So in the kitchen of the new house there was one plug that didnt work. Well finally getting around to checking into it, and that plug, the fridge plug, and the kitchen GFI plug doesnt reset.

 

Are there any BGP electricians out there? I am assuming the GFI plug is bad and needs replaced and will fix the issue. Other thoughts.

 

 

I dont mess with electric at all in any form.

So in the kitchen of the new house there was one plug that didnt work. Well finally getting around to checking into it, and that plug, the fridge plug, and the kitchen GFI plug doesnt reset.

 

Are there any BGP electricians out there? I am assuming the GFI plug is bad and needs replaced and will fix the issue. Other thoughts.

 

 

I dont mess with electric at all in any form.

 

First off, I'm no electrician....but I know enough to be dangerous. You could have one of at least a couple of things going on here:

 

1) All of the outlets may be "daisy chained" together in line, starting with the GFI outlet. That means if the GFI is set off, it would cut the electric off to not only itself, but it would also cut off electric "down the chain" to any of the additional outlets connected to it. If this is the case, replacing the GFI would make all of the other outlets function again. However, it's always a pretty good idea to have your fridge wired to a dedicated outlet if there's any way of doing so - meaning the refrigerator outlet is the only thing on that entire circuit and breaker. Given the amount of amperage the fridge can pull, it's always best (but not absolutely necessary) to have it on its own circuit.

2) You could have a bad circuit breaker. It may just be one bad breaker that all of those outlets are pulling off of, or you could possibly have a couple.

Tom Baynum. Premier electric. Did some work for me. He's a great guy and did a fantastic job. 859-393-5235.

Ahkums razor...simplest explanation is probably the correct one, start there. Probably a bad GFCI outlet, those things actually have a high failure rate out of the box, especially if it's a fairly cheap one. Replace it and see what happens, I'd bet that corrects your problem. If not, may want to contact an electrician at that point, but you won't be out more than a few dollars.

So in the kitchen of the new house there was one plug that didnt work. Well finally getting around to checking into it, and that plug, the fridge plug, and the kitchen GFI plug doesnt reset.

 

Are there any BGP electricians out there? I am assuming the GFI plug is bad and needs replaced and will fix the issue. Other thoughts.

 

 

I dont mess with electric at all in any form.

 

The GFI won't reset, or the breaker won't reset?

 

Unplug everything that is plugged into an outlet that doesn't work. Try to reset it. If it resets then the plugs are ok. Start plugging things in one at a time until it trips. Whatever trips it is your problem.

 

If it doesn't work. Turn off the circuit breaker, and verify no power at the plug. If the circuit breaker is not turned off then you are still hot, you're just not passing power through the GFI plug.

 

Once you've verified no power, unwire the old plug and wire the new plug exactly the same.

The GFI won't reset, or the breaker won't reset?

 

Unplug everything that is plugged into an outlet that doesn't work. Try to reset it. If it resets then the plugs are ok. Start plugging things in one at a time until it trips. Whatever trips it is your problem.

 

If it doesn't work. Turn off the circuit breaker, and verify no power at the plug. If the circuit breaker is not turned off then you are still hot, you're just not passing power through the GFI plug.

 

Once you've verified no power, unwire the old plug and wire the new plug exactly the same.

 

I have no power to start with. The GFI wont reset, doesnt pop and the red light doesnt come on. Nothing on that half of the kitchen works. (there is nothing to plug into the plugs yet, we dont have appliances or anything. I was using my phone charger to test the plugs.)

I have no power to start with. The GFI wont reset, doesnt pop and the red light doesnt come on. Nothing on that half of the kitchen works. (there is nothing to plug into the plugs yet, we dont have appliances or anything. I was using my phone charger to test the plugs.)

 

Get you a voltage detector. You can grab one for about $10 at the store, and it's a nice little tool to have.

Turn the power off and pull out the GFCI outlet from the box. You don't have to turn it off, but it's a good idea. Turn the power back on, and check to see if you have power coming to the GFCI using the voltage detector. If so, you have a bad outlet. If not, you have a bad breaker.

 

The GFCI outlet will protect about 4 downline outlets. Therefore, replacing it may fix your outlets down the line.

 

The fridge should not be on a GFCI protected line. However, if someone remodeled your kitchen, it may be on that line.

If I am not mistaken, the refrigerator must be on its own dedicated circuit.

 

 

You need to find out if you are getting power to the GFCI, obviously if not, the problem is between there and the circuit breaker.

If I am not mistaken, the refrigerator must be on its own dedicated circuit.

 

It's certainly a good idea, but unless it's part of an updated code that I'm unaware of, I don't think it HAS to be on it's own circuit.

FYI - our refrigerator was not on it's own circuit. The issue was with wiring on the front porch (which is off the kitchen). I don't know how old your house is. We were lucky to have family members who were able to fix the problem and also replace the outlet to the refrigerator. We told them if you think we need an electrician - just say the word. Good luck.

If GFCI will not reset and will not even get into position to immediately pop. i.e. light is not on, never on that could be these things:

 

a) circuit breaker is tripped at box. These are hard to see somethings. Check all the breakers by pushing them. If one is popped it will be mushy and need to be moved back and forth.

b) the circuit is wired wrong. GFCIs can detect mis-wired circuits and just will not activate.

c) GFCI is bad.

 

Sometimes the GFCI is in the breaker panel (those are expensive breakers). If so then the GFCI plug is not needed on that circuit and I know you are not supposed to have two on the same circuit but not sure what happens if you do.

 

I thought latest code requires all plugs in kitchens and baths to be GFCI protected either in the panel or at the first plug. Not sure if that applies to fridge plug, but with water going to automatic ice maker and usually near the plug it seems it would.

Its not the plug GFI plug it self. This house has 2 kitchens so I check downstairs and that plug was working, so I spapped the plugs and up stairs still doesn work (but the plug that was upstairs worked down stairs)

 

So I guess I need to replace the breaker right? Its a 20 amp breaker marked (kitchen GFI)

You said "new house", is it new construction or just new to you?

 

You probably have a bad breaker but could be an issue in a junction, especially if it is new construction.

You said "new house", is it new construction or just new to you?

 

You probably have a bad breaker but could be an issue in a junction, especially if it is new construction.

 

New to me, House was built in 2004.

 

 

 

Are the breakers specific to the brand of box you have. The panel box is Siemens.

Yes they are brand specific, and made to work with a certain panel. There may be a few exceptions, but that is the rule.

 

Make sure to write down the info on the panel before you go shopping for a breaker. Look on the inside of the panel door or on one of the breakers for the type you will need.