Robert Jones Posted March 12, 2015 Report Share Posted March 12, 2015 A flip house, built in 1976. Besides the ridiculous location for the microwave, it is plugged in to the counter GFCI outlet. When I tripped the outlet, the microwave did not lose power. The other counter receptacle did lose power. What would cause this? Click to Enlarge 27.74 KB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Posted March 12, 2015 Report Share Posted March 12, 2015 Which of the two receptacles is a GFCI device? And which is downstream of the other? Marc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Jones Posted March 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2015 To the right of the sink is the gfci device. The receptacle to the left of the sink would be downstream. The plug/chord you see plugged in to the gfci, is from the microwave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Posted March 12, 2015 Report Share Posted March 12, 2015 I've never seen a GFCI receptacle fail that way, but it seems that it can. I had previously thought that only a solid connection exists between the output connections at the back of the GFCI device and the blade receptors (proper term?) of the device itself. Marc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asihi Posted March 12, 2015 Report Share Posted March 12, 2015 It sounds like it's wired as line/load reversed. Tony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Kogel Posted March 12, 2015 Report Share Posted March 12, 2015 I see it a few times a month, energized after tripping. Like Tom said it could be wiring or it could be a faulty GFCI. I've never pulled one to see. I just say replace it and have the installer read the instructions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Kibbel Posted March 12, 2015 Report Share Posted March 12, 2015 Like Tom said it could be wiring or it could be a faulty GFCI. I've never pulled one to see. Who's Tom? Tony is correct, feed wires on load terminals. It's very common, even though the manufacturers instructions and the sticker on the GFCI terminals tell you how to install the wires. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjr6550 Posted March 13, 2015 Report Share Posted March 13, 2015 Like Tom said it could be wiring or it could be a faulty GFCI. I've never pulled one to see. Who's Tom? Tony is correct, feed wires on load terminals. It's very common, even though the manufacturers instructions and the sticker on the GFCI terminals tell you how to install the wires. Bill, you assume that the "electrician" knows which wires are line and which are load. I can't count how many times I have seen this. I thought that the latest standard for GFCIs requires that they will not reset when tripped if line/load are reversed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Maxwell Posted March 14, 2015 Report Share Posted March 14, 2015 I see more screwed up GFCI installations than I see any other electrical problem. I guess open J boxes and open splices would be right there at the top of the list too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speedy Petey Posted March 15, 2015 Report Share Posted March 15, 2015 Like Tom said it could be wiring or it could be a faulty GFCI. I've never pulled one to see. Who's Tom? Tony is correct, feed wires on load terminals. It's very common, even though the manufacturers instructions and the sticker on the GFCI terminals tell you how to install the wires. I fully agree. Thing is, I don't think that GFI is/was new. Older GFIs did not have the sticker, nor do all new ones. Also, newer GFIs will not work/reset if wired wrong. This was a smart change by the manufacturers IMO. I have to say, if that micro is simply a counter top unit sitting on a shelf, this has to be one of the stupidest, yet unfortunately legal, installations I have seen in a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Electric Posted March 26, 2015 Report Share Posted March 26, 2015 Bad GFCI. Just call it out Robert. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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