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gfi

michaelf

Well-known member
Joined
May 2, 2014
Messages
113
Location
SE MI
In my garage the wire goes to a gfi and then to the light switch, when I flip the
switch on it trips the gfi. I have replaced the switch and today replaced the
gfi and it still trips the gfi. Help
 
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michaelf

Well-known member
Joined
May 2, 2014
Messages
113
Location
SE MI
thanks for the response, we just bought this house and all I really know is
when I would flip the switch the gfci would trip.
 

Elginz

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Joined
Dec 29, 2014
Messages
431
Location
Oconto, WI
So something the switch turns on is grounding, at this point it could be many things.
a neutral and ground connected (touching), was never wired correctly to begin with, could be what it turns on is broken/damaged. tell us what ever you can think of.
 
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Rookie2

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Joined
Feb 27, 2013
Messages
1,925
Location
Western Pa.
could also be bugs under a lamp base, nail or screw going into romex, an extention cord plugged into a lamp base with an outlet.
 

RECox286

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Joined
Apr 11, 2012
Messages
1,399
Location
South Joisey (yeah, that is part of the USA)
remove the lightbulb, and then re-set the bkr.

if it still trips, you know there is a short in the circuit.

Take the wire off of the gfci, and wire a socket with

a lightbulb in between the removed wire and a non-gfci

bkr. The bulb will light if there is a short in the circuit.

Now you have an indicator to tell you when you finally

find the problem. The lightbulb will stay off. Alternately,

you should call a licensed electrician to chase the problem.

Uncle Bob
 

wyliesdiesels

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Joined
Aug 14, 2012
Messages
20,089
Location
Modesto, CA
Can u take pictures of the wiring at the GCCI and the light j box and post them here?

A GFCI measures current on the hot and neutral. If they dont match within 5ma, then it will trip.

A GFCI is NOT breaker and will NOT trip due to short circuits or overcurrents, ONLY current imbalance.

So u have current that is leaking aka not returning on the neutral. I would look for improper neutral to ground connections or neutral touching ground such as a metal j box...
 
Last edited:

Mustang51js

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Joined
Jan 24, 2014
Messages
1,734
Location
Haskell nj
Remove light and try switch,check inside switch for ground wire touching neutral somewhere. When you get it to not trip gfi,take the lights off the load side of gfi,no need to have them gfi protected
 
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