Why does my GFCI outlet keep tripping?

Question

we have our irrigation system, which has been off for the last week due to rain and an upright freezer plugged in to this outlet in the garage. today we had a 20min shower roll through. the electricity never went out but when i went into the garage i noticed the freezer was off. i reset the outlet and it clicked off again. so i went to the breaker box also in the garage and turned the breaker off. reset both but the outlet keeps tripping. why is it doing this, and what can i do.

thanks

Answer 1

First thing is to find your fault.

Unplug all appliances from the socket circuit. If you dont know which sockets are on what circuits then just unplug everything.

Reset your breaker.

If it blows, then your problem is either in one of the socket outlets, or the wiring. This can be then fixed. Probably an earth fault, or more likely your outside socket is leaking and full of water and shorting the circuit.

If it does not blow, then you must have a problem with one of your appliances. Plug in each appliance, only one at a time, and turn them on. If your circuit then blows, you have found your faulty appliance.

good luck. do this and you should find out what is at fault easily and quickly.

good luck.

Answer 2

Unplug everything in the circuit, then reset the outlet. If it trips again, replace the outlet, if not then plug the freezer in and check the power.  When the problem is located, let it dry for a day before plugging it in.  Keep drying until the problem is fixed.  

  It's probably in the irrigation system.

Answer 3

try goin to home depot and get a meter (to check wattage) and if that is fine it something wrong with the way its wired up

Answer 4

Unplug the irrigation plug it sounds like something in it has gone to ground.

P.S. the outlet on the side of your house is probably being Fed from the GFCI and If that has gotten water in around it that could cause it to trip if that's it you can dry it out with a blow drier and then chalk around it real good.

Answer 5

Sometimes it's hard for even an experienced electrician to figure out why those GFSI's are tripping at a first glance. I would advice to call a local electrical contractor and ask them

http://www.mrelectricseattle.com

Answer 6

drill two small [1/8 "] in bottom of outside box........ so that if water gets in   ..... it can drain... evan though its a weathertproof box it still will get water in it  .......so drill the two holes