & IN
electricalperson said:
i ended up buying a real nice gfci tester from ebay. its made by slater and you can dial in the actual trip current. and also you can measure leakage current also to see if the appliance or tool is the one tripping the gfci. not sure if they make this tester anymore its about 20+ years old also but works great. i seen a copy of it by a company named ITE or something

But... does it use the ground wire to test ??
 

76nemo

Senior Member
Location
Ogdensburg, NY
Two-wire

Two-wire

Yes, by theory and code, a GFCI will properly protect two-wire, but a tester of that sort needs the ground reference. Give me a minute, and I'll find you a good debate. Hang on,.......
 

electricalperson

Senior Member
Location
massachusetts
buckofdurham said:
But... does it use the ground wire to test ??
i think all gfci testers use the ground to test. how else can a gfci tester work? will this method work? take a wiggy, go from the ungrounded slot on the receptacle to another known grounded metal part such as a water pipe. that wil lcause the gfci to trip.
 

Buck Parrish

Senior Member
Location
NC & IN
480sparky said:
They all do, regardless of manufacturer.

So if you are using gfci for outlets in an older house that does not have a ground wire.
When you put the gfci on the line side of say 5 other outlets. The inspector has no way of checking it. The electrician's helper could put (gfci protected) lables on outlets that he may know is not on the gfci protected circuit.
 

480sparky

Senior Member
Location
Iowegia
buckofdurham said:
So if you are using gfci for outlets in an older house that does not have a ground wire.
When you put the gfci on the line side of say 5 other outlets. The inspector has no way of checking it. The electrician's helper could put (gfci protected) lables on outlets that he may know is not on the gfci protected circuit.

You can trip the GFI receptacle's test button and verify that power is out on the downstream receps. That's about the only way to 'test' them.
 

George Stolz

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Windsor, CO NEC: 2017
Occupation
Service Manager
stickboy1375 said:
I dont understand this statement? What dont you trust about them without a ground?
Technology can't beat a physical connection. GFCIs fail more frequently than EGCs, which is why the code makes allowances for using a GFCI instead of installing an EGC sparingly.
 

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
quogueelectric said:
I from personal experience dont trust gfci receptacles without being properly grounded.

What does that mean?

You don't trust that the GFCI will work when needed?

OR

You think a GFCI needs a ground to operate?
 

don_resqcapt19

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Illinois
Occupation
retired electrician
buckofdurham said:
But... does it use the ground wire to test ??
All plug in GFCI testers use the EGC for the test. The only GFCI test that does not require an EGC is the test button on the device.
 
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