* You said: “I have a box in the kitchen with an outlet and a switch. The switch is to operate the dispospal outlet which is under the sink in the cabinet. The switch when turned on constantly trips the breaker. I am taking power to the switch from the lower gold terminal on the outlet to the uppoer terminal of the switch. What do I need to do?
I need answers:
*1. Is the switch physically part of the outlet?
*2. What else does the output of the GFCI feed?
*3. Open the outlet and check to see the the copper wire and the white wire are not connected or touching each other.
*4. The incomming Hot Wire Does not go to the outlet first. The Black (Hot) wire from incomming power cable goes into the switch terminal first. A Black (Hot) wire leaves the switch and goes to the Hot side of the outlet terminal.
*5. The White (Neutral) wire Does not go to the switch! It goes to the silver terminal on the outlet.
** Note: The GFCI monitors the current going out on the black (HOT) wire, then monitors the current comming back on the white (Neutral) wire. If they don’t match, the GFCI breaker trips.
** Note: If they don’t match, it means that some of the current is going to Ground via a short or through the copper ground wire.
** Note: The fan that you plugged in, is it a 2 or 3 prong cord? If a 2 prong, then it means that you have a short in the outlet junction box between the White Neutral wire and the Bare Ground wire.
** Until something is plugged into the outlet there is no current flow and the GFCI is happy. When a fan or disposal is plugged in, there is current flow and the GFCI does its job.
** Good luck… Adios… Jasper…
Jasper Castillo
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