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Posted by on June 23, 2006, 10:13 am
Hello all!
We recently closed on a house build in the late 1940s. We started
renovations by tearing out the kitchen cabinets and walls. We're down
to studs basically.
I'm doing some rewiring work, and decided to replace one outlet in the
kitchen with a GFCI. I have the hot and neutral from the circuit
breaker hooked up to "LINE", along with the ground hooked up to its
appropriate spot. When I flip the breaker back on to activate the
line, the outlet is active with no problems. The "LOAD" of the GFCI is
hooked up to four items:
1) another outlet
2) kitchen light/vent hood
3) kitchen ceiling fan/light fixture
4) dining room ceiling fan/light fixture
I think the wiring scheme is something like this:
GFCI--------->Outlet------->Kitchen light/vent hood
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Kitchen light fixture/fan-------->Den light fixture/fan
The circuit in the breaker panel to which it is hooked up to is 20A,
while I believe the GFCI is 15A.
So here's the problem:
When I wire everything up and flip the breaker on the GFCI becomes
active. If, however, I flip on the kitchen light fixture/fan or the
den light fixture/fan the GFCI trips off immediately. If I don't turn
on the kitchen light/fan fixture or den light/fan fixture the GFCI
works just fine, and the downstream outlet functions without a problem
along with the vent/hood.
So why is this tripping occuring when I turn on either fan?
My guesses:
1) The wiring in the house is as old as dirt. The electrical wires
are the cloth-like sheathed wires, and the sheathing is essentially
crumbling apart as I work with it. Perhaps there is a ground-fault
occuring where the wire is either worn or crumbling. Replace the wires
on the load end leading to the fans and problem is solved.
2) I need a 20A GFCI
The ceiling fixtures were wired right in with the outlet before
replacing it with a GFCI, so they worked without a problem before
replacing the outlet with a GFCI.
My concern is that if there is a ground fault, I need to remedy the
situation immediately, and not hook it right up to the active line
again.
Any guesses? Should ceiling fans not be hooked up to the load end of a
GFCI? Are they drawing too many amps? Is the wiring likely the cause?
Thanks for your help!
--BQS
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Posted by Speedy Jim on June 23, 2006, 10:36 am
billsmithenator@gmail.com wrote:
> Hello all!
>
> We recently closed on a house build in the late 1940s. We started
> renovations by tearing out the kitchen cabinets and walls. We're down
> to studs basically.
>
> I'm doing some rewiring work, and decided to replace one outlet in the
> kitchen with a GFCI.
<SNIP>
If you are gutting the kitchen, NOW is the time to completely
re-wire it. 2 20A circuits solely for the countertop recepts (GFI).
Separate lighting ckts, fridge, range hood, etc,
Even if you don't have space in the 1940 panel for all these ckts,
do the runs now; you won't get another opportunity.
Jim
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Posted by Sev on June 23, 2006, 11:42 am
Got to agree with Jim. If you're gutting the area, replace all that
bad old wiring. If insulation is crumbling, it's telling you
something. Might want to check out rest of house, too- I know- as
if you don't have enough to do already.
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Posted by Bud-- on June 23, 2006, 12:20 pm
Sev wrote:
> Got to agree with Jim. If you're gutting the area, replace all that
> bad old wiring. If insulation is crumbling, it's telling you
> something. Might want to check out rest of house, too- I know- as
> if you don't have enough to do already.
>
Also consider what other areas you can get at with the kitchen walls
open, like drilling up into the walls above the kitchen if 2 story. Or
if you want to get wires into the attic, drill up and drill down from
the attic.
bud--
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Posted by on June 23, 2006, 11:44 am
Speedy Jim wrote:
> billsmithenator@gmail.com wrote:
> > Hello all!
> >
> > We recently closed on a house build in the late 1940s. We started
> > renovations by tearing out the kitchen cabinets and walls. We're down
> > to studs basically.
> >
> > I'm doing some rewiring work, and decided to replace one outlet in the
> > kitchen with a GFCI.
>
> <SNIP>
>
> If you are gutting the kitchen, NOW is the time to completely
> re-wire it. 2 20A circuits solely for the countertop recepts (GFI).
> Separate lighting ckts, fridge, range hood, etc,
>
> Even if you don't have space in the 1940 panel for all these ckts,
> do the runs now; you won't get another opportunity.
>
> Jim
I agree if the wiring is in as bad shape as the OP says it is, then now
is the time to replace it. As for the GFCI tripping, has the
light/fan been pulled down to see how it's connected. Possible they
wired the neutral and ground together or similar. Or the fan could be
bad. If it's wired correctly, I'd try hooking it to the GFCI direct
with a new wire run and see what happens.
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