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    widgekit's Avatar
    widgekit Posts: 1, Reputation: 1
    New Member
    		  
    #1

    Jul 5, 2011, 05:00 PM
    GFCI outlet will not set
    I installed a new gfci outlet on the exterior of my house. I picked up the hot line and the neutral from an indoor switch box that has one switch for the outdoor light and a 3 way switch for the basement lights.
    donf's Avatar
    donf Posts: 5,679, Reputation: 582
    Printers & Electronics Expert
    		  
    #2

    Jul 5, 2011, 05:16 PM

    To begin with, switches do not use Neutral, they are for hot wires only.

    With the advent of the 2011 NEC, a Neutral is required to be present in a switch box for speciality switches that might require a Neutral conductor.

    The presence of a White or Gray conductor connected to a switch is fairly normal. However, there should be a permanent marking on this wire to signify that it is being used as a hot conductor to carry power to a switch, only.

    So I question how you got "Neutral" to your GFCI receptacle.
    Stratmando's Avatar
    Stratmando Posts: 11,188, Reputation: 508
    Uber Member
    		  
    #3

    Jul 5, 2011, 07:03 PM

    Donf, I believe he says hot and neutral come from switch______box, not switch.
    Widgekit, remove anything on the load side first and test, Anything on the load side has to be equally taken off the load side, You can't use a hot from the load side and a neutral from another circuit, if hot and neutral do not have the same load, it will trip.
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