Trouble with outlet parallel to GFI box

[Dan]

I know this is a bit off topic for this NG, but I'm sure someone here
will have some useful insight into this electrical problem.

A friend of mine recently installed an remote, non-GFI outlet
paralleled off an existing GFI outlet (probably about 20 feet of wire
between the 2). For some reason, whenever any load is applied to this
2nd outlet (the new, non-GFI one) the GFI pops. This is regardless of
the nature of the load (can be just a table lamp) and regardless of
whether there is a load on the GFI outlet at the time. I told him I
thought perhaps the GFI outlet is defective & he should try replacing
it as a 1st step (at least substituting another GFI in its place as a
test). What else might account for this situation? Perhaps he needs
to put a GFI outlet in the remote location as well (I mean in terms of
the original GFI tripping with a load on the remote, not in terms of
any potential shock risk at that 2nd outlet).

TIA

Dan

 

[Ron]

Of course the first thing that comes to mind is proper wiring (which you may
have already checked). A second downstream outlet must be wired to the
correct terminals (and not to the terminals that feed 110V to the GFCI).
Then use an outlet tester to show if hot, ground and neutral are wired
correctly.

Also, it is possible to have a bad unit right out of the box. This recently
happened to me when the GFCI worked properly, but the second outlet wired to
it was dead.
-Ron

 

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I know this is a bit off topic for this NG, but I'm sure someone here
will have some useful insight into this electrical problem.

A friend of mine recently installed an remote, non-GFI outlet
paralleled off an existing GFI outlet (probably about 20 feet of wire
between the 2). For some reason, whenever any load is applied to this
2nd outlet (the new, non-GFI one) the GFI pops. This is regardless of
the nature of the load (can be just a table lamp) and regardless of
whether there is a load on the GFI outlet at the time. I told him I
thought perhaps the GFI outlet is defective & he should try replacing
it as a 1st step (at least substituting another GFI in its place as a
test). What else might account for this situation? Perhaps he needs
to put a GFI outlet in the remote location as well (I mean in terms of
the original GFI tripping with a load on the remote, not in terms of
any potential shock risk at that 2nd outlet).

He probably wired the new run wrong at the GFI. Both the hot and
neutral lines get connected to the "load" terminals on the GFI. If
you only connect one of the wires to the GFI load side and the other
upstream of the GFI , you will get these exact symptoms. Also verify
that he didn't connect the neutral and ground anywhere.

-Chris