Electrical problem

[Mikeinsmd]

Originally Posted by itsbob

Parents house in NH had all the GFCI outlets on the same circuit, inside and outside.. but I thought if you tripped one all the others would still work.

I wonder if she's noticed anything else not working.. I tripped the MAIN fuse coming into the house in NH (thanks to my GREAT dryer wiring job).. lost half of the house.. one BIG inline fuse between the fuse box and where the power comes into the house to replace and everything was back to normal

In 1999 the code was changed to require bathrooms to be on a dedicated circuit (due to hair dryers & curling irons). Houses built before '99 could have outside outlets on the circuit so long as they were on the load side of the GFI.

A GFI receptacle can be the first outlet on the circuit, protecting all others downstream from it but if it trips off, they all go off (if wired correctly).

[jazz lady (Premo)]

Originally Posted by Mikeinsmd

A GFI receptacle can be the first outlet on the circuit, protecting all others downstream from it but if it trips off, they all go off (if wired correctly).

I think I just found this out the hard way.

[Mikeinsmd]

Originally Posted by jazz lady

By the way, there is no main GFCI breaker in my electrical panel. I have 3 outside outlets and only one has a GFCI outlet - on the outlet directly opposite it on the INSIDE of the house. I still haven't found the one for the powder room outlet, though.

Everything I ever wanted to know about GFCI outlets and was afraid to ask.

You may not have a GFI breaker in the panel. The receptacles are cheaper to install. You should have 2 in your kitchen (within 6' of the sink), one protecting all bathroom circuits and all outside receptacles should be protected. If you have an older house, roll the dice....

[jazz lady (Premo)]

Originally Posted by Mikeinsmd

You may not have a GFI breaker in the panel. The receptacles are cheaper to install. You should have 2 in your kitchen (within 6' of the sink), one protecting all bathroom circuits and all outside receptacles should be protected. If you have an older house, roll the dice....

My house is only about 4 years old. If it was cheaper, my builder did it that way.

I have none in my kitchen. The two outside outlets that are under cover on the front and back porches do not have them.

[itsbob]

Originally Posted by jazz lady

My house is only about 4 years old. If it was cheaper, my builder did it that way.

I have none in my kitchen. The two outside outlets that are under cover on the front and back porches do not have them.

The front and back porches may not have them, but I bet they run through GFI outlets in the house somewhere..

[K_Jo (Premo)]

Originally Posted by Mikeinsmd

In 1999 the code was changed to require bathrooms to be on a dedicated circuit (due to hair dryers & curling irons). Houses built before '99 could have outside outlets on the circuit so long as they were on the load side of the GFI.

A GFI receptacle can be the first outlet on the circuit, protecting all others downstream from it but if it trips off, they all go off (if wired correctly).

[somdcrab]

Originally Posted by jazz lady

I went to dry my hair this morning, plugged the blow dryer in and nothing. Great. I at first thought the dryer had died but further investigation revealed the outlet was dead. I have two in my bathroom that are both GFI outlets so I reset them and still nothing. I went to the circuit breaker panel and none of the circuits had tripped.

Fine, I'll just use the outlet in other bathroom. Same thing. GFI outlet and no power. I tried resetting it and nothing. I went to my powder room and tried the outlet in there, which doesn't appear to be a GFI outlet but I'm not sure, and nothing. I tested several other outlets around the house and they all were working, although I didn't have time to check every single one.

Any idea what could be wrong and what to look for? The outlets were working fine yesterday.

One other problem you could have is rained last night check your outside GFI receptacles too one of them could trip. not to discourage you but in 26 years exp. i have seen GFI's just go bad it happens

[jazz lady (Premo)]

Originally Posted by somdcrab

One other problem you could have is rained last night check your outside GFI receptacles too one of them could trip. not to discourage you but in 26 years exp. i have seen GFI's just go bad it happens

Thanks, but the problem is fixed now. I think my roommate accidentally tripped the one outlet when pulling out the plug for her blow dryer yesterday. Once it was reset, everything worked fine.