GFCI Outlets are known for causing nuisance tripping for inductive loads such as: Motors, Refrigerators, Freezers, Whole House Vacuum Systems and other devices that have an inductive load.

What would cause a GFCI to keep tripping?

Electrical Fault





If your GFCI outlet trips consistently, it could be an electric fault resulting from faulty structural wiring. An electrical outlet connected to the same circuit could also be the source of the problem, especially if it was not part of the original wiring of your home.

Will a GFCI trip during a surge?

In short, it is possible to plug your surge protector into your house GFCI outlet. But you have to ensure that there’s a ground wire in your circuit that goes back to your electrical wire. Still, there can be issues. This is because the surge protector can trip the GFCI outlet triggering small leakages.

What current will trip a GFCI?

4 milliamps to 6 milliamps

It states that a Class A GFCI trips when the current to ground has a value in the range of 4 milliamps to 6 milliamps, and references UL 943, the Standard for Safety for Ground- Fault Circuit-Interrupters.

At what voltage does a GFCI trip?





The supervisory circuit built into a ground-fault circuit interrupter is designed to cause tripping even when the circuit voltage is 85 percent of rated voltage (102V for a 120-volt device). At rated voltage, the current employed by the supervisory circuit may not exceed 9mA.

Is there a difference between GFI and GFCI?

Ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCI) and ground fault interrupters (GFI) are the exact same device under slightly different names. Though GFCI is more commonly used than GFI, the terms are interchangeable.

Can an overload trip a GFCI?

Overloads don’t trip a GFCI.

If there was an overload, it would trip the actual circuit breaker. Since this is a GFCI/receptacle (as opposed to a GFCI/breaker) and the GFCI trips, that is a GFCI problem – 100% – and not an overcurrent situation.

Do I need a surge protector if I have a GFCI outlet?



Registered. A GFCi will not protect your equipment against power surges. And it’s function is not what you think. It doesn’t trip when the power demand is excessive.

Will a surge protector stop a GFCI from tripping?

GFIs protect YOU when current is leaking outside of the circuit, such as through your body, by detecting a tiny amount of current leak and shutting the circuit down before you can even feel it. A surge suppressor will not prevent a GFI from tripping, nor should it.

Can lightning destroy a GFCI outlet?

Lightning strikes can cause damage to many items in a house. The most suspectable items are GFI outlets, any electronic machines ( TV, computers, audio equipment etc.), dimmers, switches and elements of an electric range/oven, and yes, garage door openers.

Can I plug a power strip into a GFCI?



Power strips aren’t designed to generate that kind of consistent high amperage, so these beauty tools should be plugged into a GFCI-protected outlet.

Can you use an extension cord with a GFCI?

GFCI Always Goes First: This is a big issues and a super easy thing to fix! Never plug a GFCI into your extension cord, always plug the GFCI in first directly to power outlet, then you can plug the extension cord into the GFCI (or multiple extension cords into it only if the GFCI has multiple receptors).

Can you plug a computer into a GFCI outlet?

It is OK to have the computer plugged into a GFCI, although it may not be preferable. Hard shutdowns, as would be the case if the GFCI tripped (and the computer’s receptacle is actually protected as @keshlam’s comment suggests), are not the greatest for computers.

Can you connect multiple GFCI outlets together?

Yes, you can daisy chain GFCI outlets together, but it’s unnecessary and provides no added safety. There’s nothing that says you can’t install multiple GFCIs on the same circuit. However, there is no additional safety gained by doing so.

Can I daisy chain GFCI outlets?



Daisy chaining GFCIs does not increase protection. In industrial and commercial installations, GFCI devices may be daisy chained, but the upstream GFCI devices usually are set to a higher trip point while the downstream GFCI devices protecting point-of-use receptacles is set to the standard 6mA.

Can you pigtail a GFCI outlet?

If the GFCI outlet detects a difference between the current exiting and returning, the GFCI breaker trips. A GFCI protects multiple outlets when the wires twist together with a jumper wire, called a pigtail, and the jumper wire connects to the GFCI.