All,
Yesterday Margaret started the dishwasher and noticed no hot water. We have an oasis combi with a 1500W immersion element in it which up to yesterday has provided enough hot water on its own to run the dishwasher.
Our original 20amp line to the original Hurricane failed a long time ago, so I wired a connection to the outlet on the wall immediately next to the bay where the new combi has replaced the hurricane. That line is on the original fridge circuit which also feeds the basement outlets (or at least that's what I think). Anyway, up until we replaced our fridge I always knew that I might blow the circuit because that's a 15amp circuit so far as I know. However, since replacing the fridge with the Samsung the fridge is now part of the inverter circuit which left the original fridge circuit entirely free. Therefore given the 1500W required of the combi I no longer felt I was in too much danger of blowing the circuit I am now using. Since then the original circuit remains OFF but when I did test it, there was voltage there but only in the 60-70 volt range rather than the required 110-120. I never again attempted to fix it.
Which brings me to yesterday's issue. My immediate thought after checking the fridge breaker (in the back bedroom closet above the bed) was that a GFCI outlet blew. I have not one but 2 GFCI outlets on the wall of the black/grey tanks enclosure (but on the outer wall of that enclosure and easily accessible by opening that bay door there or the next one frontward. In other words these 2 GFCI outlets are on the same wall as the CMP monitoring electronic boxes.
Since I had a rubber storage (trash container) with my air hose in front of those two GFCI outlets I initially tried to reach around (without seeing the actual outlet) and find by feel the reset switch. I did press something and heard a "CLICK" but that didn't restore the power to the combi. So, I removed my rubber storage vessel and found the following. On the top GFCI outlet both switches were "springy" but neither would press and lock in. And on the bottom GFCI outlet neither was "springy" by that I mean neither would press in, they appeared STUCK in whatever position there are in.
I had only been able initially to press one of the buttons on the top GFCI outlet, so the bottom one I am guessing must have been in its STUCK condition before I got there yesterday to look into this issue.
4 questions -
1) Does a GFCI fail in the "stuck" condition where neither switch will even move? Does that indicate failure?
2) Why are there 2 GFCIs on the one fridge/basement circuit?
3) If these are not on the same circuit, could one be on the 20amp that is dedicated to the "hurricane" cabinet and could that be the problem I am having with power to that cabinet?
4) Are there any wiring diagrams available?
Thanks, Mike
