Why Won't My GFCI Outlet Reset?

What does a GFCI do?

A GFCI, or ground-fault circuit interrupter, watches the current going out on the hot wire and coming back on the neutral. If they don't match, even slightly, some current is leaking somewhere it shouldn't, possibly through a person. The GFCI shuts off power in a fraction of a second.

GFCI protection is required in places with water nearby, like bathrooms, kitchens, garages, unfinished basements, and outdoors. One GFCI outlet often protects several regular outlets "downstream" on the same circuit, sometimes in another room.

What should you check first?

1. Unplug everything from the GFCI and from any outlets it might protect.
2. Press Reset firmly. If it clicks and stays in, plug things back in one at a time to find a device that trips it.
3. Check the breaker. If the circuit's breaker is off or half-tripped, the GFCI has no power and can't reset. Turn the breaker fully off, then on.
4. Look for a second GFCI. Another GFCI or a GFCI breaker upstream may be the one that tripped. Check the garage, bathrooms, kitchen, basement, and outside.
5. Let it dry. If it tripped during rain or after cleaning, water may be in an outdoor outlet or a box. Wait until it's fully dry before trying again.
6. Press Test, then Reset. If it won't trip when you press Test, or won't reset with power present, the GFCI has likely failed.

Why does a GFCI keep tripping?

Moisture. The most common cause in the Ozarks. Rain, ice melt, and humidity get into outdoor outlets, especially ones without in-use covers, and into outlets in damp basements and garages.

A worn appliance. Old freezers, refrigerators, power tools, and hair dryers can leak small amounts of current through worn insulation. A GFCI that trips only when one device runs is pointing at that device.

Too much on one GFCI. When one GFCI protects many outlets, small leakage from several devices can add up. Garage circuits running freezers and tools are a common example.

Shared neutrals and wiring mistakes. If the wiring downstream shares a neutral with another circuit or was connected wrong, the GFCI trips or won't reset. That's an electrician's fix.

Worn-out GFCI. GFCIs have electronics that wear out. Older ones may trip too easily or, worse, stop protecting. Monthly testing catches this.

Why won't a GFCI reset at all?

• No power is reaching it. Check the breaker and any upstream GFCI.
• It was wired backward, with the incoming power on the load terminals. Many GFCIs won't reset when wired this way, which is a safety feature.
• There's an active fault downstream, like a damaged cord or water in a box.
• The device has failed.

When should you call an electrician?

Call when:

• It won't reset even though the breaker is on and no other GFCI is tripped
• It trips again right away with nothing plugged in
• It trips every time it rains
• The outlet is warm, cracked, or discolored
• Several outlets went dead and you can't find which GFCI controls them

The fix is often replacing the GFCI, drying and sealing an outdoor outlet, or separating circuits. For more on dead outlets and breakers, see electrical repair.