I have a GFCI outlet in the kitchen that shows no LED color status, cannot reset but still has power and downstream. Also, I notice that when I plug my coffee maker on the upstream outlet between another working GFCI, when I press the reset button on the GFCI in question, I hear the coffee maker start to :jump start. Is there a short or is it just a bad GFCI?
GFCI Won’t rest. shows no LED Light but has power
gfci
Related Solutions
Grounded circuit (green/bare ground wire wired properly):
- Push "Test" on the GFCI protective device, and it trips -> PASS
- Push "Test" on the GFCI protective device, and it does not trip -> FAIL
- Push "Test" on a plug-in GFCI tester, and it trips -> PASS
- Push "Test" on a plug-in GFCI tester, and it does not trip -> FAIL
A fail here indicates the GFCI unit is probably defective.
Ungrounded circuit (green/bare absent or defective):
- Push "Test" on the GFCI protective device, and it trips -> PASS
- Push "Test" on the GFCI protective device, and it does not trip -> FAIL
- Push "Test" on a plug-in GFCI tester, and it trips -> FAIL FAIL FAIL
- Push "Test" on a plug-in GFCI tester at the GFCI receptacle, and it does not trip -> PASS
- Push "Test" on a plug-in GFCI tester at a downstream protected outlet, and it does not trip -> MEANINGLESS
Fail at the GFCI device probably indicates it is defective.
Fail on the plug-in GFCI tester (i.e. it trips!) indicates they have bootlegged ground at the GFCI receptacle- attached the neutral wire to both neutral and ground. It will seem to work at the GFCI, but is still dangerous.
Bootlegging ground at a downstream GFCI receptacle is a mistake, because one of several electrical faults could put 120V on the the grounds, e.g. the cover plate screws or a machine chassis. However this is difficult to detect, since a properly wired downstream receptacle will behave exactly the same way. This means for ungrounded downstream receptacles, plug-in tester testing is completely meaningless.
Once you have settled the question of bootlegged grounds, here's how you test an ungrounded GFCI. Plug your GFCI tester into your handy dandy 2-3 prong "cheater" - the kind with a short green wire as a pigtail. Extend that green wire all the way to a reliable ground source, e.g. the panel in the basement. Now, the GFCI tester should work normally, since you have rigged a proper ground to it.
GFCI protection is pretty effective, and I would be confident in an ungrounded circuit if it has GFCI protection. However if you are unable to get the external device to trip, you'll need to pop the cover off and see if the ground is present, missing or bootlegged.
The GFCI isn't broken. It is correctly detecting a ground fault or wiring problem, and tripping instantly. That's its job. The test button can't be pressed because it's tripped.
It's easy to get misguided by 2 nasty forces:
"Doing this makes it work" -- There are lots of setups that work that will kill you. "Trying things" will only lead to one of those. Stop and find out what to do. We're here to help.
"3-light testers" -- I call those a "magic 8-ball tester". The lights are fine, but the written legends tend to be misleading in old work. They are for pass-fail testing brand new construction, not bona-fide troubleshooting. Also, it's an easy tester that makes a novice think the electrical world is full of easy problems. Nope; the last guy had a 3-light tester also. The problems he leaves you tend to be hard and complicated. So doing easy fixes because the tester told you to is probably counterproductive.
I think the GFCI you removed was telling you the truth -- that one of your fixes created a ground fault. I would put the old GFCI back in, very carefully exactly as you found it. It was correctly wired; this new one is miswired, I think.
"Carefully moving wire over 1 wire at a time" fails because you are relying on physical position on the device. Different models put things in different physical positions (especially 3-way switches!). Instead, rely on screw color, markings, or other evidence.
- Green, green/yellow or bare are reserved for safety ground. Always and only. Worldwide, so even on Euro or Chinese stuff, these are ground.
- Grounds are always joined together.
Ground always go on a screw. A ground in a backstab is always wrong.
On a socket, the taller slot is neutral. Receptacles have silver screws for the neutral side. Neutral is always the white wire (white isn't always neutral).
- Neutral is not ground. The two are never tied together for any reason.
- Neutrals are NOT all joined to each other. If there are 2 circuits present, there should be 2 groups of neutral separated.
- Hot is the brass screws. Hots can be any color but green. Receptacles need neutral, so usually the white is neutral and hot is the other color.
Anything that deviates from the above is wrong.
It will be a step in the right direction if the
Related Topic
- Appliances plugged in GFCI outlet works but when plugging in the downstream outlet doesn’t
- GFCI outlet issue: downstream tests wired OK but upstream will not reset
- GFCI outlet – Why no green LED indicator
- Tester shows Circuit wired correctly but GFCI Trips under smallest load
- External GFCI Won’t Reset
Best Answer
GFCI receptacles very rarely go bad. So before your run out, buy and replace a GFCI. First let's try and determine if it is bad GFCI or something else is wrong. First unplug every appliance and turn off every light on the circuit and see if the GFCI will reset. If it does reset then try plugging in and run every appliance and turn on every light one at a time. If any appliance trips the GFCI then your appliance is bad and it needs to be replaced. If turning your light on and the GFCI trips then the fixture is probably malfunctioning and needs to be repaired.
If the GFCI trips when no load is on it, then after you turn your power off, pull you receptacle out and disconnect the load side conductors of on the GFCI. Carefully turn your power on and see if your GFCI resets. If it does not reset then it may be bad, but if it does reset then you have a problem with you downstream wiring. Now you have to go through the entire circuit and check to see what is in failure.
That means you reconnect the load side conductors and remove each device in sequence and test to see when you get a trip. Once you get a trip you have isolated the problem and repairs need to be made.
It's really a step by step procedure, but it is also why when you call an electrical contractor they can't give you a set price since they don't know how long it will take find and repair the problem.
Hopefully it will just be a bad appliance or GFCI. Good luck.