Ask Experts Questions for FREE Help !
Ask
    dvolkena's Avatar
    dvolkena Posts: 7, Reputation: 1
    New Member
    		  
    #1

    Mar 31, 2013, 09:52 AM
    Fried gfi
    One of the GFIs in my kitchen is fried and the 3 connected outlets also do not work. The only time I use the outlets are with a toaster and occasionally a handheld electric mixer, and neither of them seem to be defective. Nothing was out of the ordinary, other than a brief thunderstorm early one morning, but I don't recall hearing any extremely close thunder. What would have caused this to happen? Should I be concerned about a bigger issue? I rent my home and I don't want to bother the homeowner if it is something minor. Thank you!
    hkstroud's Avatar
    hkstroud Posts: 11,929, Reputation: 899
    Home Improvement & Construction Expert
    		  
    #2

    Mar 31, 2013, 09:54 AM
    Did you try pressing the reset button? Did you try reseting the breaker?
    stanfortyman's Avatar
    stanfortyman Posts: 5,598, Reputation: 279
    Electrical & Lighting Expert
    		  
    #3

    Mar 31, 2013, 09:56 AM
    Bother the owner. It is their job. They make money off you and sometimes they need to spend some of that money to fix problems.
    This is one of those times.
    dvolkena's Avatar
    dvolkena Posts: 7, Reputation: 1
    New Member
    		  
    #4

    Mar 31, 2013, 09:58 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by hkstroud View Post
    Did you try pressing the reset button?
    The buttons wouldn't move at all but the receptacle seemed loose, which I had never noticed before. When I took the cover off there was black soot on the left side of a little metal contact.
    dvolkena's Avatar
    dvolkena Posts: 7, Reputation: 1
    New Member
    		  
    #5

    Mar 31, 2013, 10:04 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by hkstroud View Post
    Did you try pressing the reset button? Did you try reseting the breaker?
    And I reset the breaker when I first noticed one of the outlets wasn't working, but before I noticed the GFI was fried.
    hkstroud's Avatar
    hkstroud Posts: 11,929, Reputation: 899
    Home Improvement & Construction Expert
    		  
    #6

    Mar 31, 2013, 10:43 AM
    Is receptacle in metal box and if so is metal box grounded?
    dvolkena's Avatar
    dvolkena Posts: 7, Reputation: 1
    New Member
    		  
    #7

    Mar 31, 2013, 10:55 AM
    No, it is a gray plastic box.
    hkstroud's Avatar
    hkstroud Posts: 11,929, Reputation: 899
    Home Improvement & Construction Expert
    		  
    #8

    Mar 31, 2013, 11:22 AM
    black soot on the left side
    That's on the side with the white wire, right?

    Make sure wire it tight under the screw.
    dvolkena's Avatar
    dvolkena Posts: 7, Reputation: 1
    New Member
    		  
    #9

    Mar 31, 2013, 12:01 PM
    Yes, the white wires are on the left side.

    All the wires are tight, including the grounding wire.

    Can I just go buy and install a new GFI outlet? Or should I know what caused this first?
    hkstroud's Avatar
    hkstroud Posts: 11,929, Reputation: 899
    Home Improvement & Construction Expert
    		  
    #10

    Mar 31, 2013, 12:21 PM
    Turn off breaker, remove outlet from box, look for black wire that might have come loose and contacted white or ground.

    Was outlet in use or were you plugging or unplugging an appliance when this happened?
    dvolkena's Avatar
    dvolkena Posts: 7, Reputation: 1
    New Member
    		  
    #11

    Mar 31, 2013, 12:58 PM
    All the wires are still tight. I do not know when it happened. I only use the toaster on a regular basis on this circuit, and the last time was 2 days ago.
    stanfortyman's Avatar
    stanfortyman Posts: 5,598, Reputation: 279
    Electrical & Lighting Expert
    		  
    #12

    Mar 31, 2013, 03:38 PM
    Can I just go buy and install a new GFI outlet?
    No. You shouldn't be touching anything electrical in a house that your rent.

    CALL THE LANDLORD.
    hkstroud's Avatar
    hkstroud Posts: 11,929, Reputation: 899
    Home Improvement & Construction Expert
    		  
    #13

    Mar 31, 2013, 05:38 PM
    Stan is correct, you have done as much as you should. All indications are that this is the result of a voltage spike. Call the landlord for repairs.
    dvolkena's Avatar
    dvolkena Posts: 7, Reputation: 1
    New Member
    		  
    #14

    Mar 31, 2013, 05:52 PM
    You are both right. Thanks for your help.
Not your question? Ask your question View similar questions
 

Question Tools Search this Question
Search this Question:

Advanced Search

Add your answer here.


Check out some similar questions!

Can hook up a 110v gfi breaker of one leg ogf a 220v 50 gfi [ 3 Answers ]

I have a 50 amp 220 v gfi hooked up to my hot tub, I ran a 110 v 10 amp gfi off one leg for the underwater light just for extra safety, is this safe to do? I have heard on TV that you can not run 1 gfi off another. Or is this just pertaining ti wall outlets?

Outlets on my GFI don't work but GFI is working [ 7 Answers ]

I have one plug in the garage and one out door plug that are not working. I have reset my GFI plug and the GFI plug is working however the other two plugs are still not working. Should I replace both plugs or is there something else going on? The GFI outlet itself has power. The test and reset...

OK to replace a 20A GFI with a 15A GFI? [ 1 Answers ]

I have two GFI outlets in my kitchen. I am replacing them w/another color. The new color are only available in 15A, while the ones I am replacing are 20A. The only thing I plug into them are toasters, coffee pots, and mixers... not sure if the lower amp has anything to do with the ground fault...

Two Single Pole GFI's = one Double Pole 220v GFI? [ 6 Answers ]

Hello there, Installing a pool motor, 220v hayward northstar two speed. Could not find a double pole 40 amp GFI, electric supply store recommended two single pole 20A GFI's sharing a neutral? Does this make sense. I have a 40amp double pole in the main feeding the sub via the sub panel...

Help I Think Something Has Been Fried [ 1 Answers ]

Hi Right My PC has been died. Right, a few days ago we tried to boot it up and it would come on, but the Hard drive would not boot. If it did boot then the computer would freeze up. Then one day it just stopped working. So we changed the power supply. Now the computer is getting power, the...

View more questions Search