GFCI Breaker Tripping

[Little Bill]

I know usually any kind of GFCI (breaker or receptacle) trips because of a fault in the equipment or wiring. However I have a situation that I can't figure out.

A hair dryer in a bathroom often trips the GFCI breaker. What's different about this is it only trips when plugging or unplugging the hair dryer. It never trips while the dryer is being used. I checked the receptacle and did find some loose (not extremely loose) connections. I replaced the receptacle and made sure all the connections were tight.

It still trips the breaker occasionally, not everytime. Again it's only when plugging in or unplugging the hair dryer. It's not tripping on overload because of the obvious.
Also, the switch on the hairdryer is never on when this happens.

Any thoughts on this?

 

[lonewolfcustom]

GFCI Breker tripping due to hair dryer

GFCI Breker tripping due to hair dryer

I t may seem obvious, but have you tried plugging in something else to test?
could be the hair dryer itself, I have found them notorius for tripping GFCI's
due to internal wiring.

 

[kwired]

I t may seem obvious, but have you tried plugging in something else to test?
could be the hair dryer itself, I have found them notorius for tripping GFCI's
due to internal wiring.

Also try plugging hairdryer into some other GFCI receptacle.

Check for continuity from EGC pin on hairdryer plug to other pins. Any continuity at all is a fault, testing with megger would give even better results.

If hairdryer plug doesn't have an EGC pin you potentially have an even bigger mystery on your hands.

 

[K8MHZ]

Also try plugging hairdryer into some other GFCI receptacle.

Check for continuity from EGC pin on hairdryer plug to other pins. Any continuity at all is a fault, testing with megger would give even better results.

If hairdryer plug doesn't have an EGC pin you potentially have an even bigger mystery on your hands.

Standard configuration is no EGC with an ALCI plug.

ALCI = Appliance Leakage Circuit Interrupter. There may be an issue with ALCI, and it's not kosher to cut them off.

I would suggest trying a different hair dryer that also has an ALCI.

 

[kwired]

Standard configuration is no EGC with an ALCI plug.

ALCI = Appliance Leakage Circuit Interrupter. There may be an issue with ALCI, and it's not kosher to cut them off.

I would suggest trying a different hair dryer that also has an ALCI.

I kind of had a feeling they didn't normally have an EGC. I don't have enough hair that a hairdryer is important to me, but it is to my wife, I just don't pay that close attention to what she has, and it seems they really don't last that long and she is buying a new one anyway.

 

[Little Bill]

I t may seem obvious, but have you tried plugging in something else to test?
could be the hair dryer itself, I have found them notorius for tripping GFCI's
due to internal wiring.

Yes, I have plugged in other things into the recep. Nothing else trips it.

Also try plugging hairdryer into some other GFCI receptacle.

Check for continuity from EGC pin on hairdryer plug to other pins. Any continuity at all is a fault, testing with megger would give even better results.

If hairdryer plug doesn't have an EGC pin you potentially have an even bigger mystery on your hands.

I haven't checked continuity on the dryer. I probably would have if it tripped the breaker while running. It's just odd to me that it only trips when being plugged/unplugged.

Standard configuration is no EGC with an ALCI plug.

ALCI = Appliance Leakage Circuit Interrupter. There may be an issue with ALCI, and it's not kosher to cut them off.

I would suggest trying a different hair dryer that also has an ALCI.

Well, the kosher rules have been violated. The ALCI, which was what I thought was a GFCI, was cut off years ago. This problem has only been happening for a few months.
Since the dryer is just left plugged in all the time, I don't think about checking it until the breaker trips. Then there is not enough time to check it.:happysad:

 

[kwired]

I will throw one other bit of information out there, if this is a paying customers problem, you typical hair dryer costs less than the service call should cost.

 

[Little Bill]

I will throw one other bit of information out there, if this is a paying customers problem, you typical hair dryer costs less than the service call should cost.

Guess you could say it's a paying customer, my wife cooks, does laundry, and various other things!:lol:

It's not about (totally) the cost of a hair dryer. I'm just curious as to why it only trips when being plugged in or unplugged, Never while in use though!

 

[jumper]

Guess you could say it's a paying customer, my wife cooks, does laundry, and various other things!:lol:

It's not about (totally) the cost of a hair dryer. I'm just curious as to why it only trips when being plugged in or unplugged, Never while in use though!

Simple then, half the electrical stuff in a sparky's home is jury rigged, jinxed or broken.

 

[Little Bill]

Simple then, half the electrical stuff in a sparky's home is jury rigged, jinxed or broken.

You speaking from experience?

 

[jumper]

You speaking from experience?

Bingo.

 

[knjelectric]

Jumper speaks the truth. I have worked in houses lived in by licensed electricians and they can verge on being as bad as a DIY home. The difference is article 590.3 is too vague esp. A,C and D. If you never finish you're golden. :thumbsup: