Hot Ground Reverse after GFCI Test


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Old 08-29-16, 02:27 PM
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Hot Ground Reverse after GFCI Test

So I am testing my GFCI circuit and noticed that when I do a test of the outlet (i.e. push button on the front), I got from a normal indication on my 3 LED tester to a Hot/Ground reversed indication. I recognize that a hot/ground reversal is usually a loose neutral somewhere but I checked the outlets and the electrical panel and everything looks fine. There is only the GFCI outlets and 2 load outlets down stream from the GFCI. Any ideas what might be causing my problem?
 
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Old 08-29-16, 03:07 PM
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Are the line and load sides of the GFCI receptacle wired to the correct cables? After pressing the TEST button, there should be no power at all after the receptacle. A faulty GFCI receptactle could also be the problem here.
 
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Old 08-29-16, 03:37 PM
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That's what I thought too. Everything was wired correctly I think. So a bad gfci is possible then? I was hoping for that or I was out of options.
 
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Old 08-29-16, 03:51 PM
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Everything was wired correctly I think.
Easy to wire it wrong unless you use a multimeter to test the disconnected cables. (A neon test light or solenoid tester but not a non contact tester will also work.)
 
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Old 09-02-16, 06:30 PM
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So I verified that I wired it correctly (which made me feel a little less crazy). But I checked everything and it all looks fine. Could a bad gfci result in this tester reading as was mentioned?
 
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Old 09-02-16, 06:38 PM
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So my theory, and this is a theory at best, is that the relay that opens the natural is opening on a test of the gfci, but the hot is not opening. I guess it's possible right? Maybe the hot welded close at some point? I don't know enough about the internals of a gfci outlet.
 
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Old 09-02-16, 07:38 PM
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Maybe the hot welded close at some point?
Possible but extremely rare.

You said you verified that you had the hot supply line and it's associated neutral on the line side ?
Very easy to get backwards (line and load swapped) and that will cause strange readings.

A GFI receptacle should not show ANY voltage when tripped. If it does and it's wired correctly... it's defective and needs to be replaced.
 
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Old 09-03-16, 04:50 AM
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Yep. I checked and triple checked. And then checked again.
 
 

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