Frakking GFCI

I just spent 2.5 hours going to the store for a new GFCI receptacle and in the hot garage working by portable light installing it. Regular receptacles are a pain...GFCI's are twice as many connections and twice as much of a pain. Seriously. If anyone can install one without cursing a blue streak at least once, I'd be amazed. Those little wires need to curve around little screws and on the one I bought, those screws were sort of "bouncy" and wouldn't stay up or down without tilting the damn receptacle and holding my breath just right.

The new one didn't work, either...which means that something was tripping it and it wasn't the receptacle's problem. When it tripped, we couldn't get internet or FIOS because it was where the verizon boxes are plugged in. A pretty big problem in this house. Especially since tonight is Masterpiece Theater night and I was all ready to watch the end of a three part series.

When a GFCI keeps tripping, it is usually because some other appliance is shorting and causing problems on the line. This receptacle was by itself out in the garage...I didn't know what line it was on...I ended up shutting off all the electricity in the house to work on it because I couldn't find the correct breaker without testing the wires each time.

THEN I remembered that while I was mulching the back beds today, I found a little black box near an open plug and plugged it in to see what it was. Nothing happened. I left it plugged in. And that plug is on the other side of the wall the tripping GFCI is. I went and unplugged the box and the @#$%#% GFCI receptacle worked like a dream. We now have TV and internet again. And we don't have the slightest idea what that black box is, but I'll be damned if we ever plug it in again.