Worn out GFI??

[Tucker99]

Some of my basement lights are wired through a GFI in my master bath 2-stories up in my house. Don't know why it's wired this way. When I switch on my work bench lights I sometimes trip the GFI. Do these wear out and become more sensitive? The lights on my bench are 2 X 4' T-12 Fluorescent fixtures. Thanks guys!

 

[sberry]

Its probably the lights not the gfci.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

GFCIs do wear out but i would make sure no current is leaking outside the circuit first before i replace the GFCI.

 

[teamextreme]

Years ago fluorescent lights were notorious for tripping GFI's. I thought they had improved either the lights or GFI's over the years, but maybe you have an old version of one or both.

 

[Tucker99]

Thanks, I'm wondering if this isn't the case. I believe they are original when the house was built in 1988. I think I'm going to replace it. Are all GFCI's created equal?

Years ago fluorescent lights were notorious for tripping GFI's. I thought they had improved either the lights or GFI's over the years, but maybe you have an old version of one or both.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Thanks, I'm wondering if this isn't the case. I believe they are original when the house was built in 1988. I think I'm going to replace it. Are all GFCI's created equal?

There have been some design changes over the years and not all necessarily for the good !

• The reset buttons of newer GFCIs built after 2002 will not "latch" if they are not receiving power or are not hooked up right. They also come from the factory in the "tripped" position, so turn the power on and then push the reset button.
• Since 2007 Leviton GFCIs buttons have lost their color, and the reset button is so recessed that it doesn't "look" tripped when it is. These also a bit more force to reset them.

Personal experience. Fat fingers and no finger nails make it very difficult to press the rest button in far enough to latch.

 

[Zeke]

Yeah, you do need a key or pencil to do it.

 

[justsam]

It may be time to update those old 4 foot, T-12 fixtures. It may well be that one of the ballasts has enough leakage current to ground to cause the GFI trip.

If these fixtures are plugged in, can you unplug one at a time and see if problem goes away?

It could be a weak GFI but if they trip there is usually some amount of leakage going on.

 

[nh_yota]

Back in the early days of GFCI's (1980's) it was not uncommon for houses to be wired with outdoor/garage/basement outlets tapped off the load side of a bathroom/kitchen GFCI, which may be why your basement lights are wired that way.

 

[Tucker99]

What's the point? Seems like more labor and romex. Why wouldn't they just put the those areas on their own GFCI?

Back in the early days of GFCI's (1980's) it was not uncommon for houses to be wired with outdoor/garage/basement outlets tapped off the load side of a bathroom/kitchen GFCI, which may be why your basement lights are wired that way.

 

[justsam]

What's the point? Seems like more labor and romex. Why wouldn't they just put the those areas on their own GFCI?

Follow the money!

There was a time when GFIs were expensive and copper was cheap. Just flip that around for today.