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Remodeling our bathroom and I noticed the GFCI TEST button is stuck. Our GFCI outlets are probably 25 years old. So I couldn't test the outlet. I thought to my self, no problem, I'll just replace the outlet, i've done it 4-5 times already.

But for whatever reason this outlet (I guess) had a broke test button, but it still functioned properly over all these years.

When I tried to replace the GFCI, it kept tripping. I marked the wires, so i'm sure the wires were placed properly, but I could be wrong, and It have been that the previous wiring was done incorrectly?

The outlets in the master bedroom/bath room all work except 1. The outlet that's on the other side of the bathroom, it has never worked ever since we've lived in this house.

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I notice you have 4 wires on this GFCI using all 4 terminals.

Two of them, the LINE terminals, are connected to the power source, and will allow this GFCI to power up and do its thing. Hook up only these wires and tape off the others. Does the GFCI power up and behave correctly?

The other two, LOAD, are not there for convenience. They have a very specific job. They extend the GFCI's "zone of protection" to other loads. Doing this is both a blessing and a curse: it confers GFCI protection to the loads; but it means this GFCI will trip if the downline load has a ground fault. That is why these terminals should not be used lightly or frivolously.

The reason it trips now, when it didn't before, is that it didn't have a ground fault before, and now it does. The old GFCI's test button wasn't stuck, it was refusing to reset because of the ground fault. That "retest before allowing reset" is a more advanced feature of better GFCIs.

If you followed my instructions above, some things in your house are now out. One of them is the culprit: the source of the ground fault. Once it is removed from the circuit, the GFCI will reset.

So you can reconnect the LOAD wires and start unhooking each of the possible culprits until you find the one responsible.

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  • "Once it is removed from the circuit" You're referring to one of the receptacles with in this specific breaker, correct? I have to go through each one and replace one by one and retest until i find the one that is causing the GFCI to trip?
    – Outdated Computer Tech
    Commented Sep 27, 2018 at 16:44
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    I am referring to the points-of-use that lose power when you disconnect the LOAD wires from this GFCI. Only those things can be the culprit. Other things on that same breaker do not matter. Other things on other breakers do not matter.
    – Harper - Reinstate Monica
    Commented Sep 27, 2018 at 18:19
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    Well I did what you said. I only put in the LINE connections, and the GFCI works just fine. Interestingly enough, everything in the bathroom and masterbed room still work just fine! I'm currently looking in other places where those other wires could be powering.
    – Outdated Computer Tech
    Commented Sep 27, 2018 at 18:42
  • I thought you said one receptacle in the master bedroom has never worked, and this receptacle is on the opposite side of a bathroom wall. Does that one work now? Do you think the extra pair of wires in the bathroom box (white and blue) goes to this receptacle?
    – Jim Stewart
    Commented Sep 27, 2018 at 23:05
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    So after I replaced that 1 broken receptacle. The GFCI stopped tripping. Thanks everyone
    – Outdated Computer Tech
    Commented Oct 12, 2018 at 0:45

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