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Electrical Question From Anthony About Troubleshooting

Question: I guess I’ll describe what I did and then ask the question. I wired my pool pump motor. From the house I have 110/115V going into an outdoor outlet box that contains a GFI outlet. These wires went into the line terminals.


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Electrical Question about: Troubleshooting

Received from Anthony a Homeowner in Massapequa, NY

[ad#block]Question: I guess I’ll describe what I did and then ask the question. I wired my pool pump motor. From the house I have 110/115V going into an outdoor outlet box that contains a GFI outlet. These wires went into the line terminals. I then ran from the load terminals to the outlet for the pump. The pump plugs into an L5-20 twist lock outlet. I decided to add a switch to control the L5-20 outlet to make turning the pump off easier. I connected the hot black wire to the brass screw of the L5-20, I connected the black wire from the switch to the neutral terminal of the outlet and twisted the 2 remaining white wires (one from the incoming power and one from the switch) I also connected all grounds on the way.
Here is the question….when the switch is on all is well, when I turn the switch on it trips the GFI. Did I wire it wrong?
Thanks in advance for your help.

Additional Comments: Your site is great. I find a lot of useful information here. Thank you very much!!!

Dave’s Reply:
Thanks for your electrical question.

The Following links will assist you with your electrical question:
For more information about Troubleshooting
Troubleshooting Electrical Wiring

This link is helpful as a Homeowner
Do-It-Yourself Electrical

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The following may also be helpful for you:

Electrical Video #2

How to Wire a GFCI Outlet

without a Ground Wire

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NOTE: A List of All my Helpful Videos
Will Display at the End of This Video
Keep Watching So I Can Help You Wire it Right!

Learn more about Home Electrical Wiring
with my Online Video Course:
Basic Home Electrical Wiring by Example

Dave's Guide to Home Electrical Wiring:

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Here's How to Do It:
Wire It Right with the help of my Illustrated Wiring Book

Great for any Home Wiring Project.
  electrical wiring  

Complete Guide to Home Electrical Wiring

Perfect for Homeowners, Students,
Handyman, Handy Women, and Electricians
Includes:
Wiring GFCI Outlets
Wiring Home Electric Circuits
120 Volt and 240 Volt Outlet Circuits
Wiring Light Switches
Wiring 3-Wire and 4-Wire Electric Range
Wiring 3-Wire and 4-Wire Dryer Cord and Dryer Outlet
How to Troubleshoot and Repair Electrical Wiring
Wiring Methods for Upgrading Electrical Wiring
NEC Codes for Home Electrical Wiring
....and much more.



Be Careful and Be Safe - Never Work on Energized Circuits!
Consult your Local Building Department about Permits and Inspections for all Electric Wiring Projects.

Electrical Tips to Help You Wire it Right

The Safest Way to Test Electrical Devices and Identify Electric Wires!

The Non-Contact Electrical Tester
This is a testing tool that I have had in my personal electrical tool pouch for years, and is the first test tool I grab to help identify electrical wiring. It is a Non-contact tester that I use to easily Detect Voltage in Cables, Cords, Circuit Breakers, Lighting Fixtures, Switches, Outlets and Wires. Simply insert the end of the tester into an outlet, lamp socket, or hold the end of the tester against the wire you wish to test. Very handy and easy to use.

The Quickest Way to Check for Faulty Electrical Wiring!

The Plug-In Outlet Tester
This is the first tool I grab to troubleshoot a problem with outlet circuit wiring. This popular tester is also used by most inspectors to test for power and check the polarity of circuit wiring.
It detects probable improper wiring conditions in standard 110-125 VAC outlets Provides 6 probable wiring conditions that are quick and easy to read for ultimate efficiency Lights indicate if wiring is correct and indicator light chart is included Tests standard 3-wire outlets UL Listed Light indicates if wiring is incorrect Very handy and easy to use.

Strip Off Wire Insulation without Nicking and Damaging the Electric Wire!

The Wire Stripper and Wire Cutter
My absolute favorite wire stripping tool that I have had in my personal electrical tool pouch for years, and this is the tool I use to safely strip electrical wires.
This handy tool has multiple uses:
The wire gauges are shown on the side of the tool so you know which slot to use for stripping insulation.
The end of the tool can be used to grip and bend wire which is handy for attaching wire onto the screw terminals of switches and outlets..

The wire stripper will work on both solid and stranded wire. This tool is Very Handy and Easy to Use.


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