GFCI breakers tripping

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readydave8

readydave8

re member
Location
Clarkesville, Georgia
Occupation
electrician
When customer turns on TV, 2 CH120 GFCI breakers (neither one of which are for TV circuit) trip. This is lake home shared by several families, so it is hard to get further information. Also 35 minute drive on rough roads from shop so I would like to make as few trips to job as possible.

Well I thought I had heard of this before but when I called Eaton tech support they had not heard of this problem.

House about 30 years old, plan is to change out breakers to new ones. If that fails, I can install non-GFCI breakers and GFCI receptacles in bathrooms.

Any advice?
 
kwired

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
mjf said:
My immediate wise a$$ remark is don't watch channel 120.:p

Are you saying that is the only channel (they say) this occurs on?
Click to expand...

"CH120 GFCI breakers" probably means Cutler Hammer CH series 1 pole 20 amp Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter circuit breaker.
 
kwired

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
readydave8 said:
When customer turns on TV, 2 CH120 GFCI breakers (neither one of which are for TV circuit) trip. This is lake home shared by several families, so it is hard to get further information. Also 35 minute drive on rough roads from shop so I would like to make as few trips to job as possible.

Well I thought I had heard of this before but when I called Eaton tech support they had not heard of this problem.

House about 30 years old, plan is to change out breakers to new ones. If that fails, I can install non-GFCI breakers and GFCI receptacles in bathrooms.

Any advice?
Click to expand...


Make sure there is no interconnection between the circuit the TV is on and the GFCI protected circuit. Does it only trip when TV is on or when any load is used from the TV receptacle?
 
Sierrasparky

Sierrasparky

Senior Member
Location
USA
Occupation
Electrician ,contractor
Sounds to me that something is causing a ground fault. I would plug something else into the tv outlet.
Also check if it makes difference if the cable is pluged in.
 
Little Bill

Little Bill

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Tennessee NEC:2017
Occupation
Semi-Retired Electrician
Sierrasparky said:
Sounds to me that something is causing a ground fault. I would plug something else into the tv outlet.
Also check if it makes difference if the cable is pluged in.
Click to expand...

OP said (2) two different GFCI breakers trip. I could maybe see if one trips, but two?

My guess is something RF related since more than likely the TV is remote control.
Maybe similar to when a "walkie talkie" radio has been known to trip a GFCI.

I would suggest trying a different brand breaker but I don't know of any that will fit a C/H C-H panel.
 
N

Netpog

Member
Location
Boston, Massachusetts, USA
The TV's remote is infra-red, so I'm sure that's not related. If there is an RF issue, it might be due to a WiFi-connected TV. In any case, great idea to plug something else into the TV's receptacle, and hope to reproduce the problem. Try a heater; try a motor.

Could this problem be caused by the three circuits (the TV's and the two GFCI-protected circuits that are tripping) sharing a neutral? Or, worse, if the TV's neutral returns ONLY via the other two circuits, which share a neutral?
 
kwired

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
Netpog said:
The TV's remote is infra-red, so I'm sure that's not related. If there is an RF issue, it might be due to a WiFi-connected TV. In any case, great idea to plug something else into the TV's receptacle, and hope to reproduce the problem. Try a heater; try a motor.

Could this problem be caused by the three circuits (the TV's and the two GFCI-protected circuits that are tripping) sharing a neutral? Or, worse, if the TV's neutral returns ONLY via the other two circuits, which share a neutral?
Click to expand...
Exactly the reason I suggested trying other loads in the TV outlet. Any crossover between the GFCI protected circuits and/or another circuit will cause imbalanced current sensed by the GFCI's and is going to trip them.
 
N

Netpog

Member
Location
Boston, Massachusetts, USA
kwired said:
Exactly the reason I suggested trying other loads in the TV outlet. Any crossover between the GFCI protected circuits and/or another circuit will cause imbalanced current sensed by the GFCI's and is going to trip them.
Click to expand...

Yes, kwired, you get the credit for this one, as I can't imagine anything else causing this but some form of "interconnect" as you said. I'd expect it to be, specifically, shared neutrals involving both those circuits (with or without the TV-circuit's neutral being connected), but perhaps I'm being dense: what else could cause this?

readydave8, you'll have to tell us what you find out!
 
readydave8

readydave8

re member
Location
Clarkesville, Georgia
Occupation
electrician
I assumed she meant it only happens when turning TV on, if that will trip them I'll see if GFCI's will reset while TV on. If not: obviously neutral problem, if so: some kind of "interference."

Return trip planned for Monday, will report results.
 
readydave8

readydave8

re member
Location
Clarkesville, Georgia
Occupation
electrician
Netpog said:
readydave8, you'll have to tell us what you find out!
Click to expand...

Turn on TV, in about 1 minute, one of the GFCI breakers trips.

Changed that one breaker, turned on breaker. Turned on TV. New breaker tripped in about 1 minute.

TV repairman showed up just then (cable), to fix fuzzy picture. However picture was clear so he couldn't fix it. I wanted to show him what was going on, but breaker would not reset. Meanwhile the other GFCI breaker has yet to trip.

This is a new (used) TV, previous TV did weird things, like turn itself on.

I didn't like the CH GFCI breakers crammed in nearly against neutral bar, (had to pry to get hook on rail), also had budget and schedule to consider. So I took the coward's way out, easily found the 1st receptacle on each circuit, installed GFCI receptacle on each, installed standard CH120 breakers.

Sorry, I made some money but did not learn much.
 
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