GFCI randomly tripping with no load.

[Sleken]

Hello all.

I'm having a serious problem with a pair of GFCI receptacles.

The setup:

A new service pole with a 30 circuit main breaker panel below the meter base. On each side of the panel a 20 amp GFCI receptacle is mounted in a weatherproof box with a weatherproof in use cover.

Each receptacle is supplied by a 20 amp single pole breaker.

The problem:

Both receptacles are randomly tripping with nothing connected to them. The 20 amp receptacles were tripping anywhere from 15 seconds to 5 minutes after being reset.

Attempted solutions:

1. Replaced both receptacles with new 20 amp receptacles. Problem continued.

2. Replaced both receptacles with new 15 amp receptacles. One receptacle was good for approximately 90 minutes. The second lasted close to two hours.

Other observations:

Voltages look good. Connections have been quadruple checked. EGC, grounded and ungrounded conductors are where they are supposed to be.

I'm unsure of anything that could make a GFCI trip with no load connected. Anyone have thoughts?

-Josh

 

[PetrosA]

- Grounding electrode installed and bonded properly?
- WR GFCI receptacles?
- Any insect activity?
- Any way that water could be getting into the boxes?


If all that checks out, I might look for some issues with the POCO neutral. If there's some kind of spiking on their neutral, I wouldn't be surprised if it were playing games with the GFCIs. To check that or other POCO issues, you could try (if it's safe to do...) pulling the GFCI out of the box and removing the ground wire to see if it holds with no ground hooked up to it.

 

[ActionDave]

What brand GFCI's?

 

[normbac]

Did you check breakers. make sure they are tight or try replacing. Try putting a load then retry without load again.

 

[102 Inspector]

Did you try the receptacles on a different branch circuit? Are there any radio frequencies in the area that might be affecting them? Had 800mghz radios that would trip out GFCI if located to close.

 

[kwired]

What else is connected to the same source? Inductive kickback from other service(s) on the same source?

Cheap GFCI's you find at big box stores are worse for tripping on inductive kickback then the better known brand names.

 

[Sleken]

- Grounding electrode installed and bonded properly?
- WR GFCI receptacles?
- Any insect activity?
- Any way that water could be getting into the boxes?


If all that checks out, I might look for some issues with the POCO neutral. If there's some kind of spiking on their neutral, I wouldn't be surprised if it were playing games with the GFCIs. To check that or other POCO issues, you could try (if it's safe to do...) pulling the GFCI out of the box and removing the ground wire to see if it holds with no ground hooked up to it.

Electrode and GEC are proper.

No insects.

Water hasn't been an issue. I neglected to mention that this started immediately after the new service was hooked up my utility. The installation was the day before.

And to combine some replies to others into one post:

GFCI's are Leviton SmartLockPro's. I've tried a variety of WR, and normal all in 15 and 20 amp versions.

No radio frequencies in the immediate area that I know about.

Breaker connections and all other connections for that matter have been checked again and again. I may try swapping the breakers just for the off chance something might be wrong with them.

There are other loads connected to this panel. A feed to a sub-panel with 50A RV outlets (nothing plugged into them). And two branch circuits running to two strings of existing overhead lighting. One string is fed by a riser at the main panel and another runs underground with UF to another pole and riser for that string.

-Josh

 

[kwired]

Are these single outlet circuits - is there anything connected to the "feed thru" terminals of the receptacles?

Is there other GFCI's connected to the same source and do they work or have other issues?

 

[Sleken]

Are these single outlet circuits - is there anything connected to the "feed thru" terminals of the receptacles?

Is there other GFCI's connected to the same source and do they work or have other issues?

Nothing on the feed through terminals. Just the two GFCIs on separate circuits.

 

[cowboyjwc]

Any issues on the utility side? Are the connections tight at the weather head?

 

[ActionDave]

I'm thinking what the man in the big hat above me is thinking, check the POCO side of the service.

 

[kwired]

I'm thinking things like service drop connections would not have much impact if there is no load, but some transient voltages from other customers, or substation switching operations, capacitor switching, or things of that nature could be a possibility.

 

[cadpoint]

The rest of the story

... There are other loads connected to this panel. A feed to a sub-panel with 50A RV outlets (nothing plugged into them). And two branch circuits running to two strings of existing overhead lighting. One string is fed by a riser at the main panel and another runs underground with UF to another pole and riser for that string.

The whole time I'm thinking underground... stray electrons from the Array? ...

Nothing plugged to them?

I like, get the Poco out there! Open up with; "After I hooked up my service...; I'm the electricain of record and it's your stuff, they'll be right over."

Fine, ask them to prove it's not their stuff, but alas someone knicked your stuff!

Good Luck!

 

[pjholguin]

Where did you get the rest of the story information? What else
has been left out?

The rest of the story



The whole time I'm thinking underground... stray electrons from the Array? ... [/COLOR]

Nothing plugged to them?

I like, get the Poco out there! Open up with; "After I hooked up my service...; I'm the electricain of record and it's your stuff, they'll be right over."

Fine, ask them to prove it's not their stuff, but alas someone knicked your stuff!

Good Luck!

 

[kwired]

Where did you get the rest of the story information? What else
has been left out?

Got me somewhat confused as well. I do agree the OP first made it sound like he had a service with just the two receptacles being the only outlets connected to it, then later adds there are other circuits supplied from that service, so maybe we are not so clear on just what is there.

 

[Knuckle Dragger]

This whole process must be very time consuming. If practical, have you tried clearing all the other loads/ connections, disconnect them from the panel and just isolate to the two GFCI branch circuits.

 

[electric_cal]

Just a thought, based upon your mentioning the other loads. Have you tried moving the two 20 amp breakers involved? If possible, I would locate the breakers to the top of the load center and move the other breakers to positions beneath them.

 

[p real]

hmmm...

hmmm...

How about replacing the gfi receps with normal WR ones and replace the breakers at the panel with gfci breakers. This may allow you to further isolate the source of the problem.

 

[readydave8]

Just a thought, based upon your mentioning the other loads. Have you tried moving the two 20 amp breakers involved? If possible, I would locate the breakers to the top of the load center and move the other breakers to positions beneath them.

Have you solved similiar tripping problems this way?

 

[ActionDave]

There has been talk of testing voltages but no mention of any load applied.

Yank the GFI's, put in plain recets and put a decent load on the service. What happens when you test voltage then?