Gfi circuit breaker and lighting ckts
- Thread starter geokanda
- Start date
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LarryFine
Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
- Location
- Henrico County, VA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
1. You do have the (correct) circuit's white on the breaker's white terminal, and the pigtail on the panel neutral bus, right? And no shared-neutral use?
2. Does the breaker stay on if the load black wire is disconnected? How about with both wires off the breaker? Have another GFCI breaker to try it with?
3. Try a standard breaker to make sure you have no shorts anywhere. Make sure neither circuit conductor is accidentally grounded somewhere with an ohmmeter.
iMuse97
Senior Member
- Location
- Chicagoland
short circuit somewhere? are you using porcelains? how about a bad connection with stranded wire, with a couple strands straying to ground? or to the neutral?
LarryFine
Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
- Location
- Henrico County, VA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
That suggests a wiring mistake. Check my #1 above.
cadpoint
Senior Member
- Location
- Durham, NC
Well gee Wally, what about the total numbers of lamps on the String?
W=AV
W=AV
mcclary's electrical
Senior Member
- Location
- VA
Since it trips instantly,,,I'd be willing to bet it's not wired correctly. If it were overload, it would at least take several seconds.
zog
Senior Member
- Location
- Charlotte, NC
Is this a GFCI breaker or a breaker with ground fault protection? Can't tell from your post they are apples and oranges.
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Journeyman Electrician
cadpoint
Senior Member
- Location
- Durham, NC
Well ok, I thought about it, I reckon... I know
... add that one extra lamp.Dual duty GFCI - unintentional RECPT with light loads.
Some much can be left out sometimes in an OP (no offense).
Type of lamps, length of string, MWBC... Etc...
I'm going to go with a open short on the string, Rubbed open, or burnt open, which was already said.
Hey Be Safe out There!!! Happy Monday!
cadpoint
Senior Member
- Location
- Durham, NC
Well it's bigger than the engineer!
Here's an OSHA Refresher as to why the engineer said what they said.
I frankly can't remember ever being on the job and not worrying about or being with GFCI protection!
I broken them, tested them, nursed them, walked the job for them, and replaced them.
I'm going to do a Crazy Izan, and I'm out of here!, GO Eagles!
Power Tech
Senior Member
- Location
- Lebec, California
Well ok, I thought about it, I reckon... I know
Dual duty GFCI - unintentional RECPT with light loads.
Some much can be left out sometimes in an OP (no offense).
Type of lamps, length of string, MWBC... Etc...
I'm going to go with a open short on the string, Rubbed open, or burnt open, which was already said.
Hey Be Safe out There!!! Happy Monday!
Like Mark said, unscrew the lamps and check the wiring with a continuity tester.
If this is a sub panel make sure the neutral and ground are separated and you have a good ground.
goldstar
Senior Member
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
Aside from the obvious reasons given (short circuit, mis-wire, etc) are you using std. "A" bulbs or CFL's ? If they're CFL's that could be part or the total cause of your problem. In any case, I would start troubleshooting by unplugging the bulbs, turning on the GFCI breaker and see if the circuit holds. If it does, then start plugging in one bulb at a time and see what happens.
ibew501ed
Senior Member
- Location
- danbury ct/work in white plains ny
Pierre C Belarge
Senior Member
- Location
- Westchester County, New York
Based on your description, the first item I would check is for a Multiwire branch circuit supplying the receptacles and the lighting.
If that is not it, I would check for miswiring where more than one grounded conductor is tied into the circuit.
If that is not it, I would check for miswiring where more than one grounded conductor is tied into the circuit.
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