1. Home
  2. Hobby Electronics Basics
  3. A New Twist in My GFI Story

A New Twist in My GFI Story

I think this calls for the replacement of another GFCI (GFI). Same story above the "Voltage Drop Along a Long Cord". 14 gauge three prong cord.

I used the Stihl electric trimmer closer to the house, and in an outlet on the back side of the house. After maybe 10 minutes of use, it flipped the GFI. I'd reset it, and 2 minutes later it had flipped again. That went on 3-4 more times until I finished the work.

Only 20 minutes earlier I had spent 30 minutes mowing down weeds at a station 150' from the house, and never had such a problem.

Reading the users manual, I discovered this trimer should be able to work well with a 14 gauge wire of a length of 150'.

I have a phone call into Xantrex who made my 600HD 12 rechargeable battery to see if I could get one hour of time out of with the trimmer. That would help in some extreme areas of the property.

Reply to
W. eWatson
Loading thread data ...

The trimmer trips 2 different GFCIs? No tripping of those GFCIs when using the mower? If so, your trimmer is defective. Get a new one.

Ed

Reply to
ehsjr

It only trips on one circuit.

Reply to
W. eWatson

Ok. Replace that GFCI. Or, if you don't mind possibly spending the time twice, remove the GFCI, clean the j-box and GFCI and re-install. You might get lucky and save the price of a GFCI. I figure the time is worth the price of a GFCI. GFCIs (actually, any receptacles) installed in an outdoor j-box pick up "grunge" over the years. That "grunge" can create a resistive path to ground, and can also muck up the PCB inside the GFCI.

The first diagnosis action is also a repair action - pull the receptacle and clean the grunge. Replacing with a new receptacle or GFCI receptacle instead of re-installing the old one is low cost, since you have to do the same work whether reinstalling the old one or replacing it.

Ed

Reply to
ehsjr

ElectronDepot website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.