I was installing tile spacers in an outlet to make it flush with the wall after installing a backsplash in my kitchen. The next 2 outlets stopped working. The 2nd outlet is a GCFI outlet. So I went back to the initial outlet that I had installed spacers in & noticed a black wire had broke. I fixed it. I checked the next outlet which is standard, it now worked. So I checked the next one which is a gcfi with a gfci receptacle tester. It showed 1 light on the right indicating open neutral and then it tripped. It will not reset. Any suggestions on my next move?
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3Sounds like you broke a white wire too (open neutral). A GFCI won't reset if either the hot or neutral coming to it is broken, it must have power or it won't reset.– TysonCommented Oct 12, 2016 at 1:45
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@tyson this should be an answer+– Ed BealCommented Oct 12, 2016 at 13:17
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1One already broke and now there's another problem? I'd be pulling all new wire between those outlets, but I get to work with EMT, whereas otherwise that's probably not feasible. I'd at least be taking a real good look at all the wires.– MazuraCommented Oct 12, 2016 at 22:14
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1 Answer
Sounds like you broke a white wire too (open neutral). A GFCI won't reset if either the hot or neutral coming to it is broken, A GFCI must have power (hot and neutral) or it won't reset.
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This is a good tip, but if it lit up an outlet tester then the CB was on.– MazuraCommented Oct 12, 2016 at 22:16
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2@Mazura the GFCI was not tripped when the OP broke the upstream white wire, the OP then tripped the GFCI with the tester but discovered open neutral before tripping it. Once tripped, it will now not reset because of the upstream wiring fault. I only suggested this in a comment originally however Ed Beal suggested I turn it into an answer.– TysonCommented Oct 12, 2016 at 22:23
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