Read the manual thoroughly and understand all of the instructions, cautions, and warnings before using this equipment. If any section of the manual is not understood, contact your nearest authorized dealer, or contact Generac Customer Service at 1-888-436-3722 (1-888-GENERAC), or www.generac.com with any questions or concerns. 

Why does the GFCI outlet keep tripping?

Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) breakers protect against electrocution by instantly shutting off electricity when a ground fault, or a variation in the flow of electrical current, is detected. The GFCI outlets on a portable generator may trip for a variety of reasons. This article walks through them in detail.

 

Environment

This issue and the following troubleshooting steps apply to all Generac portable generators with GFCI outlets.

 

Causes

GFCI outlets can trip for a variety of reasons, including:

• Using a frayed or faulty extension cord or appliance cord.
• Attempting to power faulty appliances.
• Starting the generator while appliances or extendsion cords are plugged in.
• Powering sensitive electronics like smart refrigerators or TVs that require a low THD.
• Overloading the generator's GFCI outlet.

Note: If the GFCI outlet on the portable generator trips without any cord or appliance connected, this is likely the result of an electrical short, which should be resolved by a Generac authorized service dealer.

Troubleshooting

Walk through the below steps in order to resolve a GFCI breaker that continuously trips. Before starting the generator, verify that there are no extension cords or appliances plugged in to any outlets.

Inspect the cords

• If using extension cords, inspect them for signs of damage, such as cuts, frays, or exposed wires.
• Verify that the extension cord being used is rated for the correct amperage required by the generator's outlets. Amperage for each outlet can be found in the product's spec sheet.

Inspect the appliances

Test that the appliances being powered are not faulty. Plug them in to a wall outlet to see if they work as expected.

If utility power is not available:

1. Unplug all devices from the generator.

2. Reset the GFCI outlet by pressing the reset button (see image below).

3. While the generator is running, plug one appliance back in. If it trips the breaker, the appliance or it's cord may be faulty.

4. Repeat the above steps as needed for remaining appliances or cords.

 

Sensitive electronics

• Some highly sensitive appliances like smart TVs or smart refrigerators require a low THD (total harmonic distortion) to operate properly. Not all portable generators produce low enough THD to successfully power these appliances. To determine if the portable generator being used produces clean power, see here: Which Generac portable generators have TruePower™ technology?
• If using a smart fridge, disable the ice maker on the appliance if possible, and try powering it again.
• If it's been determined that a sensitive appliance is causing the breaker to trip, but it must be powered, consider purchasing an adapter (like an L14-30P to 5-20R) so that the appliance can be connected to the larger (non GFCI) 30-amp or 50-amp receptacle on the portable generator.
• To choose the correct adapter, confirm the specifications of the generator's outlets by consulting the owner's manual or the product's spec sheet.

Electrical load considerations

• Determine the power limit of the GFCI outlet being used (for most generators, this is 2,400 watts). Power limits of individual outlets can be found by multiplying volts x amps.
• Add up the power demands for the appliances you are plugging into this outlet. If it exceeds 2,400 watts (or whatever the outlet's power limit is), the outlet is being overloaded, and the GFCI breaker will trip to protect the circuit.
  
  

If the above steps do not resolve the issue contact a Generac Authorized Service Dealer for assistance.