The Mystery of the Dead Outlets
I get calls all the time like: My bathroom, outside or garage outlets stopped working.
Often, the GFCI is fine. The problem is that the GFCI protecting those outlets is elsewhere.
Back in the day, it was common to protect multiple downstream outlets with ONE GFCI. So, when it trips, it can look like a bunch of random outlets quit all at once.
Where to check
- Bathrooms (even the one you never use)
- Garage
- Basement
- Exterior outlets
- Laundry/utility area
- Near your electrical panel (sometimes a GFCI breaker, sometimes an outlet right next to or under the panel)
If it keeps tripping after you reset it, check what was plugged in.
Common culprits
- Older refrigerators/freezers (garage fridge is a big one)
- Sump pumps
- Shop vacs and power tools
- Air compressors
- Space heaters
- Anything with a motor or heating element
If it trips every time you plug in the same device, that is usually the device (or the cord), not a bad GFCI. Older equipment was not always designed with GFCI protection in mind, so GFCI devices may be more sensitive.
Hope that saves you some headaches, and a couple of bucks!
Need help? See our electrical services
More mysteries: the Flickering Lights | the Breaker That Won’t Stay On | Aluminum Wiring
Still stumped? Call or text and we’ll figure it out.
(720) 339-2016 | info@ilgelectric.com