Outside GFI goes dead – not tripping
I have had a GFI across from my driveway for 4 years. It’s in conduit and rises off the froung 12 inches in a box. The box has no cover but it is covered.
Yesterday I noticed it was not working. I put a meter on and it had power so I replaced the GFI. Before tightening the GFI I had my wife throw the indoor switch and the GFI lit up.
Next I screwed the recepticle down tight and later that night it was dead again. It can not be reset, it’s just dead as before.
Any ideas? I am stumped. Later I will unscrew it and see what’s up, but now I am wondering if I am destroying these or what.
First, are the “LOAD” terminals being utilized? Is there, or is there not a ground wire in the outlet box being utilized ? I’m sure you have the “power wires” (120v) terminating at the “LINE” terminals, correct? If there is a bare ground wire attached to the ground terminal of your GFI, is it perhaps making intermittent contact with one of your screws? (can happen when you “shove” everything back in).
