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Outdoor Christmas Lights Tripping GFCI In Rain... Help
Posted on 12/13/20 at 9:26 pm
Posted on 12/13/20 at 9:26 pm
My Christmas lights are tripping the GFCI... but only when it rains. I know that there has to be water getting in somewhere....
Is there an easy or quick way to find it, or is it just a connection by connection thing? I thought I had it narrowed down to one side... then that side tripped it, but when I plugged the other side in (the side that WAS tripping it), it's staying on. So much for narrowing it down.
Any tips on how to prevent it?
Same lights as always... same basic setup as last several years... they've never tripped before.
Is there an easy or quick way to find it, or is it just a connection by connection thing? I thought I had it narrowed down to one side... then that side tripped it, but when I plugged the other side in (the side that WAS tripping it), it's staying on. So much for narrowing it down.
Any tips on how to prevent it?
Same lights as always... same basic setup as last several years... they've never tripped before.
This post was edited on 12/13/20 at 9:29 pm
8
Posted on 12/13/20 at 10:00 pm to SSpaniel
Probably a corrosion issue as much as a water intrusion issue. Outdoor outlets that aren't weather rated only last so long. Flip the breaker, pull the cover and outlet and if it looks rough replace them. New cover and weather/tamper resistant GFCI outlet is under $20.
Posted on 12/13/20 at 10:06 pm to Clames
Thanks!
Posted on 12/13/20 at 10:23 pm to SSpaniel
The only time this ever happened to me the female side of the plug was facing up and collecting water. I've started putting a piece of electrical tape over any unused female ends and haven't had an issue again.
Posted on 12/13/20 at 11:07 pm to SSpaniel
Do you use staples anywhere? A staple through the wire will cause this. Also, electrical tape over female ends and any connections made (lights to extension cords, cords to cords) on the ground you could put in a ziplock bag to keep water out.
Posted on 12/14/20 at 7:27 am to SSpaniel
They aren't tripping the GFCI just b/c they are wet.
They are tripping the GFCI b/c you have outlets that are on the ground, as well as being wet, which is allowing a path of electricity to go to the earth.
Can't resolve it unless you get those connections off the ground.
oh and don't just keep resetting your breaker. I literally melted my GFCI outlet a few years back when this exact thing was happening to me.
They are tripping the GFCI b/c you have outlets that are on the ground, as well as being wet, which is allowing a path of electricity to go to the earth.
Can't resolve it unless you get those connections off the ground.
oh and don't just keep resetting your breaker. I literally melted my GFCI outlet a few years back when this exact thing was happening to me.
Posted on 12/14/20 at 9:26 am to SSpaniel
Wrap you plug connections in electrical tape.
Posted on 12/14/20 at 9:57 am to Major Dutch Schaefer
quote:
Wrap you plug connections in electrical tape.
That's what I plan on doing when I get home this afternoon. Turned them on this morning and they all worked fine. Of course, it's not raining.
Posted on 12/14/20 at 12:06 pm to SSpaniel
They make a weatherproof cover that may help you as well, specifically to fit the male and female on Christmas lights. If you have plugs sitting on the ground I bet that would take care of the issue.
Posted on 12/14/20 at 2:36 pm to BeerThirty
quote:
They make a weatherproof cover that may help you as well, specifically to fit the male and female on Christmas lights. If you have plugs sitting on the ground I bet that would take care of the issue.
I'll look into them. Right now, my plan is to wrap connections when I get home. The closer it comes, though, I will admit to looking at the weather to see if it's supposed to rain between now and Christmas. There's really no great chance. I would be lying if I didn't think to myself... "It's really NOT supposed to rain... and they work when it's not raining..."
Posted on 12/15/20 at 8:55 am to TigerBandTuba
quote:
The only time this ever happened to me the female side of the plug was facing up and collecting water. I've started putting a piece of electrical tape over any unused female ends and haven't had an issue again.
I went beyond this and electrical taped every termination and connection through the whole rig. So far, no trips this year. Last year I had OP's problem.
Posted on 12/15/20 at 10:13 am to deeprig9
Everything's taped up now. Of course, now it won't rain between now and when I take them down and I'll have to untape them all.
Posted on 12/16/20 at 8:56 am to SSpaniel
quote:
Of course, now it won't rain between now and when I take them down
Please, please, please let this happen so I can play some golf over the next few weeks.
Posted on 12/18/20 at 3:06 pm to SSpaniel
delete
This post was edited on 1/11/21 at 11:44 am
Posted on 12/20/20 at 7:04 am to SSpaniel
Have you gotten any rain since you taped them up? If so, how’d they do?
Posted on 12/20/20 at 11:21 am to SSpaniel
I always squirt some dielectric grease into all female ends and then tape every plug with black or green super 33 electric tape. Don't use the cheap kind from harbor freight or other stores as it doesn't last in the elements. Using this method, I've never had gfci or breaker trip, and I don't have plastic bags on my gutters or in my garden.
Posted on 12/20/20 at 4:12 pm to SSpaniel
I used to have the same problem with my fuse getting tripped but figured out a solution
This post was edited on 12/20/20 at 4:13 pm
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