Matt Meiser
11-27-2010, 6:35 PM
I replaced a GFCI in my garage over the summer because the face had gotten cracked. It happens to be the one that covers the outdoor outlet on the front of the house. I'd guess its original to when the house was built in 1991. I know I haven't replaced it so its at least 7 years old. Last night I tried to turn on our Christmas lights for the first time but couldn't keep them on--kept tripping the GFCI. I've never had this kind of trouble in past years. Maybe an occasional trip on a rainy night but that's it. Today I used an extension cord and put them on a different GFCI-protected circuit. After an hour and a half they are still on. My plug-in tester says that GFCI is working.
Thanksgiving Day it rained rained hard so I have now doubt there's a little bit of water in plugs or bulb sockets but that would be true of every other year too. And anyway that's not a fault to ground. I don't think anything could be wet enough to conduct to ground unless a pine needle from one of the bushes has poked into a socket.
So have they made GFCI's more sensitive than in the past? Or is it possible that I've got a bad one?
Thanksgiving Day it rained rained hard so I have now doubt there's a little bit of water in plugs or bulb sockets but that would be true of every other year too. And anyway that's not a fault to ground. I don't think anything could be wet enough to conduct to ground unless a pine needle from one of the bushes has poked into a socket.
So have they made GFCI's more sensitive than in the past? Or is it possible that I've got a bad one?