Re: Capacitor to bypass GFI outlet?

["Robert Green" <ROBERT_GREEN1963@xxxxxxxxx>]

"Chris Shearer Cooper" <chrisnews@xxxxxxx> wrote in

<stuff snipped>

> That is, what would happen if I attached a 0.1 uF 600V
> cap from the line to the load? Would the X-10 signal get through?
> Would it affect the ability of the GFI outlet to detect ground faults?

[/sermon on]

Sorry to feel compelled to butt in here.  Even the slightest chance that
such a mod could compromise your GFI's ability to protect you makes your
proposed mod a very bad idea.  As Tom noted, the wrong capacitor choice
could have serious consequences.

It seems that some GFI's are X-10 friendly, and some aren't.  Therefore, I
respectfully submit that the better course of action is to find a GFI that
presents no problem to X-10 and switch yours out.  It would also be helpful
to the whole X-10 user universe to identify the make and model of the GFI so
that brand can be avoided by others.

[/sermon ended]

I don't recall if you ever fully explained your X-10 problem in detail in
the OP, so it may be that your proposed fix won't do anything at all.  The
GFI may be a signal sink.  It may even be functioning perfectly and the X-10
interference/attenuation is coming from something other device(s) along the
circuit path.

Personally, I'd do a little more investigation into the nature of the
problem before assuming the GFI is not passing signals.  That's doubly true
when the modification has the potential to cripple the life-saving function
of the unit.  The capacitor fix is designed to couple opposing phases at the
breaker box or at a 220V outlet. I've never read or heard of it being
applied to a GFI.

Your local electrical inspector would probably have a canary or two if you
started adding external components to a GFI.  Could you live with yourself
if someone in your house died as a result of a GFI failure because of the
mod?  You're going to be working in the electrical box anyway, how much does
a new GFI cost?  $10?  You'll probably expend the same amount of effort
locating just the right value and type of capacitor!

--
Bobby G.