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GFCI questions

D

Dan Beck

Jan 1, 1970
0
Hello all,

I have an outdoor fountain, that uses a submerged electric pump to pump the
water. It has worked flawlessly (but not continuously) for two years; I
haven't done a thing to it. It is plugged into a GFCI outlet; this outlet
is in a service space built into the fountain, and this space is bone dry
inside. Today I was performing some routine maintenance on the fountain, no
where near the pump nor GFCI. I have the pump running while I am working,
and all of a sudden the pump quits. The GFCI button is out; I push it back
in, and then the pump fires back up. About 10 minutes later it quits again;
I go through this cycle a few more times. There is a second GFCI in the
service space; same behavior as the first one. Two questions come to mind:

1. What is the likelihood the GFCI is doing its job and protecting me from
a bad (shorted) pump? My guess would be high.

2. What is the likelihood both GFCI devices are flaky, and need to be
replaced? My guess would be low.

Thank you for any and all responses!

Regards,
Dan
 
C

Chuck

Jan 1, 1970
0
Dan said:
1. What is the likelihood the GFCI is doing its job and protecting me from
a bad (shorted) pump? My guess would be high.

2. What is the likelihood both GFCI devices are flaky, and need to be
replaced? My guess would be low.

I'd agree with your guesses, Dan. One
GFCI is for the pump. What is the other
for? Are the two in series?

What happens when you use the test
button the the GFCIs?

Chuck
 
J

Jasen

Jan 1, 1970
0
Hello all,

I have an outdoor fountain, that uses a submerged electric pump to pump the
water. It has worked flawlessly (but not continuously) for two years; I
haven't done a thing to it. It is plugged into a GFCI outlet; this outlet
is in a service space built into the fountain, and this space is bone dry
inside. Today I was performing some routine maintenance on the fountain, no
where near the pump nor GFCI. I have the pump running while I am working,
and all of a sudden the pump quits. The GFCI button is out; I push it back
in, and then the pump fires back up. About 10 minutes later it quits again;
I go through this cycle a few more times. There is a second GFCI in the
service space; same behavior as the first one. Two questions come to mind:

1. What is the likelihood the GFCI is doing its job and protecting me from
a bad (shorted) pump? My guess would be high.

2. What is the likelihood both GFCI devices are flaky, and need to be
replaced? My guess would be low.

It's probably the pump. use an extension cable to get a third opinion.

Bye.
Jasen
 
D

Doug Miller

Jan 1, 1970
0
Hello all,

I have an outdoor fountain, that uses a submerged electric pump to pump the
water. It has worked flawlessly (but not continuously) for two years; I
haven't done a thing to it. It is plugged into a GFCI outlet; this outlet
is in a service space built into the fountain, and this space is bone dry
inside. Today I was performing some routine maintenance on the fountain, no
where near the pump nor GFCI. I have the pump running while I am working,
and all of a sudden the pump quits. The GFCI button is out; I push it back
in, and then the pump fires back up. About 10 minutes later it quits again;
I go through this cycle a few more times. There is a second GFCI in the
service space; same behavior as the first one. Two questions come to mind:

1. What is the likelihood the GFCI is doing its job and protecting me from
a bad (shorted) pump? My guess would be high.

2. What is the likelihood both GFCI devices are flaky, and need to be
replaced? My guess would be low.

3. What is the likelihood that a common source of moisture is causing both
GFCIs to nuisance-trip? My guess would be highest of all, and the first thing
I'd be checking (assuming these are located outdoors) is the gasket on the
weatherproof cover.
 
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