GFCI tripping

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D-Nice

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I set up many outdoor outlets for a lighting company all over town. This lighting company uses thousands of lights to wrap trees etc. creating many junctions where there are 4 or 5 sets of lights plugged in at one point. Whenever it rains "naturally" the GFCI trips. I tried wrapping rubber splicing tape around these junctions and it solved our problem for several weeks with constant rain, however the lights are out again. Can someone please offer some suggestions to solve this horrible headache of a problem.
 
Sounds like the product they're using isn't suitable for the environment in which it is installed. The GFCI did a good job, in this case.
 
Is there any kind of heat shrink wrap that is not meant to be permanent or a better product that anyone knows of...I'm very close to letting him put regular receptacles in place of the GFCI! Would a GFCI breaker be less sensitive?
 
D-Nice said:
Is there any kind of heat shrink wrap that is not meant to be permanent or a better product that anyone knows of...I'm very close to letting him put regular receptacles in place of the GFCI! Would a GFCI breaker be less sensitive?
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Hope your liability insurance is paid up.
 
Bubble covers would seem to be the easiest answer if I understand what your application is.
Gene
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Remember - Speed Kills and it is not always you.
 
D-Nice said:
I set up many outdoor outlets for a lighting company all over town. This lighting company uses thousands of lights to wrap trees etc. creating many junctions where there are 4 or 5 sets of lights plugged in at one point. Whenever it rains "naturally" the GFCI trips. I tried wrapping rubber splicing tape around these junctions and it solved our problem for several weeks with constant rain, however the lights are out again. Can someone please offer some suggestions to solve this horrible headache of a problem.
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I don't remember where I got it...Home Depot I guess but it's in a little yellow and red can like a pvc glue can but it's electrical insulation goo that you apply to your connections and let it dry in about 10 minutes you're good. Maybe put on a couple of coats to be safe.
 
Ebow said:
Bubble covers would seem to be the easiest answer if I understand what your application is.
Gene
______________________________
Remember - Speed Kills and it is not always you.
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I think the problem he's describing is at the junction between different strands of lights; a problem the in-use cover won't help.
 
Okay the Christmas Light dilemma. Get a rash of those every year.
Gene
_____________________________
Remember - Speed Kills and it may not always be you.
 
You can get heat shrink with a gel type coating on the inside that melts when heat is applied to shrink the tubing. It should insulate the joint and prevent water entry. Continue to use the GFI, either the receptacle or the breaker, both should trip at 5-7 MA. They may be a pain to reset but attending a funeral is no fun either
 
I would suggest rethinking the application all the way back to the beginning.

It sounds to me like conventional 'holiday light' strands are being connected together and then plugged in to a conventional GFCI receptacle, but in some sort of municipal/public display. You have lots of lights being installed, and are looking for some way to 'make do' with these standard components.

IMHO the GFCI is doing its job. You are getting real leakage, and the GFCI is tripping.

Consider ways that you could use low voltage lighting strings, or ways in which you could divide the sets of lights so that fewer were on each GFCI. Instead of having 'stacks' of lights plugged together forming a 'splice', move the light strings to separate receptacles under bubble covers. Etc.

Instead of asking yourself 'how can I Jerry-Rig this system to barely function', ask yourself 'How could I make this a safe and stable system that works correctly every time.'

-Jon
 
The liquid tape works great! Thanks! Jerry rigging is definitely not the case! There is no other way with as many lights as we have (3-4000 per crape myrtle).
 
GFCI Theory

GFCI Theory

The NEC requires that any type of GFCI device opens the circuit at around a 5milliamp (.005 amps) ground current. So going to a GFCI breaker will not help. GFCI devices are designed to protect people, not equipment. That is why they have to be so sensitive as opposed to industrial type GF protection schemes which protect equipment from damage. They, in turn, have a pickup range of 1 to 60A for feeder breakers and 100-1200A for main breakers.
Keeping the water out can be a real challange but I think your best bet is to use the insulating gel the one guy mentioned and cover it with Scotch 33 tape.
 
GFCI Theory

GFCI Theory

The NEC requires that any type of GFCI device opens the circuit at around a 5 milliamp (.005 amps) ground current. So going to a GFCI breaker will not help. GFCI devices are designed to protect people, not equipment. That is why they have to be so sensitive as opposed to industrial type GF protection schemes which protect equipment from damage. They, in turn, have a pickup range of 1 to 60A for feeder breakers and 100-1200A for main breakers.
Keeping the water out can be a real challange but I think your best bet is to use the insulating gel the one guy mentioned and cover it with Scotch 33 tape.
 
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