GFCI Question

stp57

Out of the blue today my GFCI on the load side to a light fixture lost it's neutral. When I tested the GFCI not only did I find out that I did not have a neutral anymore, but the ground was now hot @120V. I changed the GFCI & problem fixed.
Is this a common occurrence with the builder's special outlets?
Steve

480sparky

I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around what you're trying to say.

Where, exactly, did you loose a neutral? At the light, or on the back side of the GFI recep at the load neutral?

If you had a loose connection, repairing it should have solved all the problems.

__________________
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stp57

480sparky,
It started when an outside outlet suddenly stopped working. My circuit tester showed that the neutral was open. The connection wasn't bad, but I changed the outlet anyway.
I traced the outlet to the load side of a GFCI in the garage. My circuit tester showed an open neutral on the load side & a "hot" ground. As I said before, a new GFCI took care of the problem but I can't understand why it happened?
Steve

OCRS

Internal failure?

willworkforbeer

Take apart the old "bad" gfci and see if you can see an obvious problem, mechanics 101

480sparky

When you installed the new GFI, you made the connection tight again.

__________________
Site : the area or exact plot of ground on which anything is, has been, or is to be located.
Sight : The power or faculty of seeing; perception of objects by use of the eyes; vision.
Cite : To mention in support, proof, or confirmation; refer to as an example.

stp57

Not a bad connection on neutral & even if that were the case, that wouldn't cause the ground to go hot? I wish that I would have taken the old GFCI apart before the trash man took it.
Steve