JohnPublic
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- Feb 17, 2009
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We recently moved into an 18 year old house and I am having some trouble with outlets in the kitchen:
The kitchen counter has two outlets, one is a GFI and the other is downstream. As far as I can tell it is the only other receptacle connected to the GFI. When we moved in both outlets were providing current, but the inspector mentioned that the GFI was not tripping correctly and needed to be replaced. I put it on my list of things to do, but had not yet gotten to it when the downstream outlet suddenly stopped working. I supposed that it was simply the GFI outlet that had finally bit the dust, but wanted to replace them both as they were both beige and I wanted them to be white. Here is where the fun begins.
I turned off the breaker, wired both outlets, and turned the breaker back on. The trip on the GFI pushed in properly and the light came on green. I plugged a nightlight into both the GFI and the downstream outlet and both worked. I turned the breaker off, pushed in the wires on the gfi, mounted it to the wall, screwed on the faceplate, and turned the breaker back on. I plugged the nightlight into it and it came on. I then turned the breaker back off and installed the downstream plug into the wall and attached the faceplate. I turned the breaker on and tested both plugs with my nightlight one last time. The downsteam plug was working, but the GFI no longer was. The green light was still on and it had not tripped, but was providing no power. I pulled them both out from the wall, but the problem persists.
I have tested and reset the GFI several times, but it still has no juice. I can't make heads or tails of this as both of the plugs were working correctly while wired and sticking out of the wall. If there is some sort of short the GFI and/or the breaker should trip, correct?
Thank you in advance for any advice short of calling an electrician.
The kitchen counter has two outlets, one is a GFI and the other is downstream. As far as I can tell it is the only other receptacle connected to the GFI. When we moved in both outlets were providing current, but the inspector mentioned that the GFI was not tripping correctly and needed to be replaced. I put it on my list of things to do, but had not yet gotten to it when the downstream outlet suddenly stopped working. I supposed that it was simply the GFI outlet that had finally bit the dust, but wanted to replace them both as they were both beige and I wanted them to be white. Here is where the fun begins.
I turned off the breaker, wired both outlets, and turned the breaker back on. The trip on the GFI pushed in properly and the light came on green. I plugged a nightlight into both the GFI and the downstream outlet and both worked. I turned the breaker off, pushed in the wires on the gfi, mounted it to the wall, screwed on the faceplate, and turned the breaker back on. I plugged the nightlight into it and it came on. I then turned the breaker back off and installed the downstream plug into the wall and attached the faceplate. I turned the breaker on and tested both plugs with my nightlight one last time. The downsteam plug was working, but the GFI no longer was. The green light was still on and it had not tripped, but was providing no power. I pulled them both out from the wall, but the problem persists.
I have tested and reset the GFI several times, but it still has no juice. I can't make heads or tails of this as both of the plugs were working correctly while wired and sticking out of the wall. If there is some sort of short the GFI and/or the breaker should trip, correct?
Thank you in advance for any advice short of calling an electrician.
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