Quick question for the electrical inclined

[Larry B]

I recently hung Christmas lights and our GFCI breaker began tripping. When I unplug the lights (which are plugged into the garage) it seems to solve the problem. I’m thinking the wet weather is causing water to get into the cord which then trips the breaker. Does that seem plausible? Sorry if that’s a dumb question. TIA

[Utahute72]

Possible, but generally those things are shielded so if it’s tripping there has to be a break in the insulation somewhere. It is also possible if you have several stands hooked in series the total draw is too great causing the
GFCI to trip. Try isolating the fault one strand at a time if that is the case.

[Larry B]

Ok thanks. I’ll probably just have an electrician come out so my house doesn’t burn down. If you know anyone who wouldn’t charge me an arm and a leg, let me know 🙂

[UteFanatic]

A GFCI will not trip due to excessive current.  That is not what they are designed to do.  Current overload protection is provided by the circuit breaker.  A GFCI’s only job is to detect current imbalance.

[KiYi-Ute]

[UteFanatic]

This is a common problem.  Usually, it’s because the lights are no longer serviceable.  I believe most exterior Christmas lights are only intended to be used for a total of 90 days.  Although, many people don’t follow the useful life guidelines and use them for years.

Although possible, I doubt the GFCI is bad, it’s just doing it’s job – which is to detect a current mismatch between the hot and the neutral.  The National Electrical Code requires all exterior and garage outlets be GFCI protected due to the increased risk of electrical shock from using electrical equipment outdoors.

You could try a different GFCI protected circuit to rule out a bad GFCI.  Although I wouldn’t reccommend it, you could use an extension cord to plug your lights into a non-GFCI circuit around your house.