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ddhiggi
May 7, 2011, 04:17 PM
How do you wire a GFI in the middle of a run. There's only 2 2-wire's coming in. There's the hot pair and a pair with nothing on it going to a double light switch. I wired black's to brass and whites to silver. The light for the GFI comes on like its working but my test toaster won't work. The toaster does work on the next GFI. The light switch is a double one for the kitchen lights and the other is a 3-way going into the livingroom. Leaving it as it is everything works except for the one GFI.

donf
May 7, 2011, 04:25 PM
Okay, lets start with some information from you, please.

If you are placing the GFCI receptacle into the middle of a circuit, there should be at least four conductor and two bare ground inside the box. The two hot conductors would go to the line side of the GFCI receptacle. The other two would either be placed on the load side of the GFCI receptacle to continue the GFCI protection to the remainder of the downstream circuit or pigtailed to the Line Side conductors to protect only the GFCI receptacle. What did you intend to do?

Why did you decide to place a GFCI receptacle into the circuit?

What did the GFCI receptacle replace?

What is the amperage of the circuit you replace the GFCI on?

What does that circuit service?

I understand the feed to the receptacle, but the two wires to the switch also need to be explained.

Under normal conditions I would expect this feed to do either of two things. (1) supply feed voltage to the switches and a pass through Neutral to a fixture.

Or (2), be part of a circuit that controls the top receptacle.

What are the two switches on the wall supposed to control?

Help us out a little, please.

ddhiggi
May 7, 2011, 04:46 PM
One of the black wires was hot and I wired that to the brass screw. The other black I put on the same brass screw (on the back of the GFI). The two white wires I wired to the silver screws. I am actually
Replacing a GFI that has never worked since the kitchen was first installed. The GFI replaced an existing
GFI. The AMP's on this circuit is 30. This circuit services 2 light switches and 3 plugs. The two switches control the kitchen light and the living room light.

donf
May 7, 2011, 05:01 PM
Not to ask a silly question, but why in the world are you powering receptacles and lighting with a 30 amp circuit?

To begin with, that would mean that the cable size would have to be 10/2 AWG (Copper) or 8/2 AWG (Aluminum).

Generally speaking, lighting and general use receptacles are placed on 15 amp circuits and use 14/2 AWG Copper cable or 12/2 AWG Aluminum.

If the circuit feed is 30 amp and you are using the smaller sized cable, then you have both a electrical code violation and a fire hazard.

It is required that kitchen counter top receptacles be on a minimum of 2 separate 20 amp circuits. They do not service anything else.

Just curious, how old is this residence?

ddhiggi
May 7, 2011, 05:21 PM
The house is 60 years old. The wiring has obviously been updated but I don't know when. I do know that the east wall plugs and the west wall plugs are on separate circuits. I'll change out the breaker to a 15Amp. The wire is 14/2. That's about all I know without taking it apart.

ma0641
May 7, 2011, 06:09 PM
If there is 14/2 you better take out the 30AmP or your house may become the "test toaster".

ddhiggi
May 7, 2011, 06:13 PM
OK, thanks!

Kyle_in_rure
May 8, 2011, 03:25 PM
"One of the black wires was hot and I wired that to the brass screw. the other black I put on the same brass screw (on the back of the GFI)" Are you using backwiring here or wiring strictly to screws? If you have one wire under the screw and one in the back (on the same screw) then this could cause a line/load problem, depending on which it is on.

ddhiggi
May 8, 2011, 03:39 PM
I changed out the breaker to a 15Amp and I did the stare and compare with the GFI in the line up before
My bad one and the hot 14/2 pair was wired on the bottom Brass/silver screws as well as the 14/2 going
Out. I moved my wires down to the bottom set (as they were wired on the top two) brass/silver and it
Works great. I didn't think it would make a difference but I guess it does.

ma0641
May 8, 2011, 04:58 PM
Basically you ran the 2 GF's on the line side. If I read the post properly, you previously had one GF running off the load side of another GF and without a neutral specific to the circuit they won't work that way.

Kyle_in_rure
May 8, 2011, 07:15 PM
Glad you were successful! (and changed the breaker)

ddhiggi
May 8, 2011, 07:39 PM
Thanks for your help.