Gfci outlet keeps tripping when i plug in my heater

[Pico bam]

So during a power outage. I was running my heater and return pump on off a generator. When I go to plug everything back in this morning it was running fine. Came back a hour later power was off in the aquarium room. Thought it was a breaker in the box but turned out to be the gfci. I tried it three times whenever I plug in the inkbird it trips the gfci. Heres where it I get confused. I tried running it off a different circuit. Still trips the same gfci. Even though it on a different circuit. Is my heater to blame? Its a titanium 800w finnex. Im refreshing my basic understanding of a gfci right now. But thought I might get a quick answer on here.

Attached is a picture of why my power went out...

 

[Who me?]

Could be a bad GFCI outlet.

 

[Dom]

If it is the same is device tripping circuits as you move it from circuit to circuit, it's likely the device.

 

[Pico bam]

If it is the same is device tripping circuits as you move it from circuit to circuit, it's likely the device.

I guess I was just curious as to how it was tripping a circuit it wasn't on. Must be leaking voltage into the water and getting picked up somewhere thus tripping the circuit... one thing after another...

 

[Who me?]

I guess I was just curious as to how it was tripping a circuit it wasn't on. Must be leaking voltage into the water and getting picked up somewhere thus tripping the circuit... one thing after another...

Are you sure it's a different circuit? Some houses have multiple outlets connected to the same GFI outlet.

 

[Pico bam]

Are you sure it's a different circuit? Some houses have multiple outlets connected to the same GFI outlet.

Yea I'm sure me and my brother put them in.

 

[Who me?]

Yea I'm sure me and my brother put them in.

Must be some voltage leakage between the circuits then, which is not good in and of itself.

 

[Pico bam]

Yea my guess is threw the water in the tank. Im going to pick up a new heater. Witch seems obvious now.

Must be some voltage leakage between the circuits then, which is not good in and of itself.

 

[theMeat]

Every time a gfci trips it gets a lil weaker. Do you have anything plugged into the gfci? when a gfci gets wired in you can put wires that go to other places in he house onto the load of that gfci so that anything downstream of the gfci is also protected by that gfci

So what I’m saying is it might be the same circuit even tho it’s not plugged directly into the gfci outlet

 

[Pico bam]

Okay a bit of new information. I have the heater and inkbird completely unplugged it was not connected to anything as it trips the gfci. Got everything running again and I thought "you know what I'm going to stick my finger in the tank just for funnzy's" well it electrocuted me... and tripped the gfci. My next suspect is the skimmer pump as its electrocuted me in the past (slightly) and I also have a brand new spare for it. now I'm trying to get the guts to stick my finger in the tank again.

 

[Who me?]

Okay a bit of new information. I have the heater and inkbird completely unplugged it was not connected to anything as it trips the gfci. Got everything running again and I thought "you know what I'm going to stick my finger in the tank just for funnzy's" well it electrocuted me... and tripped the gfci. My next suspect is the skimmer pump as its electrocuted me in the past (slightly) and I also have a brand new spare for it. now I'm trying to get the guts to stick my finger in the tank again.

Im not a huge proponent of grounding probes... but might want to get one while you figure this out.

 

[Pico bam]

Every time a gfci trips it gets a lil weaker. Do you have anything plugged into the gfci? when a gfci gets wired in you can put wires that go to other places in he house onto the load of that gfci so that anything downstream of the gfci is also protected by that gfci

So what I’m saying is it might be the same circuit even tho it’s not plugged directly into the gfci outlet

Yes I know I have 2 receptacles tied into the gfci, the gfci being in one of them. But I did try a different outlet on a different receptical on a different circut... and it tripped the gfci.

I'm attempting to use the correct terminology but I'm not proficient here...

 

[KStatefan]

Is you heater a titanium one? If so is is acting as a ground probe. If it has a ground on the plug.

 

[Aquanaut WA]

Get a ground probe, stray voltage harms fish and stn sps

 

[Pico bam]

Is you heater a titanium one? If so is is acting as a ground probe.

That was my thought too.

 

[Pico bam]

Im not a huge proponent of grounding probes... but might want to get one while you figure this out.

Yes I think your on to something.

 

[Who me?]

Yes I know I have 2 receptacles tied into the gfci, the gfci being in one of them. But I did try a different outlet on a different receptical on a different circut... and it tripped the gfci.

I'm attempting to use the correct terminology but I'm not proficient here...

No offense but are you sure you're not sharing a neutral wire between the circuits?

 

[RedoubtReef]

Get a ground probe, stray voltage harms fish and stn sps

Whoa, old skool reefer legend right here from way back in the Reef Frontiers Days! Good to see you around

 

[KrisReef]

Stray voltage, gfci detects this better than you do except when you do and it does not trip. Good luck in isolating the source of leaking electricity and godspeed in getting this remedied before you die!

 

[Pico bam]

Stray voltage, gfci detects this better than you do except when you do and it does not trip. Good luck in isolating the source of leaking electricity and godspeed in getting this remedied before you die!

this made my day