However, some jobs are so complex that it’s worth calling a professional. To save time and money, you can try to troubleshoot the problem on your own. However, as an integral piece to the safety of your home, you must fix the problem right away when you notice a malfunctioning GFCI outlet.Ĭontact 4Front Energy For A FREE Electrical Inspection! It’s a common problem to have GFCI outlets break. They can also check out your electrical panel, breaker, and electrical code to ensure no additional issues. In these cases, you can call a qualified electrician for troubleshooting and repairs. If the GFCI trips every time you reset it, there could be a ground fault along the branch circuit. Sometimes ground faults are the reason why your outlet won’t reset. Identify line wires and connect new wires. Remove insulation so that 3/4-inch of the copper conductor is showing. (It’s important to always wear rubber shoes and use tools with rubber handles when working with anything electrical).ĭisconnect wires from the existing outlet. Verify the power is off using a voltage tester. Turn off power to your circuit breaker or fuse. Luckily, it’s easy enough to reinstall the correct one. If you live in an old home, your GFCI may have been installed incorrectly. As a result, many receptacles have inefficient, improper wiring. During the 1980s, GFCI receptacles were far more expensive than they are today, and as a result, builders would only place one GFCI receptacle in the home to protect all of the downstream receptacles. GFCI Outlet Incorrectly InstalledĪ likely reason for your outlet not resetting is that the entire outlet was incorrectly wired. When it has dried, you can try resetting the button. Once you reset the outlet and it still doesn’t reset, moisture buildup in the wiring or outlet may be the culprit. If you test and reset your GFCI outlet, but it still won’t stay reset, a good idea is to check the breaker box to make sure the circuit breaker hasn’t tripped. When this happens, purchase a new outlet and have it professionally installed. If you find no other tripped GFCIs and the outlet is past ten years old, you may need to replace that one GFCI outlet altogether. Usually, GFCI outlets last between ten and fifteen years. GFCI Outlet Has Gone BadĮverything has a lifespan, including GFCI outlets. If that doesn’t work, you may want to call an electrician to troubleshoot the problem. To fix this, turn the main breaker on and off again. A good way to tell if this is the problem is by seeing that the reset button has popped out, but other plugged-in devices still work. In rare cases, the circuit interrupter may be defective. In these cases, you may have reversed line and load. What does this mean? Even if you hit the reset button on your outlet, it still will not work. If there is no power supply to the receptacle, then power can not reach your GFCI outlets. However, if you remove the outlet and see loose wires beyond repair, you may need to install a new outlet altogether. Make sure to wear rubber shoes and gloves and use rubber tools when working with anything electric. To figure out if this is an issue, you must remove the outlet from the box and search for loose connections. Sometimes if your GFCI won’t reset, the problem may be as simple as some loose parts not establishing a good connection. If your GFCI breaker does not reset, this could mean a more resounding problem for your outlet. When the outlet’s breaker trips, you must reset it to restore the electrical current to the outlet. However, when they stop working, it can be challenging to understand what went wrong. The GFCIs’ purpose is to sense any leaks in the electrical current and shut down the circuit before you have an accident. If you’re having electrical issues and your GFCI outlet won’t reset, you’ve come to the right place.Īs your friendly neighborhood electrician, we’ve listed some common reasons why a GFCI won’t reset and how homeowners like you can troubleshoot a dead outlet while still being safe and cautious.Ī GFCI, or a ground fault circuit interrupter, is an excellent tool that protects you and your loved ones from nasty electrical shocks. 6 Common Reasons Your GFCI Outlet Won’t Reset (And How To Fix It)
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