I finally had a GFCI breaker burn out on me after 12 years

It was in a basement bathroom remodel I did back in 2012. Last Tuesday the homeowner called saying the outlet kept tripping and resetting wouldn't work. I pulled the panel cover and found the neutral terminal on the breaker was corroded and half melted. Ended up replacing it with a standard breaker and a GFCI receptacle instead. Has anyone else seen these fail more often after a certain age?

2 comments

2 Comments

karen_sanchez1024d ago

I have to respectfully disagree with the idea that these breakers have a set lifespan. I've seen GFCI breakers last 20 plus years without issues in the same kind of damp basement conditions. The real problem is usually a bad connection at the terminal or a faulty device, not the age of the breaker itself.

the_karen24d ago

20 years without issues" is luck, not proof they last forever.