Warning - Defective GFI receptacles

[c2500]

we install tons of magnetron and no name brand gfci's at work. they seem to work fine but i never did check the UL listing. if it was me ordering the gfci's id order something with a brand name i trust like leviton.

Now that is scarey after reading all of the previous posts. Lets go cheap and kill someone.

c2500

 

[mdshunk]

What's funny is that after all this time, it just now dawned on me that I have been using Magnetron brand 5 hole weatherproof boxes for a while with no special problems. I actually think I got them from Scott Electric.

 

[electricalperson]

Now that is scarey after reading all of the previous posts. Lets go cheap and kill someone.

c2500

its not my choice to use them. i get gfci's from the shop and he tells me to put them in. i cant go out and buy better ones on my own ill get fired

 

[mivey]

Who wants a pet badger?:grin:

Anyway, I thought it was Magnatron not Magnetron.

 

[iwire]

"Badgers? We don't need no stinking badgers!"

 

[goldstar]

Has anyone taken notice that Magnatron has not replied to this thread since he posted his one response ?

I have not posted this defective GFCI warning on other sites but I'm thinking I should have. But, I should point out that while there are other quality electrical forums on the Internet I've found Mike Holt's forum to be of the highest quality, having the most qualified and vigilant moderators and a wealth of subscribers that post more accurate answers and opinions faster than any of the other forums I belong to. IMHO if my original warning were posted in another forum I don't believe we would have gotten to 9 pages and 85 responses to the same topic. Just my opinion.

Roger, I know the GFCI devices were manufactured in China but I don't know who the actual manufacturer was. I had these devices in my office for 6 months waiting for instructions and an RA number to send back to Magnatron. That never happened so I tossed them.

There was a bogus UL label problem with devices distributed by Sunstar Lighting in Florida several years ago. An alert was posted in a Mike Holt newsletter and I contacted Sunstar about the problem. They replaced all that I had with Cooper brand devices, no questions asked. They even sent an RA label and paid for the return shipping of the China made devices at their own expense. That's the major difference between Magnatron and Sunstar.

Quo, I don't mean to prolong this side bar but a GFCI receptacle does not require an EGC to operate properly. However, if you're using one of those little Ideal or GB plug-in testers, it will not trip the device unless an EGC is present, the receptacle is wired properly and displayed as such on the tester.

 

[nakulak]

I am sure many of you remember how, back in the 50's and 60's (when I was a wee lad), people would always bash Japanese products as being cheap and inferior. Well, the Japanese strived and persevered and reinvested their capital and look where they are today. In the process they made huge mistakes as well - at one point Tokyo harbor was THE most polluted body of water in the world. Their manufacturing prowess spread thoughout many of the asian countries and, whether you like it or not, they are hands down superior manufacturers to most other countries (including the US). So there it is, the writing is on the wall, keep bashing the Chinese, but just don't be suprised in 20 years when they are running rough shod over whatever meager manufacturing we have left (if any). (Don't get me wrong, I don't have any problem bashing them over illegal, dangerous, or poorly made goods, I just want to point out where they are heading is a place that we may never be able to compete in again if something doesn't give)

 

[realolman]

I am sure many of you remember how, back in the 50's and 60's (when I was a wee lad), people would always bash Japanese products as being cheap and inferior. Well, the Japanese strived and persevered and reinvested their capital and look where they are today. In the process they made huge mistakes as well - at one point Tokyo harbor was THE most polluted body of water in the world. Their manufacturing prowess spread thoughout many of the asian countries and, whether you like it or not, they are hands down superior manufacturers to most other countries (including the US). So there it is, the writing is on the wall, keep bashing the Chinese, but just don't be suprised in 20 years when they are running rough shod over whatever meager manufacturing we have left (if any). (Don't get me wrong, I don't have any problem bashing them over illegal, dangerous, or poorly made goods, I just want to point out where they are heading is a place that we may never be able to compete in again if something doesn't give)

I'm not disputing much of anything you say... just curious as to what you think needs to give

 

[roger]

I have relocated a number of posts pertaining to GFCI's and EGC's into a new thread here

Roger