GFCI outlets and cold weather

[JHZR2]

Was trying to get some Christmas lights up, and plugged them into my outside outlet. Now, I installed this outlet about 1 year ago, and it has worked fine.

Go to run the lights, nothing. Breaker OK, voltage out of the breaker, voltage on the line in the box. Connections OK and I can sense voltage on the screws of the GFCI plug.

So the plug is bad. Leviton brand, guess where it is made???? China.

So is it cold weather (its like 33 out), or are GFCIs sensitive to cold (worked fine last winter), or is it a case of Chinese junk?

Plug was in a gasketed, sealed box and looks like new. No sign of any moisture or anything else.

 

[91344George]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Was trying to get some Christmas lights up, and plugged them into my outside outlet. Now, I installed this outlet about 1 year ago, and it has worked fine.



So the plug is bad. Leviton brand, guess where it is made???? China.

.


Almost ANYTHING made in China has a reputation like this... products that APPEAR to be decently made but have a very short life span compared to what you would expect.


LEVITON has always been a quality brand WHEN MADE IN THE USA, but like lots of other major well known brands today the quality has been sold out in the name of the last red chinese cent.

 

[chad8]

I have been an electrician 26 years. Yes , the plugs go bad .
If you run motors on them even faster. 10+ years is a good average. Some get stuck on , others off. Every brand is China or Mexico and its not just the manufacturing. The voltage sensing transformer is a weak link. Heat and moisture do ruin them over time too.
I have serviced 3 in the past 2 weeks because of Christmas issues. Watch for moisture on extension cord connections too. I get paid a lot to dry plug connections in cords. That trips them a lot too.

 

[Dan55]

Newer gfi's have a lockout feature, if they malfuction they shutoff. Try tightening connections first

 

[JHZR2]

I removed, re-tightened connections multiple times. No dice.

The issue is that with hot connections on the plug, i.e. a good hot, neutral and ground, checked with a multilmeter, I cannot "set" it.

So there is some malfunction indeed.

Never ran a motor on it, well, maybe a vacuum cleaner for 5 minutes once.

It is mounted in a waterproof box which is dry and clean inside, in a location where it is always shady.

I think it is just a bad one.

Was hoping that maybe they just have a fundamental issue in cold weather...

 

[chad8]

Harbor freight carries 15 amp gfi for $5.99. same junk. save a few dollars.Beats the $9 i pay for leviton.

 

[andyd]

if you cant find US made fixture, look for Hecho in Mexico 2nd best a long way back

 

[ddrumman2004]

I have a Leviton GFI that I plug a 1hp above ground swimming pool pump into. Been in service now since 1998 so I guess it was made here?

It still works as you can douse it with a handful of water and it will trip.

Cold weather doesn't seem to bother this one.

 

[brianl703]

My house was built in 1994 and I've replaced all of the original GFCIs (which are indoor) due to false trips. It seems like the mechanism had gotten weak--they'd sometimes trip as you plugged a cord in.

 

[Brons2]

Originally Posted By: chad8
Harbor freight carries 15 amp gfi for $5.99. same junk. save a few dollars.Beats the $9 i pay for leviton.


home despot had a 3 pack of levitons for $15, so I jumped.

the despot is right down the street from my house. Harbor Freight is inconvenient to get to (for me).

 

[JHZR2]

Lol. HF for an outlet??!? No thanks.