gfci outlet problem

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a.bisnath

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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
 
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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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?
 
kwired said:
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?
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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.
 
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!
 
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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
 
a.bisnath said:
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
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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.
 
kwired said:
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.
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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!
 
a.bisnath said:
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!
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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.
 
will do

will do

already on the case,got correct colour wires will run over,I want to leave the customer electrically and mentally sound. thanks all
 
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? :)
 
glene77is said:
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? :)
Click to expand...

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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