Fun Installing Leviton GFCI Outlets

spacejamz · May 27, 2024

So I have installed numerous switches (replaced the 23 original light switches with rocker switches a few years ago, even one two-way switch in the staircase) and several non-GFCI switches in my house.

Two of the GFCI switches in my kitchen weren't resetting so I bought 2 of these Leviton GFCI outlets thinking I should be able to knock them out with no problem:

Amazon.com

I turn off the power to them at the panel, remove the switches (and carefully placed the two wires that went to the top screws towards the top and did the same with the bottom) and then wired the outlet exactly like the one I pulled out. I turn the power back on, see the little green light is on and think all is good. I plug in my tester and nothing happens. I undo all the wires and re-connect them and same thing happens. I then do some googling and apparently Leviton switches are wired the exact opposite of the ones I pulled out. Turn off the power again, move the top wires down to the bottom and the bottom wires to top. Turn the power on (no light on the outlet which is what should happen - kinda weird that the green light immediately signals that it wasn't wired correctly), press the reset button and the green light comes on again and the new outlets are both working correctly.

That is my fun work project for today. Thanks for listening.

Hans Gruber · May 27, 2024

The green light means the outlet is functioning correctly. If it's red, the breaker in the outlet has been switched/flipped. You hit the reset button to get it from red to green. You need to wire it for the load side vs. line side. It should still work but only the GFCI outlet would be protected if you do not get the load/line correct. Your hot screws are brass. You neutral is silver and your ground a green screw.

Once you get your load side installed correctly, it should work correctly and protect all the other outlets down the line in the circuit. If the GFCI is at the end of the line, it will not matter.

herm0016 · May 28, 2024

yep. some have load on top and some have load on bottom. I have gotten this call a few times as an electrician when people have no understanding, and just put stuff back the way it came out with a new device.

@Hans Gruber "If the GFCI is at the end of the line, it will not matter." it you power it from the load side the GFI will not function, so it still matters.

Paperdoc · May 28, 2024

I had a different issue with these, and I learned by doing it wrong. I was used to an older design in which the GFCI unit has FOUR connection leads or screws: Hot Supply (Black), Neutral (White), Ground (Green) and Hot Output (Red). When you install one of these with a cable going out to downstream additional devices that are to be protected, the two leads out to downstream are fed from Red (Hot Output) and White. That is, the white Neutral wire from supply and the white Neutral going out to downstream BOTH connect to the GFCI Neutral terminal. That's a shared Neutral system.

In the new Leviton unit I got there are FIVE connection points. The fifth is a Neutral dedicated to the downstream feed output. I just wired that up to the other white Neutral line and the a GFCI Neutral terminal, and it all worked. BUT the moment I plugged a load into any downstream protected outlet the GFCI tripped for no reason! I had to phone Leviton Tech Support to find out you cannot wire it that way! And of course, the instructions DO tell you this, and I did not read and do as it says.

In this newer design the OUTPUT NEUTRAL and the SUPPLY NEUTRAL MUST be kept separate and wired to the correct side! Supply Neutral to the GFCI supply neutral terminal, and output neutral wire on a separate wiring cable to the GFCI Output Neutral terminal. (Of course, the two Ground leads CAN be tied together to the GFCI Ground terminal.) Then it works perfectly.

spacejamz · May 29, 2024

Hans Gruber said:
The green light means the outlet is functioning correctly. If it's red, the breaker in the outlet has been switched/flipped. You hit the reset button to get it from red to green. You need to wire it for the load side vs. line side. It should still work but only the GFCI outlet would be protected if you do not get the load/line correct. Your hot screws are brass. You neutral is silver and your ground a green screw.

Once you get your load side installed correctly, it should work correctly and protect all the other outlets down the line in the circuit. If the GFCI is at the end of the line, it will not matter.

On these Leviton GFCI outlets, the light should not be on when you turn the power back on since the outlet comes 'tripped' so you you have reset for the green light to come on.

If the green light is on immediately, it means it was wired wrong. pretty back azzwards and not very intuitive.

Hans Gruber · May 29, 2024

spacejamz said:
On these Leviton GFCI outlets, the light should not be on when you turn the power back on since the outlet comes 'tripped' so you you have reset for the green light to come on.

If the green light is on immediately, it means it was wired wrong. pretty back azzwards and not very intuitive.

I thought about it. The green light means the circuit has not been tripped by the GFCI. The red light means the circuit has been tripped by the breaker and need to be reset. The only thing that will tell you the wiring is wrong is either smoke and fire or an outlet tester. The analog GFCI's were confusing because the user didn't know if the breaker was tripped. You have to hunt and peck with the black bar and red bar and start pushing buttons to reset the GFCI.

spacejamz · May 29, 2024

Hans Gruber said:
I thought about it. The green light means the circuit has not been tripped by the GFCI. The red light means the circuit has been tripped by the breaker and need to be reset. The only thing that will tell you the wiring is wrong is either smoke and fire or an outlet tester. The analog GFCI's were confusing because the user didn't know if the breaker was tripped. You have to hunt and peck with the black bar and red bar and start pushing buttons to reset the GFCI.

~~I don't think these Leviton outlets have a red light...~~

scratch that...they do...

pcgeek11 · May 29, 2024

Always read the instructions or just look at the back of the outlet...

Greenman · May 30, 2024

Real men don't read instructions.

pcgeek11 · Jun 1, 2024

Greenman said:
Real men don't read instructions.

Just hook it up, turn it on and see what happens. 🔥❤️‍🔥🎇

Greenman · Jun 1, 2024

pcgeek11 said:
Just hook it up, turn it on and see what happens. 🔥❤️‍🔥🎇

Then belittle your apprentice for being an idiot.

Torn Mind · Jun 1, 2024

Leviton sucks.

Should have sourced Hubbell.

Greenman · Jun 2, 2024

Torn Mind said:
Leviton sucks.

Should have sourced Hubbell.

Any particular reason for that declaration? I've always used whatever the supplier had on the shelf.

Torn Mind · Jun 2, 2024

Greenman said:
Any particular reason for that declaration? I've always used whatever the supplier had on the shelf.

Residential grade internals not holding in plugs.

Then exterior ones that were not that old and covered failing and needing replace. I was not the original installer as the house was someone else's.

Once upon a times, Lowes sold Hubbell outlets and I have some of their commercial ones still. I recall their industrial grade to be even gripper than the commercial ones but thought that was overkill.

Greenman · Jun 2, 2024

I've only rarely seen that issue, and those few were with old and heavily used outlets.

herm0016 · Jun 3, 2024

Torn Mind said:
Residential grade internals not holding in plugs.

Then exterior ones that were not that old and covered failing and needing replace. I was not the original installer as the house was someone else's.

Once upon a times, Lowes sold Hubbell outlets and I have some of their commercial ones still. I recall their industrial grade to be even gripper than the commercial ones but thought that was overkill.

We never buy the 50 cent or dollar stuff. We always buy at least the plus or whatever. in anything i own its always 15/20 or 20 amp outlets because of the quality difference. Leviton makes good stuff if you don't buy the cheapest line.

sdifox · Jun 5, 2024

Greenman said:
Any particular reason for that declaration? I've always used whatever the supplier had on the shelf.

Torn Mind has anger issues with lots of companies.

Greenman · Jun 5, 2024

sdifox said:
Torn Mind has anger issues with lots of companies.

I've just recently noticed that.

jmagg · Jun 5, 2024

I've done two complete rewires with bulk Leviton and ground fault, and have never worn out an outlet. One new house 15 yrs lived in, one remodel 10 yrs.

Fun Installing Leviton GFCI Outlets

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