gfci receptacle tripping

[toma]

Hi,

I replaced 2 old outdoor post lights with new ones. Kept an existing post light. The post lights all have receptacles on them. The receptacles on them were not gfci protected( they were installed back when the house was built in the early 1970's). So I installed a gfci receptacle in line with the switch leg going to the post lights. Gfci tripped. I disconnected the loads on each post light, still tripped gfci. I isolated all the uf cable going to each post lights (original uf cable when post lights were installed). I checked for continuity between h n, h g, n g. No continuity. I narrowed it down to the wire going to the old post light still in use ( I disconnected the wires going to receptacle and light at this post light).

Could there be a nick in the wire going to that post light and voltage leaking to the actual earth and the gfci is picking this up?

Thanks in advance!

 

[ptonsparky]

Hi,

I replaced 2 old outdoor post lights with new ones. Kept an existing post light. The post lights all have receptacles on them. The receptacles on them were not gfci protected( they were installed back when the house was built in the early 1970's). So I installed a gfci receptacle in line with the switch leg going to the post lights. Gfci tripped. I disconnected the loads on each post light, still tripped gfci. I isolated all the uf cable going to each post lights (original uf cable when post lights were installed). I checked for continuity between h n, h g, n g. No continuity. I narrowed it down to the wire going to the old post light still in use ( I disconnected the wires going to receptacle and light at this post light).

Could there be a nick in the wire going to that post light and voltage leaking to the actual earth and the gfci is picking this up?

Thanks in advance!

Absolutely.

 

[mopowr steve]

Yep,
and it if it is a breach in the old Uf, that gfci will trip more often especially after it rains.

 

[dmxtothemax]

Could there be a nick in the wire going to that post light and voltage leaking to the actual earth and the gfci is picking this up?

Exactly what GFCI's are supposed to do !

Give the man a stoogy !

 

[JFletcher]

If the ground fault is on the line side of the receptacle, it will not trip. Make sure that your wires from the switch are not overstripped/ the proper length, connected in correct polarity to the line side terminals, and that when you push the receptacle back that the EGC isnt touching the neutral screws, or the receptacle the metal box. Also check that any load side connections dont have nicks in the wire, and that if the lights are fed from the receptacles that the EGC isnt touching the neutral at the bulb socket.

 

[toma]

I did disconnect all the convenient outlets and light fixtures from each of the 3 post. Rung out the wires (no continuity) then 1 lamp post at a time, I connected to the load side of gfci. Only the one lamp post tripped gfci (the lamp post had all wires disconnected from outlet and lamp.). Thanks for the suggestions!