State Specific Question About: NEW HAMPSHIRE (NH)

I have a GFI outlet in my bathroom that keeps tripping, even when nothing is plugged into it. Sometimes it stays on for a while, others it wont stay on at all. I tested the GFI and all the outlets on that circut with a tester and they all test ok. I have read that there should be an open ground but I can't find one on THAT circut. However, I did find an open ground in the next room over but that is not on the same circut as the bathroom breaker. I also know the light switches on all three rooms ( on / off switches ) are on a third circut breaker, apparently not connected to anything else, as there is power to them when I shut off the 1st two breakers.

Is it possible the bathroom GFI is tripping because of an open ground on another seperate circut. Prehaps the three on/off switches on the 3rd circut are wrong somehow and that is it?

Well,

I'd be searching for a short down-stream of that GFCI. That seems the most likely thing. Last time we had that happening, we discovered that a kitchen outlet that was downstream had a malfunctioning coffee maker plugged into it -- that, now and then, would randomly trip the upstream GFCI.

- John...

I did replace the GFI receptical. No help. I think it is hooked up correctly cause it test right.

Unless someone has cross wired something, nothing on another circuit should cause this GFCI to trip.

You need to find out what is fed from this GFCI. Try pressing the test button then check to see what else shuts off. When you find the other outlets / lights which are on the load side of this GFCI check to be sure that all of their connections are tight. It's possible that a wire gets heated then loosens up resulting in an open ground.

Ben: On the GFCI, are wires connected at the top and at the bottom (i.e. on both the LOAD and LINE connections)? If there are, then there IS something fed "downstream" from that GFCI -- and, if you can't find it, then you need to keep looking because it is likely your tripping source.

Note that it could be a light or something too -- not just other outlets.

- John...

Agree with John. Guessing you have the ground and 2 wires coming in ( marked line) and 2 wires going out ( marked load).

So best chance its whatever the load wires feed. Maybe the bath light and fan. Bath fans or motors sometimes cause problems with GFIs.

I actually dont put the fans on a GFI.

"INTERMITTENT" Elec issues can be a pain! Any momentary disruption or "imbalance" on the lines will shut it off. May have to ck every connection from breaker to the last "appliance" for secure tightness.

I had a similar situation a few years ago, but with a gfci breaker, I thought the breaker was bad, replaced it and it still tripped.

I looked everywhere and finally found a central air a coil drip pan leaking water in the wall into an outlet.

Sometimes they can trip if they are just bumped. Try a more expensive brand. You could go to an electrical store and get one. The hardware store and HD brands sometime are not so good.

Is anyone plugging something into it? Sometimes the jarring of plugging in will cause it to trip also. Sometimes a plug is large and hits the test button.