Outlet tester

[John Shishilla]

Has anyone used Extech CT70 AC Circuit Load Tester
I was looking at the SureTest

[Barry Adair]

some models of ideal suretest may require upgrade

[John Shishilla]

Thanks

[Jeffrey R. Pope]

I've never seen that model, I use SureTest.

There's no AFCI function on that unit.

[John Shishilla]

Originally Posted by jpope

I've never seen that model, I use SureTest.

There's no AFCI function on that unit.

My understanding is the ACFI testers do not always work. If you are too close to the breaker it will not trip. Has this been your experience?

[Jeffrey R. Pope]

Distance has never had an affect on whether or not the breaker trips, but I have found that some brands are less likely to trip than others.

Siemens AFCI breakers (for instance) will not always trip using the SureTest. Some will, some won't - and in multiple tests on the same breaker, it will trip sometimes but not others. I don't have an explanation for this.

[John Shishilla]

Originally Posted by jpope

Distance has never had an affect on whether or not the breaker trips, but I have found that some brands are less likely to trip than others.

Siemens AFCI breakers (for instance) will not always trip using the SureTest. Some will, some won't - and in multiple tests on the same breaker, it will trip sometimes but not others. I don't have an explanation for this.

Thank you for the insight

[Jim Port]

Remember that the only recognized test method is the built-in test button on either a GFI device, breaker or AFCI breaker.

[An HI]

Originally Posted by Jim Port

Remember that the only recognized test method is the built-in test button on either a GFI device, breaker or AFCI breaker.

Question:

If a GFCI breaker-receptacle tests that it is properly wired including ground and the self-test button trips the breaker but 3 of your electrical test devices will not trip the GFCI breaker, what would you call?
( I have seen this many times and call for GFCI replacement)

[Jim Port]

Originally Posted by An HI

Question:

If a GFCI breaker-receptacle tests that it is properly wired including ground and the self-test button trips the breaker but 3 of your electrical test devices will not trip the GFCI breaker, what would you call?
( I have seen this many times and call for GFCI replacement)

If the three light plugged into a downstream GFI is tested properly using the built-in test button they are protected. The receptacle might be ungrouded.

[An HI]

Originally Posted by Jim Port

If the three light plugged into a downstream GFI is tested properly using the built-in test button they are protected. The receptacle might be ungrouded.

In the situations I'm talking about, the receptacles showed an intact working ground. In bathrooms where 1 self-breakered GFCI receptacle may protect all vanity receptacles in other bathrooms (2-3-4), testing of these showed intact grounds but the GFCI would not trip when tested from the remote locations.

My thinking is that the GFCI receptacle test button is providing a fairly high internal bypass current . This causes a large imbalance at the sensing coil which will cause it to trip immediately. One of my testers causes a current differential in milliamp steps up to 10 milliamps, at which the GFCI should trip. The two others, a $12 three light and a $300 Suretest, also do not trip the GFCI. In my opinion, the GFCI is not as sensitive as it should be to current leakage and I call to have it replaced.

[An HI]

Had another odd GFCI situation today:

-15 year old, 2 storey house

- main floor washroom vanity GFCI receptacle also protected the regular vanity receptacles in the 2 upper bathrooms. All showed proper wiring and grounding

- the GFCI receptacle "tripped" when its test button was pushed . It would not trip when tried with my tester.

-when tested with my tester from the 2 upstairs receptacles, the washroom GFCI tripped

-went downstairs to check/reset the GFCI; found the GFCI receptacle was still energized even though the unit had been tripped from upper level receptacles! I didn't check that the trip of the GFCI by its own test button left the unit energized. (I should have checked just for interests sake but had already called it in my notes and had to move on due to time constraints)

I still believe that testing a GFCI receptacle by pushing its "test' button is not the best way to ensure that it is wired correctly or working as intended.

[Joseph M. Whitt]

[QUOTE=An HI;840187]I still believe that testing a GFCI receptacle by pushing its "test' button is not the best way to ensure that it is wired correctly or working as intended.[/QUOTE]

It is the only recognized method of testing the 5 milliamp level of trip. If you are having trouble getting you plug-in tester to trip the GFCI device then two things comes to mind.
One the equipment grounding conductor is not intact
Two the receptacle is wired in reverse or in other words the line load is reversed.

[Jeffrey R. Pope]

Originally Posted by An HI

I still believe that testing a GFCI receptacle by pushing its "test' button is not the best way to ensure that it is wired correctly or working as intended.

It is the only "recognized" procedure, but it is not a definitive test, and should not be used as your only basis for determining proper operation of the GFCI protection.

[Jim Port]

Originally Posted by jpope

It is the only "recognized" procedure, but it is not a definitive test, and should not be used as your only basis for determining proper operation of the GFCI protection.

Jeff, could you expand on this? If UL and the device manufacturers tell you to use the test button, why would this not be sufficient?