Duane_Boldt
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- Sep 27, 2011
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I now realize that my outside circuit should have been GFCI protected all along. I didn't pay enough attention when some landscapers wired the outside lighting. I regret not watching them more closely now.
I replaced an outside 20 Amp breaker with a GFCI breaker. The breaker immediately tripped. Checked the outlets and turned out that a few were wired wrong. Corrected all of those "reversed" wires and still had the GFCI tripping.
The condition inside the non-waterproof boxes did not look good. I cleaned up the wires and replaced all the outlets with weatherproof outlets and boxes.
I replaced two switches with weatherproof boxes, also.
I have one outlet that is before two switches that control the rest of the outlets. One of the switches controls an outlet for a fountain (I am going to use that for an above ground pool pump) and the other switch controls the rest of the outlets for outside lightning.
The outlet before the switches works fine with the GFCI switch.
But when either switch is closed, the GFCI trips. Even after I disconnects all three wires to all of the outlets.
I replaced the regular breaker and all seems to work fine with my corrected outlets. Put in the GFCI and it trips right away if either switch is closed. I disconnected the Load Neutral and it still trips.
I assume that this means that I have a Power wire somewhere underground, past the switches, that is shorting against a Ground wire.
I am not looking forward to seeing what these guys did underground... Especially since it is under a large backyard of brick pavers.
If I am wrong in my trouble shooting or if there is something else I should look for, please let me know.
Thanks,
Duane
I replaced an outside 20 Amp breaker with a GFCI breaker. The breaker immediately tripped. Checked the outlets and turned out that a few were wired wrong. Corrected all of those "reversed" wires and still had the GFCI tripping.
The condition inside the non-waterproof boxes did not look good. I cleaned up the wires and replaced all the outlets with weatherproof outlets and boxes.
I replaced two switches with weatherproof boxes, also.
I have one outlet that is before two switches that control the rest of the outlets. One of the switches controls an outlet for a fountain (I am going to use that for an above ground pool pump) and the other switch controls the rest of the outlets for outside lightning.
The outlet before the switches works fine with the GFCI switch.
But when either switch is closed, the GFCI trips. Even after I disconnects all three wires to all of the outlets.
I replaced the regular breaker and all seems to work fine with my corrected outlets. Put in the GFCI and it trips right away if either switch is closed. I disconnected the Load Neutral and it still trips.
I assume that this means that I have a Power wire somewhere underground, past the switches, that is shorting against a Ground wire.
I am not looking forward to seeing what these guys did underground... Especially since it is under a large backyard of brick pavers.
If I am wrong in my trouble shooting or if there is something else I should look for, please let me know.
Thanks,
Duane
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