GFI outlet fuse trips even when nothing is plugged in

Better get someone who knows electricity. GFCI OUTLETS always need 3 wires or they will not protect. This is not time to learn about electricity from internet. Wrong connection and someone life may be in danger.

HI Joe
Couple of things to consider here.

1. There may be a GFI plug there at the microwave, but it can get tripped by current leakage on other parts of the circuit. If there are other things plugged into the circuit (every outlet that's on the same panel breaker), it's possible any of them could be causing the tripping. Unplug anything else on the circuit, then plug things back in one by one to see if there's something that may make it pop.
2. The reset switch in a GFI plug is mechanical. If it's been tripped a few times, it may be worn or not fully reset. Electrical guides usually suggest testing / resetting GFI plugs monthly, both to make sure they work, and also to cycle the mechanical switch. If dust, toaster crumbs, or other stuff might have gotten into the mechanism, it might not be mechanically resetting properly. Try test/reset/test/reset a few times and see if any of the clicks start feeling more distinct.
3. The trip can be legit. Hopefully not the microwave, but if there is a short in the line somewhere, you really want to track it down before it causes a fire. In some cases, even heavy dust on/in outlets can cause pseudo-shorts with some current trickling to ground. GFI switches will usually trigger with less than 5 mA of current drop, so it doesn't take much. Blow out the receptacle with canned air.

The switch or it's connections may be bad. Unplug the microwave and (no cutting corners here), turn off the breaker to the plug. Undo the faceplate and mounting screws and pull the plug away from the wall. Check that the wire connections to the plug are tight, and that the wire nuts connecting the plug to the wall lines are also firm and tight. Tighten if necessary. If you're still getting trouble after trying this all, Consider replacing the outlet and seeing if that helps.

Hoping this helps!
D

A GFI outlet works independently of sensing an overload condition. Overloads are dealt with by the circuit breaker or fuse in your electrical panel. The GFI simply compares the current on the hot terminal (black or red wire) with the current on the neutral terminal (white or gray wire) and interrupts the current if there is more than 5mA (0.005 Amps) difference between the two.

Remove the load - in this case the RV plug - from the GFI outlet and attempt a reset. Make sure you're pressing the RESET button and not the TEST button. If it resets - you're all set. Reconnect the RV plug to a different outlet - preferably NOT a GFI type.

If it still wont reset, it is important to know that GFI outlets can be wired in such a way that any circuit extended to other outlets (lights, too) via the LOAD terminal screws will also be protected by the GFI. We need to be sure that there wasn't something else causing the fault. Check other nearby outlets for functionality. Remove plugs from any outlet found not working and attempt to reset again.

If it will not reset - it is possible that the internal sensing circuitry has been damaged due to such a large amount of current trying to pass. In this case, replacing the GFI outlet will be needed.

Hello jerrydj1021 - Often when the breaker trips, it is a mainly because there is too much current running on one circuit. Is the unit plug into a GFI outlet? It is not recommended to use GFI outlets or too many appliances plugged into that one circuit. Try plugging the unit into another direct outlet and see if the breaker trips again. I ask that you please follow up with a comment on the post, at your convenience, to advise if further troubleshooting is needed or if the unit's status has changed successfully. Thank you.

Good News!!! GFI outlets are made to trip when a large amount of power is pulled through them. A GFI is basically a small circuit breaker.Your television set is probably just pulling more amperage than the GFI is rated to handle. That means the GFI is working properly And so is the TV!

It sounds like you've plugged your fridge into a GFI (ground fault interrupter) outlet.

The National Electrical Code (NEC) article 210.8 A (6) says in dwelling units, only those outlets in a kitchen (I'm assuming your fridge is in the kitchen - right?) "where the receptacles are installed to serve the countertop surfaces" must be provide ground fault protection aka "GFI outlet". Unless your town, city, county or state has laws that supersede the NEC, you should have the outlet changed to a standard, grounded outlet to prevent the nuisance tripping you are experiencing when the cooling compressor is trying to start. A refrigerator is not a counter surface appliance, and therefore does not require GFI protection.

The other outlets are fed from this outlet, so when you connect the fridge to another outlet on the circuit, the same GFI plug trips again. When you replace the GFI plug with a "regular one, the GFI plug should be installed in another outlet to provide the GFI protection needed in the kitchen - as described in the NEC above. If you are not familiar with how to do this, please, call a licensed electrician to do this very important job for you. Be safe & be smart.

I hope this helps!

This can be caused by one of two things. (1) The GFI plug has a problem: it could be broken behind the face plate, or some of the wires in the box are so close that when you push a plug into the outlet, they touch and trip the GFI. (2) The other source is due to a defect in the appliance between the cord and the power switch. That is why the GFI faults even before it the coffee maker is turned on.

Have the outlet checked thoroughly and make any needed adjustments / repair /replacement and reconnect the coffee maker again. If it trips, the coffee maker will need to be serviced. DO NOT use the coffee maker in another non-GFI outlet until it has been checked out. The chances of electrical shock or burns is significant until the problem is found and corrected.

hello, if you plug the compressor into a none gfi outlet does the compressor still cut off ? it could be one a short in your compressor causing the gfi to trip our your gfi has a ground try the compressor in a diffrent outlet, when you use any other electronic equipment on the gfi does it still trip ? if you use the compressor in a diffrent outlet that's none gfi this should sholve your problem most likely a bad gfi outlet or the compressor is drawing to much amp's.

Refigerators should NOT be on GFI-protected circuits. Problems have occasionally been reported when plugging a refrigerator, freezer or other motor-driven appliance into GFI-protected circuits. These appliances generally have a motor that pulls significant startup current. Due to the electrical characteristics of motors, the startup current can look like someone getting electrocuted, causing the protection system to trip. The best remedy is to connect these appliances to a non-GFI outlet. Usually outlets that are expected to serve such appliances will not have GFI's installed.