How Do I Test A Gfci Outlet

The light should turn on again.

How do i test a gfci outlet. Check that the lamp which is connected to the outlet has turned off. If the power doesn t go off replace the gfci. The light should go on. If the gfci outlet won t rest it could indicate a number of things such as.

Hit the reset button. Press the test button on the front of the outlet and the power should immediately be switched off. A standard household outlet features two three prong plug in slots while a gfci outlet features the same plug in configuration plus two buttons on its face. The test and reset buttons are there to make sure the gfci outlet is in working condition.

A test button and a reset. Plug in the tester and push its test button. Once the outlet s breaker trips it needs to be reset in order to restore the power supply. Gfcis have two buttons in front often colored red and black.

Here s how to test them. The light should go off. The breaker inside a gfci outlet trips when it detects a sudden surge of current such as would be caused by holding an ungrounded appliance while standing in water. All gfcis manufactured after mid 2006 are designed to tell you when they fail.

If pressing the test button does not turn the light off then the gfci needs fixed or otherwise replaced by a certified. Once the power trips you can check the efficiency of the gfci unit using a voltage meter. Press the reset button to restore power. Plug in a lamp.

Simply press the test button and this will trigger a snap sound which indicates that the outlet has tripped. A gfci outlet tester is inexpensive and can test standard non gfci outlets as well as gfcis making it a handy tool to have in your electrical tool kit. The gfci outlet will have two buttons on it normally these are color coded. The face of the gfci outlet features two small buttons that are labeled test and reset.

If the power goes off the gfci is working. The tester also has a test button that trips the gfci to check the safety function. The black button is for testing the outlet while the red one is for resetting it in the event that it trips. Press the test button.

Press the reset button again. The gfci has an internal breaker that trips and stops the power supply to the outlet if the circuit is shorted or overloaded thus protecting the house from electrical hazards. Your new gfci will never require a circuit tester. The last thing you want is for something to be wrong with the outlet which in turn could remove the safety mechanism that can help prevent deadly shocks from occurring should you accidentally get an electronic device wet.

Step 2 test the outlet.