Can LED tubes trip a GFI?

[reader2580]

My friend brought over a trailer and plugged it into a GFI circuit at my house. As soon as he turns on the lights the GFI trips. We tried a different circuit with GFI and also tripped. (My stuff is up to code so everything in garage and outside is GFI.)

Will T8 LED tubes cause this, or do I need to look for a wiring issue?

 

[Showkey]

LED any themselves.....no.........but.........Think the trailer very likely has some funky wiring. LED coversions ? Maybe the wiring or rewiring of the Fixtures ???

 

[pattenp]

Most likely the neutral on the trailer is leaking voltage to ground. Make sure the neutral and ground are not bonded at the trailer.

 

[cybrdyke]

An LED tube has a driver powering it. It's either inside the tube, or external. It can also be run by a ballast. All of these things can have some leakage current that is enough to trip a GFCI.
CD

 

[JackAndy]

Yeah LED lights in general can trip a GFCI breaker. I'm not sure what the difference between a tube and a bulb would be but any LED bulb I put in a circuit with a GFCI breaker trips the breaker.

 

[Showkey]

Yeah LED lights in general can trip a GFCI breaker. I'm not sure what the difference between a tube and a bulb would be but any LED bulb I put in a circuit with a GFCI breaker trips the breaker.

^^^^^^^
New reason to never ever have A LED fixture and refrig or freezer or sump pump on that same circuit ?????

 

[pattenp]

Yeah LED lights in general can trip a GFCI breaker. I'm not sure what the difference between a tube and a bulb would be but any LED bulb I put in a circuit with a GFCI breaker trips the breaker.

You must have use some real junk LED's. I've placed many LED plug in fixtures on GFIC circuits on garage ceilings and never have had a GFCI to trip.

 

[purplezr2]

You must have use some real junk LED's. I've placed many LED plug in fixtures on GFIC circuits on garage ceilings and never have had a GFCI to trip.

My whole garage is on Combo(AFIC/GFIC) breakers no issue....

I have no issues at all, just hate the tamper proof outlets

 

[reader2580]

It isn't the LED tubes as I removed them all and turned the lights on. The GFI still tripped immediately, I don't know if I will have time to tear things apart in the next few days.

 

[Showkey]

It isn't the LED tubes as I removed them all and turned the lights on. The GFI still tripped immediately, I don't know if I will have time to tear things apart in the next few days.

Guessing this is a travel trailer ( RV). They are imfamous for wiring issues with grounding, neutral, bonding and then there’s the critter and water damage factor.

First easy check is test every outlet witha simple checker.

 

[ishiboo]

If it's a travel trailer I wouldn't be surprised. Is there a reverse polarity light on the electrical panel?

 

[reader2580]

This is an enclosed trailer my friend wired up with the help of another friend of his. It just has some outlets along with the overhead lights.

 

[Showkey]

That should make it easy..........just start disconnecting boxes and devices until it stops blowing the GFCI. Then look at the general area or the path to that area for the wiring compromise. Screw through the wire or the insulation damaged might be the prime suspects.

 

[Captain Spaulding]

My bet is they bonded neutral and ground in the trailer and your GFCI is tripping on that. Many of them can detect such a fault.

 

[ishiboo]

My bet is they bonded neutral and ground in the trailer and your GFCI is tripping on that. Many of them can detect such a fault.

Duh. You're absolutely correct. Bonding them in the panel would make it possible for some of the return current to travel on the ground instead of the neutral, which would trip the GFCI.

Portable generators bond the two unless that bond has been removed, so a trailer should not have them grounded under most circumstances.