GFCI outlet keeps tripping

6 years ago

Hello! I built a kitchenette in my basement as part of my guest suite. I installed a 2-burner 120 volt coil cooktop. The cooktop says the two burners are 1400 watts combined. I put it on a GFCI outlet because the sink is close by. The breaker is 20 amps, the wires are 12 gauge, the GFCI outlet is 20 amps, and there's nothing else on the circuit. The small burner works just fine, but whenever I run the big burner the GFCI outlet trips. It seems to me that 20 amps should be enough. Does someone have a clue about what might be going on?

Featured Answer

mike_kaiser_gw

6 years ago

1400 watts at 120v is a little less than 12 amps which is more than acceptable for a 20 amp circuit. GFCI receptacles trip because of a fault to ground, not because of too much current. Have you tried using your cooktop on another GFCI circuit? If it trips there, then there is a problem with your cooktop.

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Comments (6)

M
6 years ago
Please hire a professional. None of what you're saying sounds up to code
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Seabornman
6 years ago
Is it possible you have polarity of your incoming wires switched?
Paul Lombardi
Original Author
6 years ago
I tried the cooktop in another part of the house, and it worked fine. The polarity on the outlet was correct. I replaced the outlet, and now everything is working fine. The outlet must have been bad. It's not the first time I've had a problem with a Leviton product. Thanks!
Ron Natalie
6 years ago
But was the other receptacle you tried GFCI-protected? You may still have a ground fault there.
weedmeister
6 years ago
I've had GFCIs get twitchy over time. The last one was an outdoor unit that kept tripping with no load other than an extension cord. I replaced the outlet and it's been fine for a few months with the same extension cord.