GFCI & Covers

[par 36]

At times I receive service calls regarding a tripped GFCI. I currently use Bell covers made by Raynite, model number 05761. I always caulk around where they are mounted to the building and don’t know if the GFCI is the problem, or if it’s with the covers that I am using and moisture is getting in to effect it. The GFCI will reset, and hold, but should I be replacing them, as would it would be likely to happen again in the near future? Also what is considered the best GFCI on the today’s market to use and do you replace the owners existing GFCI when installing your transformer?

Any information will be appreciated.

[sitelights]

This is a very common problem and I hope it triggers numerous responses.

NEC-required raintight-in-use covers are always installed at our plug-in points; we use Taymac MM400GY since these "universal" single-gang covers will work horizontal/vertical and standard /GFCI. We do not charge for the cover or installation since it is to our benefit to comply with this NEC regulation. You might want to apply a bead of duct seal and press it down around the plug/receptacle interface to mitigate moisture penetration. Do not block the tripping action of the GFCI. If we trip the existing exterior GFCI merely by plugging/unplugging the transformer power cord we change it to one of ours.

We get about 50 calls a year relating to tripped GFCIs; after a storm we might get 3 or 4 in a single day. Our warranty covers everything on the job invoice from the transformer plug outward so we are covering the GFCI only if we installed it. We make note of the type and location of the GFCI protection for the existing exterior receptacle. If internal it is usually in the kitchen or a powder room and protects the receptacles downstream. It is important to know if there is a GFCI upstream because you do not want to duplicate (cascade) the GFCIs since this can exacerbate the nuisance tripping problem. It is preferable to have the GFCI protection on the panel breaker but we mostly encounter GFCIs at the panel as a GFCI receptacle nearby not as an actual panel breaker. We see these breakers mostly on newer homes. It is important to locate the GFCI for your records and we use a "soft blow" GFCI/polarity tester to trip the internal GFCI and note its location on the job jacket. Most of our GFCI-related outages are solved on the telephone. I recall at least 2 occasions where we had the client's electrical contractor install a GFCI panel breaker at our expense to eliminate nuisance tripping due to surges or spikes on the incoming power lines. You have to be a pretty good client to get that gift.

I don't think that there is much difference between the name brand GFCIs; we do not buy "bargain" GFCI receptacles. We stock P&S and/or Leviton on our service vehicles.

[Eden Lights]

The majority of my installs start with a 15 amp breaker in the subpanel on the exterior of the home, nonmetallic conduit down to an 15 GFI plug mounted in Red Dot (Thomas & Betts) Box with a matching aluminum in use cover. I use water proof conduit ends and apply silicone to the plugs in the non-used openings in the box. With this method I have had very few service calls due to tripped GFI's compared to other installs that I have installed or service.