Any electricians out there, ground fault ?

[woodman51jfk]

PREVIOUS POSTING WAS INTENDED AS TONGUE IN CHEEK, AND SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN AS FACT, OR DIRECTED AT ANY PERSONS LIVING DEAD, OR ZOMBIE

[Catshooter]

Actually, what a GFCI does is detect power going elsewhere (yes, an alternate path) and that is how it protects you from becoming a "Load". The ordinary residential GFCI will kill power in about 5 to 10 thousanths of a second. And it trips when it detects about 5 thousanths of an amp difference.

Of course, that's assuming it works. But one trusts his life every day, all day to things working. If the roof over you head fails right now, it could kill you. A metor could fall and cut your head off.

Shessh.


Cat

[waksupi]

Another electrical question.

When I got up this morning, and turned on the flourescent light, it only comes on very dimly. Bulb? Ballast? Need a new fixture?

[Pepe Ray]

Waksupi;
Sounds ,to me, like you'd better get the fire goin'. Cold room!!
Pepe Ray

[waksupi]

Ray,that was my first thought, so I built a fire. No change!

[woodman51jfk]

.........those tubes are like my joints..they take a while to get going in the cold............if the bulbs are dark at the ends,( like a smoky interior ) I'd replace 'em........and if the fixtures are old, heavy iron ballasts that get hot when operating, and typically have plug in starters, I'd replace them with the energy efficient non iron ballast type for t-8 low mercury bulbs..........still be hard to get going in the cold unless you get the preheater starters for really cold weather operation, but they are $$$$$$$

[Pepe Ray]

I really like my 4 ft' shop lights. Even use them in the house (inexpensive). However, in mid northern Maine ( up near BD's old stompin' grounds), the shops can get a little chilly, so I've taken to installing 150 wt. incandescents right next to them to keep me functional till the shop warms up.
Woodman51jfk; Thanks for the confirmation.
Pepe Ray

[woodman51jfk]

good idea Pepe..........and much cheaper than the preheater types.....glad to be of service.......

[KYCaster]

Ric, take off your sunglasses.

Jerry

[Buckshot]

................I do sincerely thank you all for taking the time to reply to my question, and to those who PM'd. This truly is a great bunch to hang with.

..............Buckshot

[garandsrus]

Buckshot,

We gotta know.... What did you end up doing?

John

[crazy mark]

Ray,that was my first thought, so I built a fire. No change!

All ballasts come in a normal temp range and a low temp range.
Normal is above 50 deg f and low temp is usually above 0 deg f. The new t-8 or t-5 ballasts are the way to go. T-8's don't need any real changes and T-5's require some changes. There is also 2 types of ballasts- one that is off and on a lot like in a home and the other is left on for long period of time. That one doesn't like being turned off and on a lot. Mark

[drinks]

BC, the gfci does not have anything to do with overcurrent protection.
A gfci, not gfi, is designed to trip if the difference in current between the hot and the neutral is as much as .005 amps, 5 mils.
As to installing gfci receptacles in existing wiring, my reference is , NEC, 210, 7 [d], 1990, which is an exception to the code rules requiring a separate grounding conductor, that is, other than the grounded conductor, the neutral.
Also it is permitted to install 2 wire receptacles if they are fed from a gfci.
A gfi is a wholey different thing, it is installed on large services, 1000-1200 amps or more and is designed to prevent the switchgear from burning up if a hot goes to ground, they are usually set to trip at 200-300 amps of fault current.

[Buckshot]

Buckshot,

We gotta know.... What did you end up doing?

John

...............Done? Well I finished painting, hung the bathroom hardware (towel bars, etc) and then I had Thanksgiving, and then I went to work. Got home at 0700 this AM and loaded 50 rounds of 30-06 consisting of 5 loads with the Saeco RG4 for the M1917. Cleaned a M91-30 and cleaned up the reloading bench a little.

Then I measured, cut and installed baseboards, did a bit more painting on cut ins I'd over looked and hung 2 closet doors. Went to BK and had a #2 no tomato, heavy onions & a diet Coke then came back home. Pulled the wifes car out of the driveway and onto the street and backed my car into the driveway (the wife is carpooling). That way I don't have to carry guns across the front yard in the morning when I go to the range.

Put the trash cans out on the street (pickup day tomorrow), took a shower and here I am!

You mean about the GFI? Nada yet. Have to swing by Lowes on the way home from the range tomorrow and pickup one of those testers. I think I'll try hooking the ground to the plumbing since there is a cold water pipe right there and see what happens.

Keep your fingers crossed

...............Buckshot

[garandsrus]

Buckshot,

Sounds like a full day...

John

[Buckshot]

Buckshot,

Sounds like a full day...

John

...............Well heck. I even forgot to go by Lowes dad gumit. I was so excited about getting my stuff from Graf's I forgot. Naturally it wasn't on the doorstep when I got home. I had called Graf's Monday when it hadn't arrived Friday. They said they shipped it the 20th. I just knew it would arrive Tuesday.

They shipped it with those cretins at Fed-Ex. Naturally it will come tomorrow and Donna will see it, dang it!

..................Buckshot