When I ran underground wire for our front post light, I installed a GFCI box where the wire came out of the house. The GFCI outlet never worked. I did some troubleshooting initially, but I could not solve the problem. That was 34 years ago. Yes, 34 years ago. I walked by that GFCI for 34 years and never made another attempt to fix it, until today. Earlier in the year, I put the GFCI on my to-do list. Last week I removed the old GFCI. The box was leaking, as there was rust around the box. I noted what I needed: a new cover and GFCI. Then it started to rain, so I waited until next week.
The day before, I went to the local home improvement store and purchased the cover and GFCI. Efiwym. my wife, laughed at the receipt. It cost about $20 to hopefully fix the problem. I just shrugged my shoulders, and I said, “I know.”
Today, the weather was not great. Damp and cold. I did not anticipate being out that long, but electrical projects are never straight forward. I gathered the tools I needed and sat down next to the box. I tore off the plastic bag off the box. Last week, I drilled out the screws to get the old outlet off. Now I had to find a way to remove the remaining screws. I removed the rusted brackets that held the old GFCI in place, and I was done with that part. I was worried I would not have anything to screw the outlet to, but after lining the outlet with the box, the cover holes lined up perfectly.
Before I would remove the wire nuts, I went downstairs to turn off the circuit breaker. Since the post light was on that circuit, I flipped the switch and hence, no light. I never checked if the bulb was burnt out, but my voltmeter verified that there was no power.
I first installed a ground (white) lead that I cut off to remove the old GFCI. I screwed down both wires into the GFCI. (I had to check the world-wide-web to see what wire goes on which screw. Hot – brass, ground – silver.) I went back downstairs to turn the circuit breaker back on.
I returned back upstairs, and the post light was now lit. I got my voltmeter and check the outlet for power. 120 volts! It was working. I was ready to put the cover on, but I could not get the rubber gasket around the outlet. Back downstairs to turn off the circuit breaker.
Back upstairs, I removed the wires from the GFCI. I put the gasket on the box, reinstalled the GFCI and installed the cover. Back downstairs to turn the circuit breaker back on.
I checked the outlet again. Yea! 120 volts. I needed to find a way to attach the GFCI to the house. When the siding was replaced 15 years ago, they did not reattach the box to the house. Maybe next week.
I gathered my tools and I put them back into the toolbox. I told Efiwym I was done being cold and went inside. 34 years later, I finally fixed the GFCI outside.