Vent, Valve & Volt
GFCI outlet won't reset

This one needs a licensed pro

Likely cause: a failed GFCI or a wiring problem

A GFCI that will not latch with nothing plugged in, or trips the moment you reset it, has failed or is miswired. That is a job for a licensed electrician.

Why this happens

Family Handyman says to call an electrician when the reset button trips again every time you press it. Leviton lists incorrect wiring, with the line and load wires reversed, as a common cause of reset lockout in newly installed GFCIs, and its instructions say a GFCI that cannot be reset must be replaced. Swapping wires or replacing the outlet both mean opening the box, so this is not a homeowner fix.

What to do right now

  1. Stop trying to reset it. Leave everything unplugged from that outlet.
  2. If you can identify its breaker, turn it OFF at the hinged panel door and leave it off until the electrician comes.
  3. Note which other outlets are dead along with it so the electrician can trace the circuit.
  4. Call a licensed electrician. Do not take the cover plate off or swap any wires.

What to tell the licensed electrician

  • The GFCI will not reset even with every breaker on and nothing plugged in.
  • Whether it was recently installed or replaced, and by whom.
  • Which other outlets are dead along with it.
  • Whether you have ever seen AL or Aluminum printed on cable jackets. Leviton says its GFCI is not for use with aluminum wire.

Build the full list: what to tell the licensed electrician.

Start this troubleshooter over

References (every fact above comes from one of these pages)
  1. Family Handyman: Troubleshooting dead outlets
  2. Leviton: How to reset a GFCI outlet after lockout
  3. Leviton: GFCI instruction sheet (PDF)
  4. CPSC Publication 516: aluminum wiring (PDF)

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