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    lowboy17's Avatar
    lowboy17 Posts: 2, Reputation: 1
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    #1

    Feb 13, 2008, 06:22 AM
    GFI outlet issue
    I live in a new home and about a year after moving in, the GFI outlet in our bathroom stopped working. I am in the electrical trade so I do know how to wire components in a home. With that I replaced the faulty outlet about 3 months ago. When it is not being used nothing is plugged into it. I wired the new GFI exactly the same way as it was by the home builder and this morning with nothing plugged inito it, it started making a loud grinding noise followed by sparks and smoke. The outlet wasn't even in use at the time and the main feed breaker did not trip. Any idea what the problem could be?
    Stratmando's Avatar
    Stratmando Posts: 11,188, Reputation: 508
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    #2

    Feb 13, 2008, 06:35 AM
    May have gotten a defective GFI, Verify 120 volts in to GFI.
    The hot(black) goes to line Hot, Neutral(white) goes to line Neutral, also the problem could be on a receptacle "Protected" by the GFI. You will know this by having connections on the "Load"
    Side.
    lowboy17's Avatar
    lowboy17 Posts: 2, Reputation: 1
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    #3

    Feb 13, 2008, 12:20 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by Stratmando
    May have gotten a defective GFI, Verify 120 volts in to GFI.
    The hot goes to line Hot, Neutral goes to line Neutral, also the problem could be on a recepticle "Protected" by the GFI. You will know this by having connections on the "Load"
    Side.
    Thanks for answering, I think I found the problem. I removed the GFI and took it all apart and it looks like I have a cooked diode on the circuit board. Must have been a weak diode.
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