Confused w/ dual plugs

[chandalen]

I am using the 16 channel 15-30 amp LOR boards.

I am also an electrician.

The wires are correctly polarized, and plugged in correctly on the board.

I am using a mix of LED and incans.

 

I am totally confused.  I'm pulling about 18 amps if EVERYTHING is on on a box.  So I split the plug and have 2 plugs for the controller.

If I plug in both plugs to the SAME GFI plug, everything is fine until all the lights turn on, then the 15a plug trips.  Ok, expected that.

 

BUT...

 

If I plug each wire into a different outlet, (one being the GFI) it will trip instantly. 

 

Ideas?

 

I tossed around the idea of maybe somewhere in the wiring I reversed the polarity of a strand, and while normally that would not matter, would it matter to a GFI?

 

(of course writing this I'm thinking more and more that it may matter..)

 

A simple, but not safer solution was I plugged the controller into a non 15a rated non GFI plug inside.  (So its on a 20a breaker now)

 

Thoughts?

 

Thanks!

[Gary Levelius]

If I'm reading this right, you originally had only one plug on the controller but decided to split the load and added a second plug such that channels 1-8 are on one plug and channels 9-16 are on the other. Is this correct? Did you remember to take the HOT and NEUTRAL jumpers off that connected the two sides when it had only one cord?

 

-Gary-

[Mega Arch]

Polarity of light strands does not matter to the GFCI.

Gary got me by a minute - but agree.... Check your jumpers.

Edited December 1, 2014 by Mega Arch

[Max-Paul]

I cant see any reason if one plug is in a GFI and the other plug in a standard outlet. How this configuration would cause a GFI to trip. Provided the jumper mentioned above is removed.  But I also cant say that I have done this. Just from what I know about GFI I cant see how this would be a problem.

[chandalen]

Thanks for the fast responses!

 

Yes I did remove the jumper.

 

I moved both plugs to the inside plug which is a 20a from the breaker.

 

Oddly enough, I dont think my house is built to code.   I have 3 outdoor plugs (all 3 GFI) wired together AND also wired to the same 20a breaker 4 inside the house plugs (non GFI).

 

My problem is still using 2 separate plugs for one controller.  If one plug is a GFI it will trip instantly.  Polarity is correct.

[k6ccc]

As soon as you plugged in the second cord into another outlet, you provided a separate neutral path.  This undoubtedly created a difference in current between the hot and neutral on the GFCI outlet which is supposed to trip it.

 

Remember that on a GFCI it's the difference in current going out and coming back that causes a trip.  The GFCI does not know where the difference in current is, or what is causing it (and does not care).  This is why a GFCI will work perfectly well in a house that does not have a ground wire to most outlets (like most of the original part of mine).

[KStatefan]

Thanks for the fast responses!

 

Yes I did remove the jumper.

 

 

 

Did you remove both jumpers?

[chandalen]

KState:  Yes

K6:  So using two non GFI circuits would solve the problem? (I'll try when I get home)

Also, if that does work, is it not possible to use 2 GFI circuits on one controller?

[Mega Arch]

For your safety as well as unauthorized people in your yard - please keep the controllers plugged in on GFCI circuits. Power is power and has nothing to do with the GFCI cicuit until it trips. So, yes, two separate GFCI circuits is what you want when splitting the controller. Think of it as two totally separate 8 cicuit systems that are just sharing the same controller enclosure.

First thought is the GFCI is wired incorrectly. As an electrician I'm sure you have found that on service calls. Well, could be your house as well. So, you've checked it out? Then here's where the fun really starts.

Unplug all 16 of your load wires. Plug controller in. Then one by one start plugging one channel's wire into the controller and test. Repeat with each channel until you find the one causing the GFCI to trip. Then separate all wires on that channel and plug in one strand at a time until you find the gremlin(s). Save some time maybe - start with any strands that are on wire-frame props &/or roofline gutters.

Good luck.

[chandalen]

Mega:   I was tossing up that idea, and for safety's sake I'll do it at lunch.   I was able to run my show over an over off of one 20a plug, but I'm not 100% happy that its only on a surge protector and a breaker, not a GFI.

 

I'm sure the wiring in the house is NOT to code, but housing is still pissed at me because I pointed out that the dryer vents were a fire hazard (not to code) and I reported it to the base Commander, and $300,000 later, the dryer vents are to code!

 

I THINK housing would say at this point... turn off your crazy lights.

[Denny]

Ahhh, base housing and dryer vents.  At Homestead, they were vented into an interior wall.  Took a unit catching fire before they fixed the problem there.  Houses weren't built to code either and had to be evacuated in a hurricane.  Of course, when Andrew went through, it didn't make much difference to any of base housing, they were all gone.