do gfci switches go bad?
476932
A GFCI can go bad or fail in three ways. The first way it can fail is that it won't trip when you push the test button and the outlet stays hot or dead; the second way is that the trip button stays out and won't reset; and the third way, and most dangerous, is that the button trips out but the outlet stays hot.
380342
Unlike a home's fuse, the GFCI is integrated in the outlet itself. ... A GFCI monitors the amount of current flowing from hot to neutral. If there is any imbalance, it trips the circuit. The GFCI senses a mismatch as small as 4 or 5 milliamps, and it can react as quickly as one-thirtieth of a second.
848409
All commercial buildings/kitchens are required to have GFCI for refrigerators. See NEC 210.8(B)(2). In a Dwelling Unit (house or apartment) refrigerators located inside the kitchen do NOT have to have a GFCI. ... In a garage or an unfinished basement of a Dwelling unit, the refrigerator must have a GFCI circuit.
1429626
Sometimes they appear fine at low voltage but start passing high current when voltage is increased. I read that these capacitors are known for lasting no more than 5 years. Not true, they are very reliable given they are used/derated properly.
556275
GFI is an ground fault interrupting outlet. GFCI is a ground fault circuit interrupter. A typical GFI outlet is the first in a string of outlets, and is the one used to provide GFCI protection to the circuit (i.e. everything connected after that point.) ... GFCI is a ground fault circuit interrupter.
288488
A GFCI does not need a ground wire in order to trip properly. A GFCI simply trips when a fault is detected on the neutral wire. An ungrounded outlet will not trip using your tester. ... If no ground; then the outlet must be labled saying that the GFCI is not grounded.
1255097
As I said above, the insulation will degrade over time, possible to the point of allowing electricity to leak out of the coil. When the coil gets wet, or there is moisture near it, there is enough of a path for some (or all) of the spark energy to get out right through the insulation.
568825
If the GFCI won't reset or the button doesn't pop out when you press the "test" button, there may be no power to the GFCI or you may have a bad GFCI. Pro tip: If the "reset" button trips again every time you press it, there may be a dangerous current leak somewhere on the circuit.
427032
A typical GFCI trips in the range of 4-6ma. You could have a bunch of devices that each leak 1-2 ma, which is generally safe.
287231
When a wall outlet doesn't work, there are two possible reasons: a bad connection or a tripped breaker. The bad connection is usually in the outlet itself, and finding the tripped breaker may boil down to simply locating the nearest ground fault interrupting outlet. GFIs can cut power to other outlets when they trip.
61608
GFCIs are required by the National Electric Code (NEC) in all kitchens, bathrooms, crawl spaces, unfinished basements, garages, and outdoor receptacle locations. GFCIs were invented in 1961, and were made to continuously monitor the current leaving the receptacle with the amount of current returning to the outlet.
574452
A GFCI receptacle will trip off if you overload it (run too many watts). This is not true at all. Only the circuit breaker in your electrical panel cares about the amount of load things are using.
183261
The flipside of this is that circuit breakers do sometimes malfunction, and you should be able to tell whether your system has tripped or is actually faulty. So to answer the question simply, yes, circuit breakers do go bad, the way any other essential home device can cease to work the way that it should.
1171123
Since testers establish a test circuit between hot and equipment ground, if the receptacle into which the tester is plugged is wired with reverse polarity, there will not be a voltage across the tester and test current will not flow. The GFCI will not trip and thus the GFCI might erroneously be considered defective.
582276
You should try to look for what is causing the leak in the electrical current. If your insulation is worn out, old, or damaged, it could cause your GFCI to trip. ... Sometimes having too much equipment or appliances plugged in can also cause your GFCI to trip.
1171521
Faulty outlets in older homes Electrical outlets can go bad for no apparent reason. Their contacts can become loose, and the entire unit may simply need to be replaced. Because electrical work can be dangerous, it's recommended that you leave repairs to a professional electrician.
520625
The one caveat to all this is that while HDMI cables don't simply go bad over time– they may need to be replaced one day. There are physical damage reasons that that might happen, such as extreme force shearing the cable in two, or damaging the internal wiring.