110volt gfci outlet,connected normal 110volt duplex outlet to load side about 20feet away from gfci small air compressor on remote out door outlet ,gfci only tripping once compressor starts I know I am missing something here any ideas?,other devices like a drill or kettle working fine
gfci outlet problem
- Thread starter a.bisnath
- Start date
- Status
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
Your post is confusing. If the receptacle that is feeding the compressor is on the load side of the GFCI then I believe you have a compressor problem.
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kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
ground fault in air compressor? on load side of switch/pressure switch if it only trips when unit starts.
defective GFCI?
does the air compressor trip other GFCI's when plugged into them?
defective GFCI?
does the air compressor trip other GFCI's when plugged into them?
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
Not necessarily. If the gfci test button works then it probably is not GFCI. I would of course try a new gfci but I bet it's the compressor.
cadpoint
Senior Member
- Location
- Durham, NC
I think the motor in-rush is killing the GFCI, plus the fact that the GFCI is probably hanging of the of another circuit not a isolated circuit compounding a VD + inrush = Dead GCFI. Or other life forms have eaten away your circuit!
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
I agree....:grin:
reply
reply
when compressor is plugged in to gfci outlet itself,it does not trip gfci,trip tested gfci -o.k.,meggered compressor motor 100megs to ground at 220volts ,tried a refridgerator on remote plug ,trips also.but will not trip on gfci outlet itself
reply
when compressor is plugged in to gfci outlet itself,it does not trip gfci,trip tested gfci -o.k.,meggered compressor motor 100megs to ground at 220volts ,tried a refridgerator on remote plug ,trips also.but will not trip on gfci outlet itself
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
If I understand correctly you can plug directly into the GFCI and no problems, if you plug same item into feed through receptacle it then trips.
If that is the case you may have a reversed neutral and ground after the load terminals of the GFCI. A plug in type tester will not catch this problem but placing a load on the ground instead of the neutral will cause imbalanced current in the GFCI and it will trip.
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
I agree, there is something amiss at the downstream rec. or even on the load side of the gfci
kwired was right found problem
kwired was right found problem
wires to the remote outlet were not marked or colour coded,the original electrician indeed mixed up ground and a neutral as a result.I disonnected pulled out all wires marked them ran them back outlet works fine!
kwired was right found problem
wires to the remote outlet were not marked or colour coded,the original electrician indeed mixed up ground and a neutral as a result.I disonnected pulled out all wires marked them ran them back outlet works fine!
- Location
- Massachusetts
For what it's worth in the size conductors you are using they must be the correct colors, the NEC prohibits re-marking this size for raceways.
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
Ohm them out.
glene77is
Senior Member
- Location
- Memphis, TN
On the startup of the compressor,
the inrush current, and the resulting inductive load and phase shift,
can cause the Hot and Neutral lines to appear to be momentarally out of synch.
Can the GFCI see this momentary imbalance of current as sufficient cause to trip ?
Comments?
the inrush current, and the resulting inductive load and phase shift,
can cause the Hot and Neutral lines to appear to be momentarally out of synch.
Can the GFCI see this momentary imbalance of current as sufficient cause to trip ?
Comments?
cadpoint
Senior Member
- Location
- Durham, NC
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
On the startup of the compressor,
the inrush current, and the resulting inductive load and phase shift,
can cause the Hot and Neutral lines to appear to be momentarally out of synch.
Can the GFCI see this momentary imbalance of current as sufficient cause to trip ?
Comments?
On a two wire circuit what current goes in must come out - both lines have same current at same time. What is out of phase with inductors or capacitors is voltage and current, not current on line A in relation to current on line B.
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