Free Videos · Code in the Field
Why is my GFCI tripping or not working?
A GFCI that keeps tripping is usually doing its job. One that won't reset or has no power is usually wired wrong or tripped somewhere else. Here's how to track it down.
The breakdown, in plain English
- Keeps tripping: unplug everything downstream and reset. If it holds, plug things back in one at a time to find the leaky appliance or tool.
- Outdoor and garage receptacles: water in the box is a top cause. Check for a proper in-use (bubble) cover.
- Shared or borrowed neutrals will trip a GFCI. The neutral on the load side has to belong to that same circuit.
- A neutral touching a ground or a metal box downstream will trip it too.
- Won't reset: check that line and load aren't swapped, and that there's power on the line terminals.
- Dead receptacles nearby: look for another GFCI upstream that tripped, often in a garage, bathroom or outside.
- Hit the test button monthly. If it won't trip or won't reset, replace it.
Codes to look up
NEC 210.8
Lists where GFCI protection is required in homes and other buildings.
NEC 406.4(D)(3)
When you replace a receptacle in a spot that now needs GFCI, the replacement has to be GFCI protected.
These are plain-English summaries, not the code's exact wording. Always check the full section in the NEC edition your area has adopted, plus local amendments.
Find it faster on test day
Get a code book that's already tabbed and highlighted.
On an open-book exam, speed wins. Every book is tabbed and highlighted by hand so you can flip straight to sections like these.
