iwirehouses
Senior Member
I'm running two GFCI's, about 6 feet from each other, on two dedicated circuits in a shop. I ran 12/3 from the panel to a junction box right above the first gfci. From there I split the neutral to each gfci, and ran the red as hot to gfci 1 and the black to gfci 2. I figured this would work fine. And it did for days. Its progressivley been getting worse which I don't understand. The gfci's trip when tools are plugged into them. All kinds of tools, old ones and new ones, so its not bad tools. It's been happening on multiple gfi's, so i doubt its bad gfi's. It won't trip if a laptop, cell phone charger, etc is plugged in. I assume the power tools are making some kind of neutral imbalance and nuisance tripping the gfci's.
If I am understanding this correctly, I think have four options...
1 Take the gfi's out, which I assume would be a code violation (not gonna do).
2 Put in two pole gfci breakers on the three wireswhich is too expensive. (don't want to do)
3 If I just ran a 12/2 from the panel to the first junction box and gave each circuit there own neutral (abondoning the multiwire branch circuit). I think this would resolve the problem, right?
4 Run everything on the same, single 20 amp circuit. These outlets are bench top outlets. Will most likley be running sawzalls, jig saws, a shop radio, etc. It would be nice having seperate circuits.
Does any of this make sense? I like option 3 the best, but I hope I am understanding this scenario and it actually would resolve the problem rather then create a problem I didn't expect again (the gfi's tripping in the first place).
If I am understanding this correctly, I think have four options...
1 Take the gfi's out, which I assume would be a code violation (not gonna do).
2 Put in two pole gfci breakers on the three wireswhich is too expensive. (don't want to do)
3 If I just ran a 12/2 from the panel to the first junction box and gave each circuit there own neutral (abondoning the multiwire branch circuit). I think this would resolve the problem, right?
4 Run everything on the same, single 20 amp circuit. These outlets are bench top outlets. Will most likley be running sawzalls, jig saws, a shop radio, etc. It would be nice having seperate circuits.
Does any of this make sense? I like option 3 the best, but I hope I am understanding this scenario and it actually would resolve the problem rather then create a problem I didn't expect again (the gfi's tripping in the first place).