I installed gfi outlet and I have no power!

It’s possible that those switches are daisy-chained together in a way that would cause a bad connection on one to affect all of the others. Over time, an outlet or light switch connection can become loose to the point where the circuit is open. If they’re wired up cheaply, that can mean that they all fail at the same time.

Usually modern electrical codes prevent such an issue, but they also sometimes grandfather in old wiring that was done before the code was updated. This is to keep homeowners and landlords from having to completely rewire their houses, but it’s small consolation to the occupants when this happens.

I’d recommend having an electrician check the switches themselves to make sure that one of them isn’t broken or has a loose wire. In the meantime, it may be a good idea to keep all of the switches turned off just in case the fault poses a fire hazard.

Pretty easy if you can get the wires from the existing wall outlet. Just run a wire from existing outlet to the where you want the new light. Install inside an approved ceiling electrical outlet box and then run another wire to where you want the switch or switches. If you go to home depot or the library you can look at the books with diagrams on how to wire it. You can skip the wall switch if you use a light with a pull chain.

First, the GFI runs on house current aka shore power. Make sure you are plugged in! Most GFIs have a light showing power on.

Check your breaker - not a car type fuse - in the fuse panel. GFIs are nothing but a quick-disconnect in case of a short. (Quick description)

You really need a wiring diagram for this. Try and get one online or from the mfg.

Start by tracing back towards power source from GFI. Remove GFI and check for power on the wires. Be careful, it's 120vac house current. If you have power, replace the GFI. If no power, look at the diagram and proceed to the next outlet/GFI on the same circuit. You might have to go all the way to the power distribution panel. Sooner or later you will find the open wire. Might be nothing more than a screw vibrated loose disconnecting the power feed.

First are they normal breakers or are they GFI breakers? If they are normal then odds are one you have a short on the output of the breaker or perhaps the wires on the output of the breaker are loose. You also might want to check the boxes behind all of the effected items (switches and outlet). There could be a loose connection behind them. If they are GFI breakers then you either have a bad breaker or a bad ground on the output of the breaker. GFI's sense bad grounds this is what protects you. I'm not sure if the idiot light breakers light only if there is power available to them or if they only light if there is power flowing through them. If it is the fore then I say you have a high power draw on the output, most likely a short if it is blowing the breaker. If the breaker is not blowing then you have a loose connection or bad connection. Get this fix quickly either way because it can cause a fire.

run a jumper wire from brass load on gfi to top screw on switch then the black wire from light to the other screw on switch, white wire from vanity light should be connected to silver load screw on gfi WILL NOT WORK IF NOT GROUNDED PROPERLY if your ground is connected to common (white) in your breaker box this could cause issues also. a sure ground is the plumbing in your house. if you have copper lines you can use a saddle connector to ground the gfi, if these options are not available contact an electrician in your area.

Hi Rex,

It sounds as if the upstairs bathroom outlet and the outdoor outlet are on the same circuit. There's a very good chance that these are GFI or "ground fault interrupter" type outlets, as these locations (and others) have required this type of protection for over 30 years. It was a common practice to run a circuit from the panel to one of these locations (or another) and then run from here to the next outlet and then on to the next. Since the GFI outlet could be purchased for around $10 instead of $30 for a GFI breaker, electricians would install outlets instead - both offered the same protection. A "regular" breaker would supply power to this circuit - but the very first outlet would get a GFI type outlet. It would be wired to the LINE terminals and the cable that feeds the rest of the outlets on this circuit would be connected to the LOAD terminals. If there was a ground fault condition, this GFI outlet would trip, but the circuit breaker would remain on. You would locate and RESET the tripped GFI outlet to restore power. The only time the circuit breaker would trip is if the circuit was overloaded. Overloads would NOT cause the GFI outlet to trip.

Now that you understand how it was typically wired years ago (and still a lot of times today), you should check all the outlets outside your home, in bathrooms, basements, garages, and inside your home next to doorways that lead directly to grade of your lawn or deck. These are required places for GFI protection. Press the RESET on any tripped GFI outlet to restore power. If the outlet will not RESET, there is a condition where the hot wire (black, red or blue insulated wire) is in contact with ground, or a device or appliance connected to the circuit has a problem. Unplug anything connected to the circuit and attempt to RESET again. If still unable to reset, open the outdoor outlet again and carefully pull it out and away from the box. Inspected for damaged or crushed insulation and repair / tape as needed. Before reinstalling, try to reset again. If it holds, trip the GFI by pressing TEST button. The RESET button should pop out. Reinstall the outlet and make sure the wires are not crushed or cut. Press the RESET button again. If it trips, you will have to remove the outlet again and take more precautions against damage to the insulation. it is also possible that the GFI outlet itself has failed, in which case it should be replaced.

GFI circuit breakers and outlets are supposed to be tested monthly by simply pressing the TEST button and then the RESET button. Replace any GFI device that does not test correctly if wiring and devices / appliances connected are OK.

I hope this helps & good luck! Please rate my reply - thanks.

A circuit breaker can go bad, but usually not in the way that you describe. That's not to say that it can't happen, but just not typical. GTE Sylvania breakers were once popular - I installed quite a few GTE / Sylvania electrical panels in homes in the late 80's. You may have trouble finding replacements; do not put an breaker that "fits" into the panel, unless the breaker is designed for use in the panel you have.

The first thing to do is determine the source of the problem. The breaker will trip, but not indicate if it was the result of a heavy electrical load or a ground fault condition. A 15 amp circuit breaker is designed to carry up to 12 amps continuously. The greater the load, the more quickly it will trip. it may carry a 14.5 amp load for several minutes to an hour before tripping, and a 20 amp load may be carried a second or two. GFI breakers are designed to carry 5 thousandths (.005) of an amp (or 5 milliamps) to ground, or the 12+ amps to neutral before they trip.

The way I would attack the problem is to install a new GFI outlet in front of the old wiring, by "inserting it" between the panel and the other plugs and lights, switches, etc on that circuit. The GFI outlet will provide the same GFI protection that the circuit breaker provided at a fraction of the cost.

Turn off the old GFI breaker, and remove it completely. Install a new, standard (non-GFI) single pole 15 amp circuit breaker in its place. Completely remove from the panel the cable that the old GFI breaker fed. Buy a new electrical outlet box (surface or flush mount as desired) that is large enough and deep enough for a GFI plug and 2 cables (if surface mount, use a 4" square deep box and appropriate cover - or if flush mounting use a deep plastic / fiber single gang box). It will be installed in a place close to the panel, but where the old cable will be able to reach inside. Bring the old cable removed from the panel into the new box. Run a new cable that has the same number and size wires from the panel into the new box, too. Connect the circuit neutral and circuit ground to the neutral and ground bars in the panel (they are probably the same bar) and the hot wire to the circuit breaker. make sure that the circuit breaker is OFF. Twist the two ground wires together and combine an 8 inch length of bare or green insulated wire with them in a wirenut.

Next, wire a new GFI plug in the new box. Connect the green wire from the wirenut to the green terminal of the GFI outlet.

Connect the plug's LINE terminals to the neutral and hot wires in the cable that you ran from the panel to the outlet box.

Now, connect the GFI plug's LOAD terminals to the neutral and hot wires in the cable that you removed from the panel and reinstalled into the new outlet box.

Secure the GFI outlet into the box and install the cover. Cover the electrical panel.

Power up and test. if the GFI trips, there's a ground fault in the circuit. If the circuit breaker trips, the circuit is overloaded.

if the outlet was wired right and working fine before -- then ' yes ' the GFI has tripped and it could have failed do to the rain. replace the outlet with a new GFI outlet and I would also suggest that since you have the outlet outside that you install it into a outdoor weather proof outlet box.

c...

you, or your electrician has pulled power from one of the gfi outlets to power the electric sparker on the stovetop. If you can figure out which gfi that the power was pulled from, open up the box and find the wire that runs to the stove and remove it from the gfi outlet and connect it to the power before it goes to the gfi.

Make sure you turn off the power at the power panel.
If you are lucky you will find the following in the electrical box behind the light:

1. A black wire that brings power from the fuse/breaker panel--connected directly to one or two other (black) wires (not to the light).
2. A white wire from the panel--connected to one or more white wires including one to the light.
3. A black or white (maybe taped black) wire that comes from the switch and is connected to the light.
4. A green or bare wire connected to the box and maybe also to the light.

If this is the case then you can run a new cable to a new electrical box in the wall for the GFI. Connect the new black wire to the Line In terminal/black wire of the GFI outlet and to the group of black wires in (1) above. Connect the new white wire to the Neutral terminal/white wire of the GFI outlet and to the group of white wires in (2) above. Connect the new green/bare wire to the Ground terminal/green wire of the GFI outlet and to the original box or ground wire. If there is a Load/Feed through wire on the GFI outlet, tape the end of it and do not use.
If the black and white wires described in (1) and (2) above do not appear in the electrical box at the light then they are probably in the switch box and there will be only one black wire and one white wire that connect to the light on the wall. In that case you will need to run a new cable from the switch box to the new outlet. You will not be able to wire the new outlet from the existing electrical box at the light unless you do it through the switch and it will not be on unless the switch is on.