GFCI Operation
GFCI Operation
(OP)
For a GFCI receptacle, under which of the below will it trip:
A.) Hot and neutral are shorted
B.) Neutral and ground are shorted
My understanding of GFCI's, is that it would trip under (B) since some of the current would be going back on the ground and not all back on the neutral. I think under condition (A) it still see a total current of zero and not trip, but the upstream breaker would trip.
A.) Hot and neutral are shorted
B.) Neutral and ground are shorted
My understanding of GFCI's, is that it would trip under (B) since some of the current would be going back on the ground and not all back on the neutral. I think under condition (A) it still see a total current of zero and not trip, but the upstream breaker would trip.






RE: GFCI Operation
However, if hot and neutral are shorted, the circuit breaker upstream will trip...
Good on ya,
Goober Dave
RE: GFCI Operation
Neil
RE: GFCI Operation
Also it should be pointed out that if the neutral and the ground are shorted at the GFI or anywhere else before it the GFI would not notice at all.
Keith Cress
kcress - http://www.flaminsystems.com
RE: GFCI Operation
In the past that was correct, but most of the newer GFCI devices have an additional circuit to detect a neutral ground fault even when there is no current flow on the load side of the GFCI.