GFI Circuit Breaker Problem

[dime]

I was dispatched to look at a electric hand dryer that was tripping the GFI circuit breaker. I verified the circuit breaker would not reset and went to look at the hand dryer. The hand dryer appears OK so I removed the hot and neutral wires and isolated them. Tried to reset the breaker, no luck. Removed the hot and the neutral going to the dryer from the breaker, breaker still would not reset. I finally removed the neutral pigtail on the breaker going to the neutral bus bar and the breaker reset. I feel the breaker has an internal problem and should be replaced. Is there anything I have missed in my testing and do you feel the same as I about the defective circuit breaker?

 

[George Stolz]

Re: GFI Circuit Breaker Problem

You unplugged the dryer and the breaker continued to kick? The dryer's probably ok, check.

I finally removed the neutral pigtail on the breaker going to the neutral bus bar and the breaker reset.

I assume you are talking about the neutral that connects the breaker to the neutral bar. The effect this has indicates to me that you have a ground touching a neutral in the circuit somewhere.

Test the circuit at the panel, from the ground bar to the load side (circuit side) neutral. If you have continuity, then your breaker is fine, it's reacting to the neutral touching ground in the circuit. Gotta use meters when troubleshooting. Saves a lot of time.

 

[jim dungar]

Re: GFI Circuit Breaker Problem

If you have removed all load wires and the breaker still trips, then I agree it must be defective.

 

[luke warmwater]

Re: GFI Circuit Breaker Problem

Originally posted by dime:
Removed the hot and the neutral going to the dryer from the breaker, breaker still would not reset.

Sounds like a defective breaker.