GFI Tripping during Rain

[Ken Gelinas]

We recently had a few nights of rain and I found that the GFI had tripped my lights during a light rain. I traced it down to the #11 cord. On that line I have 3 small trees and a small reindeer ( approx 400 lights ). Rather than taking them all apart, I grabbed 4 CLEAR, LARGE size garbage bags and placed them over the trees, therefore, covering the lights AND the plugs connected to the lights. I then took thin white string and wrapped around the trees, holding the clear plastic bags in place.

NOTE : (Before putting the bags over the trees, I tapped them and the plugs, to remove any excess water accumulating in the lines) It had stopped raining at this time.

I hooked everthing back up, and the lightshow ran without a hitch. After a couple hours, the rain picked up and there was a mild steady stream. To my amazement, the light show was going strong and it went for the rest of the evening.

I'll replace the lights and cover the plugs later on, but this was an easy fix that allowed the show to go on...and just in time, because we had about 6 cars lined up in the misty rain for that show.... and they knew NOTHING of what had happened earlier and possibly cancelling the shows for the evening.

Just thought I would pass this little tidbit along. I hope it helps others.



Ken Gelinas

LaSalle Ontario, Canada.

[a8184]

How do you trace and find the culprit?

[Ken Gelinas]

a8184 wrote:

How do you trace and find the culprit?

Well, sort of a process of ellimination. I kind of figured that it was with in the lights on the ground as the others are raised up higher. The group of lights in question are on 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14.

I plugged 10 and 11 in together and they were fine, I then plugged 11 & 12 together and they blew. I then connected 11 and 13 and they were ok, then 11 and 14 and they were OK. I figured that 12 had a leak of some sort and with both of them together, caused a greater leak, thus tripping the GF!. I search bank 12 consisting of 3 small trees and found one of the plugs almost out of its socket and on the wet ground. I cleaned it off and went on, with pairing 12 and 13, then 12 and 14 then 13 and 14 and all was well. I ran the display WITHOUT #11 and everything worked fine. I even let it run by itself for the full 1/2 hour without #11 plugged in. At the second 1/2 hour show, it ran again, with no problems, so I decided to plug #11 back in and sure enough, POW... it blew. Once the rain stopped, I shook a lot of the water from the trees and the connections and covered them in the plastic. Everything ran well and is still running as we speak ( type ).

Hope this helps.



Ken Gelinas