[SOLVED] Electrical Question: Faulty GFI outlet

[RhinoCan]

This is a very basic question about GFI (Ground Fault Interrupt?) outlets. I do NOT know much about electronics and had only brief courses in electricity in high school, which was a long time ago.

My mother has a standard-looking GFI outlet in her kitchen and it stopped working a while back. She mentioned it this past weekend when I was there so I took a look to the best of my very limited abilities. Basically, I checked to make sure that the breaker for that outlet hadn't been tripped - it hadn't - and that there each of the wires going to the outlet were securely attached - they were. (I don't know if the wires were attached to the RIGHT terminals, all I know is that none had come detached.)

Is there anything further I can do short of calling an electrician? I was thinking that I could simply replace the GFI outlet with another one and see if that sorted things out. I have no idea how reliable those outlets are and if a total failure of the outlet after several years would be totally routine or very unlikely.

Are there any other plausible explanations for why the outlet no longer works, especially simple things that I might attempt to fix myself with my very basic knowledge?

 

[BradtheRad]

A GFI can trip for unknown reasons.

Look for tiny buttons on the outlet. Test, reset. Press them to see if anything happens.

They are designed to shut off when unequal current flows in the hot and return wires. This occurs when dangerous current is flowing through you to ground.

If you can't get the device to work then it must be replaced. A similar GFI unit may or may not be required by local code.

 

[RhinoCan]

Thanks for your quick reply, Brad.

I should have mentioned that I did press the two buttons on the GFI but that didn't get the outlets working again.

Under those circumstances, is it reasonable to assume that the outlet has just flat-out failed internally somewhere and simply needs to be replaced? I'm not sure if that is a reasonable assumption. I can't recall any case in my life where a non-GFI outlet ever failed except if it was damaged by some kind of impact, like someone moving furniture and smashing it into the outlet by accident. But the GFI outlets are a bit more complex so perhaps they are more prone to failure.

In this particular case, I doubt the outlet has been subjected to any "trauma". It sits just above the kitchen counter and normally has a couple of small appliances plugged into it more or less permanently. But if they routinely fail after so many years - I'm not sure how long that outlet has been there but my mother would probably know - that may explain the problem.

 

[DeLorean]

Many times those GFI outlets are wired to protect other plugs in the kitchen. So if one of your appliances has failed and is still plugged in it could trip the outlet. Unplug everything and then test if the GFI will hold after you press reset. Then plug in each appliance to find if one causes it to trip.

 

[RhinoCan]

Thank you both for your suggestions.

I'll give those a try.