Why won't the GFCI receptacle reset after pushing the RESET button and then the TEST button?

Answer 1

From what this question is saying, the TEST button is doing its job - it is testing ( = checking) that the GFCI is working correctly.

After you have tested the device by pressing the TEST button you should be able to press the RESET button again - and DO NOT PRESS THE TEST button again - and everything should work.

Either your GFCI is bad [in which case replace it] or it is working perfectly.

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It is probably working. My sister had a similar problem. She just kept resetting until it held, but every time she got in her hot tub she got shocked.

Luckily she wasn't killed. It turned out to be the fly weights shorting out against the capacitor wires, turning the water into the hot leg. Don't mess around with this kind of problem.

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Think about this question, read it word for word! Again we are asked to answer somebody's homework question...

OR if it is a real question, you have a problem and should call a professional licensed electrician.

These are devices that protect you and your family - if you have to ask how to fix one, this is not a DIY project!

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As always, if you are in doubt about what to do, the best advice anyone should give you is to call a licensed electrician to advise what work is needed.

Before you do any work yourself,

on electrical circuits, equipment or appliances,

always use a test meter to ensure the circuit is, in fact, de-energized.

IF YOU ARE NOT ALREADY SURE YOU CAN DO THIS JOB

SAFELY AND COMPETENTLY

REFER THIS WORK TO QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS.

Answer 2

Answer for USA, Canada and countries running a 60 Hz power supply service.Either the GFCI is faulty, or a fault condition that tripped the GFCI still exists. It could be an electrical short or some other fault in your wiring or fixture.

However, do not assume that the GFCI is faulty, or bypass it, or try to use that circuit in any way unless and until the circuit that the GFCI was protecting has been proven to be safe.

The GFCI is there to protect you and other people, so let it do its job.

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As you asked the question here it is possible that you may not have sufficient knowledge about mains electricity to be able to search for the fault and fix it. If that is so, the best advice anyone can give you is to call in a licensed electrician to check the GFCI, its wiring and all socket outlets and appliances which are on the circuit it is protecting.

Assuming you have pressed the 'RESET' button, but the GFCI always trips off immediately, there are several possible things that will have to be checked very carefully by someone who has good experience of working safely with mains electricity circuits.

The GFCI could be tripping because of a fault in an appliance that is connected to, or is plugged into, the circuit that is protected by the GFCI.

Bear in mind that the GFCI could be protecting socket outlets and appliances which are both inside and outside the bathroom, such as in an adjacent bedroom.

The fault could be a "Hot to Ground" or a "Neutral to Ground" short circuit.

Any such fault it will have to be repaired before the GFCI will stay on.

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The "TEST" button is there for you to check the Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) is operating correctly.

When you test the GFCI using its Test button it should trip to break the circuit. Then anything connected to that circuit will have no power.

If the GFCI is tripped - such as when you press the Test button - no outlet in that circuit will be able to work until you reset the GFCI using its "RESET" button.

If the GFCI just keeps on tripping off every time you reset it, then you have a circuit or appliance fault somewhere. The fault will have to be fixed before the GFCI can be reset.

Click on the Related Questions below for more information.

<><><>

As always, if you are in doubt about what to do, the best advice anyone should give you is to call a licensed electrician to advise what work is needed.

Before you do any work yourself,

on electrical circuits, equipment or appliances,

always use a test meter to ensure the circuit is, in fact, de-energized.

IF YOU ARE NOT ALREADY SURE YOU CAN DO THIS JOB

SAFELY AND COMPETENTLY

REFER THIS WORK TO QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS.

Answer 3

Think about this question, read it word for word! From what this question is saying, the TEST button is doing its job - it is testing ( = checking) that the GFCI is working correctly! After you have tested the device by pressing the TEST button you should be able to press the RESET button again - but DO NOT PRESS THE TEST button again - and everything should work. IF YOU ARE NOT ALREADY SURE YOU CAN DO THIS JOB

SAFELY AND COMPETENTLY

REFER THIS WORK TO QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS.

If you do this work yourself, always turn off the powerat the breaker box/fuse panel BEFORE you attempt to do any work AND always use a meter or voltage indicator to insure the circuit is, in fact, de-energized.any work AND always use a meter or voltage indicator to insure the circuit is, in fact, de-energized.

Answer 4

First you need to determine if the GFCI outlet has any other outlets that it is protecting. Just check and see if there are any of your other outlets that are dead. Make sure that you unplug anything plugged into the GFCI or any outlets that it is protecting. If it still will not reset then it needs to be replaced.

Answer 5

When power is first applied to a GFCI receptical they will trip the reset. This has to be reset to power the receptacle. If it was wired wrong then the breaker feeding the receptacle may have tripped. Check the source for the receptacle at the electrical panel to see if the breaker tripped the circuit.

Answer 6

If the GFCI receptacle fails to reset after pushing the RESET and TEST buttons, there may be a ground fault issue, a faulty GFCI receptacle, or wiring problems. To troubleshoot the problem, you can try disconnecting any devices connected to the receptacle, then attempt to reset it again. If it still won't reset, it's best to call a qualified electrician to inspect and resolve the issue.

Answer 7

Push the reset button in the center of the receptacle. When you first power up a GFCI receptacle is will automatically trip, just reset and you will be good to go.

Answer 8

you don't have power there or the GFCI needs to be replaced....or it is wired wrong.