If your home or business has modern outlets, especially around water sources like an outdoor patio or kitchen, you might have a ground fault circuit interrupter. These essential safety devices will alert you to a possible problem within your electrical system.
So what does it mean when a GFCI keeps tripping? Continue reading to learn the most likely causes and what to do when a newly installed GFCI keeps tripping.
Purpose of GFCI Outlets
Whether your old or new GFCI keeps tripping, it’s necessary to understand the device’s purpose and uses. The electrical device prevents electric shocks and electrocution from faults that could make electricity flow into you. GFCI circuit breakers trip to immediately disconnect the electrical current moving along the wrong ground path, which could result in bodily harm.
Sometimes an electrical fault is strong enough to trip a building’s primary circuit breaker. Other times, the fault is too small for that. Yet, it could still be strong enough to do serious damage if you connect with the current and become the electricity’s way of grounding itself.
GFCI outlets can prevent this by using a current transformer that identifies the neutral current coming from the electrical load from the line current going to the load. Any unaddressed current differential will cause a GFCI outlet to trip.
Possible Reasons a GFCI Breaker Keeps Tripping
If a GFCI outlet keeps tripping after resetting, it’s not a coincidence. Resetting the device won’t prevent the trips. You must uncover the cause for the constant tripping, which may include problems like:
- Ground-Fault Occurrences: A live wire touching the grounded area around an appliance is a ground-fault occurrence or a current leak.
- Receptacle Box Moisture: Outdoor GFCI outlets are most vulnerable to moisture from rain and humidity. To reset a potentially wet GFCI outlet, you should turn the breaker off and let the receptacle dry out.
- Faulty Wiring: Defective, loose, frayed, and worn wiring can also cause these outlets to cut their power. Replacing them is the best option.
- Circuit Overload: Any time too much amperage flows through an electrical wire or circuit, the affected GFCI outlet can trip to break the power connection and prevent a circuit overload.
How to Diagnose Why GFCI Plug Keeps Tripping
If your GFCI keeps tripping, you need to look for the source of the problem and fix it. That could be as simple as letting an outdoor receptacle dry out.
You can also measure a current leak using a leakage current clamp meter. Measure the leakage current on every part of the circuit to determine which one has the highest leak and pinpoint possible sources.
Turn to ESD LLC for Help If Your GFCI Circuit Breaker Keeps Tripping
Are you still looking for resolutions to the “my GFCI outlet keeps tripping when I plug something in” problem? ESD LLC can help. As a long-standing, highly respected service company within the electrical industry, we have an impressive inventory of commercial, residential, and industrial circuit breakers from trusted brands.
We believe in customer satisfaction so if your GFCI keeps tripping, we’ll help find a solution—call (425) 419-4167 or contact us online today.
