Question

I had a home the other day with a renter living in the house her statement to me was why does this GFCI outlet in the kitchen next to the sink that has my phone plugged in trip every time the phone rings??? I had no answer I went brain dead could not think of a good answer and still can not. Must be something in the AC to DC converter that the outlet does not like:shock:

Not a clue.

Perhaps a bad ground Phone line side

When my phone rings or I get a text, it interferes with my baby monitor. Maybe the interference is just enough to disrupt the sensitive GFI.

The ringing voltage on an incoming call should not cause a GFCI to trip as the circuit is separate from the AC circuit powering the device. I have seen a few cases of RF interference tripping GFCI receptacles. The old Nextel phones were well known for that as are walkie talkies, CB/ham radios and certain cordless phone sets. Move the set to a non-GFCI receptacle and the problem is gone.

Edit: What Juan just described is RF interference and could cause issues.

Some comments here:

http://cosmoquest.org/forum/archive/index.php/t-102834.html

To much LSD !

Chances are that there is a dead short or damaged insulation on either the ring or the tip conductor. It may be within the phone itself touching a metal piece inside. Normal voltage on a phone line is in the upper 40’s, until it rings and then the voltage is kicked up to 90V. The increased voltage may carry itself back to the small transformer that plugs the phone base in, briefly screw with the transformer and then cause the GFI to think there something amiss. Phone line can easily be tested with a small piece of electronic equipment to see if it’s in the line itself, but it’s probably inside the phone.

Jeff

Hello,

Firstly, I hardly think their is any 'Ring" circuit involved here as it sounds like a simple wireless phone or cell phone AC/DC Adapter. Without speculating I would give the following advice…

  1. Try the phone in ANOTHER GFCI receptacle and see if the same issue happens.
  2. Try a different AC/DC Adapter for the phone
  3. I believe the RF Issue is more plausible…test the GFCI and if it tests out fine…tell her to move the phone to a non-GFCI device.

Its a cell phone guys and its charger. Sheesh

yep…kinda why I said it…:wink:

Empty the sink that the phone fell into while she was texting and washing dishes…That might help. LOL. I could not resist!!!

Tell her to turn off the 1,000 kw RF Linear Amplifier!

Was she a truck driver?! :wink:

I had a defective GFCI device that did some weird things to it’s circuit without even tripping. Replace the device and it will probably solve the issue…

The renter is moving, the house sold so the phone will be gone and I recommended having the circuit checked. This was on a high end home renter is moving to Dallas into a new home so if the GFCI’s in the Dallas kitcdhen start to trip from the phone. Throw the D** phone away and get a good one

foshizzle…

Lol…i am guilty of that back 20 years ago…i had a Texas Star unit that pushed well over that…could change street lights and gas register electronics and pumped 20 gallons and paid for 10…i was a troubled youth back then…:slight_smile: