Testy GFCI

1

1pet2_9

Active member
So not surprisingly, my show is the biggest it's ever been (that's how it usually goes...), lots of AC. Problem is, my GFCI likes to trip any time I jar the power too much, from 0 to 100%. Which is unfortunate, because in my sequence that's precisely the jarring effect that I'm going for.

My GFCI is still the one that came with the house. Is that something that replacing the GFCI outlet with a new one is likely to fix? Is switching that out any more complicated than just switching out a regular outlet? I switched out all my regular outlets to smart outlets (and learned the hard way that they have mechanical relays, and so sequencing my indoor lights results in a bunch of broken outlets. boy was that a hard lesson...). But I never switched the GFCI's.
 
I don't have an answer for you, but if you find a GFCI (or the arc version) that doesn't trip any time someone breathes wrong, PLEASE LET EVERYONE KNOW.
 
We've had some testy GFCI's that we've replaced to solve similar problems. And yes, they are as simple as regular outlets.
 
FWIW, I had put a bit to much AC on a GFCI outlet last year and it would occasionally trip when hitting 100% on the lights, like a breaker trip. The circuit in question was a 20amp breaker at the box, 12g wire for the run and then the GFCI outlet was 20amp rated. Moving some to a different circuit cleared that up and then I added up the others to make sure I was balanced and spread out. I was using 3 - 20amp circuits in total for the display. You may be able to add up your total amp usage on the problem outlet and move some of them if you are maxing out on that circuit. Its amazing how quickly the AC strings add up without stepping back and checking.

For me, this will be the first year with no AC in the sequences, still have it for static props and the pixel controllers but all flashy lights will be pixels.

Good luck
 
I had the same problem when my display was all mini lights, spent hours moving elements to different extensions and nothing worked. I added more gfci outlets to the display and that made a big difference, it divided the small amount of leakage from each element to more gfci's In my shed I had one gfci and they ran a wire to a second non gfci outlet, I removed the wire on the gfci out and placed it on the non gfci output of the gfci outlet and replaced the non gfci outlet with a gfci outlet this way I could move some of the extensions to a second gfci outlet my problem was not the current but the total leakage being placed on a single gfci outlet. I was using tomato cages as tree's and I made a small square pvc platform about 2" high, and wire tied the cage to it to get the wire cage off the ground.
Gary
 
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Thanks for all that. Good to hear I'm doing the right thing and that changing that out is as easy as changing a regular outlet. I've got two outdoor outlets on the same GFCI circuit and I'd like to split them, but I assume that is not as easy.
 
By the way, my GFCI was tripping without the tomato cages, but I noticed some of the red and green tomato cages, you can probe it with an ohmmeter and get infinite resistance. I'm sure there is a coating that can scratch off, but there is a lot less opportunity for an electrical path to ground.
 
1pet2_9 said:
Thanks for all that. Good to hear I'm doing the right thing and that changing that out is as easy as changing a regular outlet. I've got two outdoor outlets on the same GFCI circuit and I'd like to split them, but I assume that is not as easy.
Click to expand...

Well that wasn't true. :). Ha ha. Installing GFCI is definitely harder. The 4 line/load hot/neutrals have to be in exactly the right terminal, and they moved between the old and new outlets. It's not that bad if you've done it before, but the first time....yeah, it's that bad. I only shocked myself once.
 
My mini light tomato cage trees are the only things to cause GFCI tripping and only when it rains, so I just shut down during rain.
 
I have also found that since using vampire plugs in the yard, the AC does trip the GFCI's much more frequently than the regular triple plugged extension cords. The biggest issue came when I used a vampire plug for the AC input (male connector) to the Renards', but had less issues after replacing it with a 3-prong computer cord.
 
I used to just not run the show when it rains, but now I've expanded and I've got just too many people coming. It's really bad PR when people drive to your place, and you are the destination--and you are not running Unless it's just a monsoon out; then they'll understand. It just has to be debugged on a wet day.
 
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