GFCI receptacle on my wall; what can I do with it?

[kencombs]

It's so your wife can't plug in a toaster, and throw it in the tub with you to collect the life insurance money.

Just hope she doesn't know about extensions cords from another room!

 

[Caryc]

What can you do with it? Stick a plug in it.

 

[DMartin9N-2N]

Have you pushed the little reset button on the GFCI in question?

Good evening, DoubleO7 and others: apparently the reset was not easy to push for the current residents. I tried, it did nothing, and finally I used the tip of a screwdriver to press the reset. That worked, it reset, and everyone is happy!!

 

[MarkB_MI]

Good evening, DoubleO7 and others: apparently the reset was not easy to push for the current residents. I tried, it did nothing, and finally I used the tip of a screwdriver to press the reset. That worked, it reset, and everyone is happy!!

Replace it. While you're at the store, buy a GFCI outlet tester so you can be sure you wired it correctly. I once found a GFCI outlet that was miswired three different ways: Wrong polarity, input and output reversed and no ground.

The last GFCI outlets I bought had an end-of-life indicator, so it seems the manufacturer wants you to replace them every few years.

 

[John T]

Good evening, DoubleO7 and others: apparently the reset was not easy to push for the current residents. I tried, it did nothing, and finally I used the tip of a screwdriver to press the reset. That worked, it reset, and everyone is happy!!

Hi again DM, I have observed, especially with cheaper GFCI receptacles, when they become difficult to reset, a new unit may be the way to go. That being said if its now working properly (proven by testing) you can get by in the meantime. However with something so critical especially that could save your life my best professional advice if there's any reason for doubt whatsoever is to replace it with a new quality (correctly wired) unit which is easy and not expensive.
Thanks for the update best wishes and Happy New Year

John T Headed to Lake Okeechobee Florida in the RV will go to bed tonight before 10 PM lol

 

[Smalltowner]

One thing to be aware of: A GFCI can provide power to other outlets. Although the downstream outlets are usually in the same room (e.g. kitchen or bathroom), it's not uncommon to have an outlet in one room getting power from a GFCI in a different room. Or even an outside outlet powered by a GFCI in a bathroom. You'll think you've got a bad outlet when it's only a tripped GFCI in a different room.

And exterior Christmas lights are notorious for tripping gfci exterior outlets, especially in rain.

 

[John T]

And exterior Christmas lights are notorious for tripping gfci exterior outlets, especially in rain.

Indeed in addition to bath and kitchen sink fixtures etc outdoor receptacles require gfci protection as well as garages and pole buildings with dirt or. Concrete floors and a few other circumstances. John T

 

[Factotum]

I had a client who had some problems with a bathroom light not working. The lights were wired to the protected load on the gfci. At some point, like weeks before my visit, the lights stopped working. The gfci tripped at some point, possibly during a power outage event, and they didn't think to check the gfci in the bathroom. I removed the lighting from the protected portion since the lights are above the vanity and safe enough. LOL