testing outlets

[John Dirks Jr]

I have an outlet tester that has the GFCI test button. Obviously I would use this feature when testing a GFCI outlet.

How about pushing this button even at non GFCI outlets? I figured that sometimes there are GFCI installed at the main panel.

Pushing the button on my tester at non GFCI outlets should tell me if the outlet is on a GFCI protected circuit.

Is my assumption correct?

[Bill Kibbel]

Yes - it should trip any GFCI device upstream of the outlet being tested.

Sometimes it's lotsa fun trying to find it after it trips.

[John Dirks Jr]

Originally posted by inspecthistoric

Yes - it should trip any GFCI device upstream of the outlet being tested.

Sometimes it's lotsa fun trying to find it after it trips.

Yeah, if its an occupied property I guess I better warn the owners in advance huh? Maybe ask them to shut down the computors and prepare to reset the clocks. I guess I could reset the clocks.

[AHI in AR]

Originally posted by inspecthistoric

Yes - it should trip any GFCI device upstream of the outlet being tested.

Sometimes it's lotsa fun trying to find it after it trips.

Those things can be a real pain. I dutifully tested the garage outlets in a home once only to have the master outlet trip. Usually, it's not too far away. Right? Not this time. An hour later I found it. The rocket scientist who wired the home--all 3 stories of it--put it in the attic. I had to find it since there was a freezer in use in the garage. The owner had no clue where it was. As a last resort, I went back to the attic and started moving the boxes of Christmas decorations, etc. There it was, nowhere near the furnace or anything else requiring an outlet.

[elw351]

it can be alot of fun to find. did a house with a boat house. i like to never found the outlet that was tripped.