Brett Lee Posted December 13, 2010 Share Posted December 13, 2010 have a 20 foot tree display with 10 strands of 110 minis tripping 15amp GFI when operated with the other 15 channels. Anyway to trouble shoot without digging out 15 inches of snow around the tree. works fine stand alone no burnt strands. worked fine before the blizzard with old snow cover. all strands connected at the top of the pvc pipe with a lit ball on top.ThanksBrett Leebrettlee198@msn.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowardShank Posted December 13, 2010 Share Posted December 13, 2010 10 Strands is about 3.5 amps total.The answer really lies in what else is plugged into the controller for your total amperage, and how bad is the snow/water shorting your connections? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-klb- Posted December 13, 2010 Share Posted December 13, 2010 Are you having issues with GFI trips (leakage current) or shorts (total current over fuse or breaker limits)??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brett Lee Posted December 13, 2010 Author Share Posted December 13, 2010 GFI trips above the CB. I have these 8 channels now on a seperate 20 amp circuit. Know thats wrong, going a slow blow mentality. Have total of four of these trees that were working fine before the blizzard. Think I have snow short (leak) in the assembly or cord connections. Don't know where else to check. Any way to test load/continuity on each individual tree, not an electrician. Had three trees at a 100% before tripping.Thank you for your response. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Batzdorf Posted December 14, 2010 Share Posted December 14, 2010 Had very much the same issue after a bad rain storm here in NH. Only one controller was a problem - popping a 20a gfci at 100% intensity - 50% was fine, that's where i run it during the non-show night. Total current draw for that controller is less than 5a.I imagine that its a combined leakage current issue. Hopefully everything will dry out before Thursday! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Saul Posted December 14, 2010 Share Posted December 14, 2010 Hi Bret, your problem is as you know, water in one of your connections, afraid your best bet is to dig out the connections.Just as a basic primer for you, GFIs pop because not all of the electricity going out the black wire, comes back in the white one. Meaning that some of the electricity has fond a way to get to ground without having to be on the white wire to do it. These things are VERY sensitive, and can trip with only a few thousands of an amp.The circuit breaker works off load, it is it a 15 amp breaker, it will pop when you try to use more that 15 amps. It doesn't care if the power comes back or not, it's all about how much electricity you are using.To help minimize GFIs popping, I recommend limiting how much power you put on one GFI, and try to keep your connections off the ground, and whenever possible put the extension male plugins horizontal so that water can drain out of the extension cords. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brett Lee Posted December 14, 2010 Author Share Posted December 14, 2010 Fellow Minnesotan. . .Thanks for the reply.Hate laying out cords in October with unheard of, 50 degrees and digging up in 0 degrees with a Yellow Lab bouncing off you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Saul Posted December 15, 2010 Share Posted December 15, 2010 LOL I understand, except my lab is black Where are you located? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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