GFI's :rolleyes:

[Floppy Hat]

I'm sure the person who invented ground fault circuit interrupter outlets meant well and they have probably saved me from a nasty shock more than once. But, they sure can get on your nerves.

About 9:30 last night, I'm working in the garage and plug a drop light into the same outlet my freezer is plugged into. This is a non-GFI outlet. Well, the light won't work and I am in a state of panic because I figure my two year supply of meat is ruined. My fears are calmed when I discover everything is still solidly frozen.

After spending an hour checking breakers and trying to figure out why this is the only outlet in the garage that won't work... My wife informs me that our 20-month old pressed the test button on the GFI outlet in the bathroom. Upon reseting the GFI, the freezer and droplight kick into action.

Maybe my anger should be focused on the idiot who wired my house. Never buy a home from an amateur electrican.

 

[muleskinner]

I'm sure the person who invented ground fault circuit interrupter outlets meant well and they have probably saved me from a nasty shock more than once. But, they sure can get on your nerves.

About 9:30 last night, I'm working in the garage and plug a drop light into the same outlet my freezer is plugged into. This is a non-GFI outlet. Well, the light won't work and I am in a state of panic because I figure my two year supply of meat is ruined. My fears are calmed when I discover everything is still solidly frozen.

After spending an hour checking breakers and trying to figure out why this is the only outlet in the garage that won't work... My wife informs me that our 20-month old pressed the test button on the GFI outlet in the bathroom. Upon reseting the GFI, the freezer and droplight kick into action.

Maybe my anger should be focused on the idiot who wired my house. Never buy a home from an amateur electrican.

That’s actually quite common. Frustrating, but common.

 

[Floppy Hat]

The more frustrating part was that our bathroom is located on the opposite side of our house from the garage.

 

[richpblaze]

Thats hilarious

I had the same problem once, even broke out the ohm meter and still couldn't
figure it out until the wife needed the blow dryer ( bathrooms upstairs ) Glad to here some one else had the same problem. :greg::greg:

 

[projektdotnet]

Can't remember who's house it was but they had a rather large garage and was done the same way. I was working with a drill on one end and 3 cars and about a miles worth of tools later I got to the one that needed to be reset PITA

 

[I Lean]

I've been told you shouldn't plug a freezer into a garage outlet, cuz they're connected to the GFI circuitry. (unless you've put in other outlets...) I guess it's an easy way to spoil a bunch of frozen foods.

Guess this confirms that rumor.

 

[bobmed]

The way they wire it is so one GFI controls the outlets downstream on the same circuit so its a PITA to tell what happened unless you know it's in the line. My new breaker box has 40 breakers so everything gets it's own circuit.
Now I just need to increase the 60 amp main service to 200 amp.
It's fun living in 100 year old houses.