GFCI Trips Under Load

9 years ago

I have a GFCI circuit that operates two bathrooms and two outside outlets that is the same configuration as it was 20 years ago. The GFCI receptacle started tripping under any load more that 40 watts.
I plugged in my electric smoker and was working. My wife plugged in a hair dryer and the GFCI tripped. This was not enough to trip a 20 amp circuit. I replaced the GFCI receptacle thinking maybe it was just worn out. While I had the old receptacle out, I checked to see if there were continuity between the bare ground and the white neutrals, there was none. The issue remained. There was virtually nothing plugged in anywhere in the circuits (there are no lights in the circuit) but when I plugged in anything like a vacuum, it trips. Not knowing what to do, I thought there was a receptacle down stream with a ground issue so I checked the connections on all receptacles and found no issues. I even replaced both outside receptacles thinking there might be a corrosion issue.
How does something like this just start out of the Blue ?

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Comments (6)

Ron Natalie
9 years ago
Continuity between what ground and neutrals?

Tripping with a load almost certainly indicates the protected side neutral or hot is touch that of another circuit (or at least part of the 'before the gfi' circuit). Neutral to ground faults usually trip immediately without load.
BennyBT
Original Author
9 years ago
There are 6 receptacles in this GFCI circuit. I eventually found a ground fault between the third and fourth receptacles. I capped the load side of #3 (which feeds 4, 5, & 6) so I could use 3 out of the 6 until it warms up (the fault is outside).
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btharmy
9 years ago
An electric smoker and hair dryer on the same circuit is most certainly enough to trip a 15a breaker.
joefixit2
9 years ago
I don't see where he is tripping a breaker

This post was edited by joefixit2 on Fri, Jan 16, 15 at 20:25
bus_driver
9 years ago
An overload by itself does not trip a GFCI that is functioning properly. Ground faults trip a GFCI.
btharmy
9 years ago
"I don't see where he is tripping a breaker"

I was simply commenting on his statement that "This was not enough to trip a 20 amp circuit."