Weird issue...

[DelayedZ]

Alright so a few weeks ago we had a one second power outage in my neighborhood, literally a flicker. Thought nothing of it, long story short it set off some of my GFCI outlets through the house, I had no idea since it did it randomly and of course found out the hard way when I went out to my freezer in the garage and everything was defrosted. Anyway, I reset everything and everything seemed good, however two outlets in my master bathroom (directly connected to the GFCI in my garage) are just dead, I've tested them with my meter and I've got nothing. I plan on just replacing the outlets but is there anything else I'm forgetting before I do that? Oh and I did check the fuse box outside and everything is perfect, all the lights work in the bathroom it's just the outlets and only in that room, literally every other room has no issues with power outlets.

 

[Marctrees]

So, the garage GFI feeds those bath outlets?

If so, check you have power on it's "Load" side.

I mean actually pull it out, and confirm there is power "leaving" the box, supposedly to the bathroom.

Let us know.

Should not be difficult for us to track it down Marc

 

[md21722]

It may be that the GFCI stopped working correctly and needs to be replaced. I would perform the test Marc suggested.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Some newer brands of GFCIs trip when they have no power and cant be reset until they receive power.

Have u tested the GFCI in the garage that feeds them?

 

[DelayedZ]

Ya it's attached to my fridge and water softener and they are back on, that's why it's so weird that it took out two outlets I don't have anything plugged into. I'll test the GFI tonight and make sure it's all good.

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[Cypherian]

I recently had this type of issue with a shop outlet that also fed my refer and microwave circuit, check but I am pretty sure your GFCI is bad replace it the standard outlets there are not much to go wrong but a broken wire or short which .. I am not an electrician but you would figure out there was a short pretty damn quick :}. I replaced mine and tada bad . But I also a year or so ago had a bad regular out but it was weird it was bad on one side only .. replaced it and done.

Cypher

Cypher

 

[wyliesdiesels]

A short should cause the breaker to trip.

 

[DelayedZ]

I recently had this type of issue with a shop outlet that also fed my refer and microwave circuit, check but I am pretty sure your GFCI is bad replace it the standard outlets there are not much to go wrong but a broken wire or short which .. I am not an electrician but you would figure out there was a short pretty damn quick :}. I replaced mine and tada bad . But I also a year or so ago had a bad regular out but it was weird it was bad on one side only .. replaced it and done.

Cypher

Cypher

That's what I thought, I've never seen a regular outlet go bad unless it got fried by an outside connection, and both those outlet's had nothing connected. Now the GFI outlet in the garage has power, the reset worked, even the led on it, but it didn't reset those two particular outlets in the master. What should I test for behind the GFI to see if it's really bad and only giving power to random outlets?

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[Cypherian]

I am not an electrician Marctrees I think answered that check incoming feeds and grounds with out pictures no one knows how your place is wired etc. A GFI is pretty cheap picking one up and swapping it is easy just make sure you DROP POWER and check before replacing. Even if it isn't bad a spare will not hurt to have, I have been told by a Master Sparky that 1 GFI's can fail just from time and power line spikes etc but also from plugging in heavy start draw machines into them.

Cypher

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Back of GFCIs are labeled line and load.

Test brass and silver colored screws on load side to check if GFCI is outputting power to downstream outlets.

 

[DelayedZ]

So, the garage GFI feeds those bath outlets?

If so, check you have power on it's "Load" side.

I mean actually pull it out, and confirm there is power "leaving" the box, supposedly to the bathroom.

Let us know.

Should not be difficult for us to track it down Marc

I get what you're saying now, I assumed a GFI was just a fancy outlet (I've never dealt with the previously) I will pull it out tomorrow and test the load side, I'm assuming there is not going to be any handy labeling, haha.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

I get what you're saying now, I assumed a GFI was just a fancy outlet (I've never dealt with the previously) I will pull it out tomorrow and test the load side, I'm assuming there is not going to be any handy labeling, haha.

Actually the labeling is engraved in the plastic.

 

[Marctrees]

"Line" is where you input power.

"Load" is where you output power.

So any outlets you want to protect "down the line" get hooked to the load terminals.

If the GFI is NOT used to feed any other receptacles,, non "feed through", then you hook nothing to the Load terminals.

So in your case, your bathroom receptacles are fed from those Load terminals.

So that's where you check for power.

Report back with that test result. Marc

 

[DelayedZ]

"Line" is where you input power.

"Load" is where you output power.

So any outlets you want to protect "down the line" get hooked to the load terminals.

If the GFI is NOT used to feed any other receptacles,, non "feed through", then you hook nothing to the Load terminals.

So in your case, your bathroom receptacles are fed from those Load terminals.

So that's where you check for power.

Report back with that test result. Marc

Alright so I tested everything, power is perfect on the backside of the GFI I even bought one for the hell of it and swapped it, same result. My next idea is to test behind the bad outlets and see if power is making its way up there, it's just weird it's two outlets in the master bathroom and nowhere else.

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[fiemo weezap]

Did they work previously?

 

[mobiledynamics]

OT, but in what camp do you fall in re: GFCI circuits....

I have them on outdoor and bathroom circuits only. I can't see any reason to have them anywhere else...more a nusicance than not

 

[Junkman]

I installed GFI breakers for the kitchen, bath, and outside outlets, and never had a problem with the breakers. I have one bath that is serviced by a sub panel, and on that one outlet, I installed a GFI outlet. I have replaced it twice in 10 years. All the lighting circuits in that bath are on a GFI breaker. I ran out of GFI breakers, and the outlets was a lot cheaper than another breaker... or so I thought.
I suggest that you consider a Temperature Alert/Alarm for Freezer & Refrigerators, to protect your food for the future. Under $50 for the best one available for home use.

 

[Mustang51js]

You may have another gfi outlet before the bathroom outlets,while it does happen its not often an non gfi outlet go out. If its back stabbed then maybe

 

[larry4406]

Personally I would not put any freezer or fridge on a GFI....

 

[DelayedZ]

Personally I would not put any freezer or fridge on a GFI....

I have limited options in my garage, they didn't give me many outlets and when they were building they wouldn't let me add more. The builder sucked. I did figure out my GFI issue, I went crazy, retested everything, ended up being two GFIs next to each other in my girls bathroom, they are a few feet apart, one controls there bathroom outlets the other controls my bathroom outlets, note this is a 3100 sq ft house and the girls bedrooms are on the opposite side of the house, I guess there is no rhyme or reason to GFI placement. Now I did look everywhere, or so I thought, but I didn't think two GFIs would be so close. On the plus side I now understand GFIs way more then I ever thought I'd need to.

I suggest that you consider a Temperature Alert/Alarm for Freezer & Refrigerators, to protect your food for the future. Under $50 for the best one available for home use.

I need to do this, we've never had power issues here before and I don't want to get screwed again.


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