Latest Discussions : Electrical & Lighting

eweston

03:41PM | 04/04/99

Kitchen electrical outlets

I've got these safety type outlets all around my kitchen and bathrooms. They're suppose to be some kind of new safety outlet. There's a reset button and a test button in the middle of these particular outlets. Three days ago, three outlets stopped working in my kitchen. I think all three outlets are tied into this one safety outlet. I checked the circuit breakers. The one safety outlet was in the triped position. I reset it, plugged in an appliance and it triped again. Now I can't get it to reset. One other question. How do I test these safety outlets?

bink

06:39PM | 04/04/99

I think your are talking about GFCI. They are a safety device that is required by the NEC for safety, for the prevention of lethal shocks. If one is installed in one outlet, other outlet down the line are protected. Unplug any applances downstream from the GCFI, the one with the test button and then try it. If it fails, then it could be bad or you could have a loose connection at that outlet or downstream. At the panel box, turn off the breaker, to remove power, to that branch. and remove each of the outlet in turn checking to see if the connections are secure and tight. If they are, I would replace the GFCI, available at any hardware store, about $10.00. Just connect the wire in the same order as the old one. HTH

BobF

04:14AM | 04/06/99

DO NOT under any circumstances, get around the GFCI. The appliance could be causing it to trip. People have died thinking the GFCI was bad, pluggeing the appliance in another outlet, and getting a fatal shock.