Why is my landscape lighting not working? Water and tripped GCFI

Is your landscape lighting not working after heavy rainfall? The solution to fixing your lights might be simpler than you’d think.

We all know that water is the enemy when it comes to electrical systems, and sometimes fail-safes can make it appear that your lighting system is damaged when in reality it simply needs to be reset. 

What is a GFCI outlet?

The problem we see most often is with the GFCI outlet the landscape lighting transformer is plugged into. 

GFCI stands for Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter.

If a GFCI comes into contact with water, it will automatically trip in order to prevent the risk of electric shock. A GFCI is used in place of a normal outlet in locations where the outlet might come into contact with water. (i.e. in your home’s bathroom)

Often times when a client calls us about their entire lighting system not working, it’s as simple a fix as simply resetting their GFCI.

Where is the GFCI located?

Locating the GFCI is usually the most difficult part when it comes to getting your landscape lights to start working again after the GFCI has tripped. 

The tripped GFCI isn’t always located on the exterior of the home. Sometimes the GFCI connected to the exterior outlet will be located somewhere inside the home. We’ve (after hours of searching) found a client’s GFCI located at the back of their coat closet.

A GFCI is meant to trip. It’s there to protect you and your home.

But if it continues to trip after every rain storm, then it could mean it needs to be protected from water better. 

TIP: add a bubble cover to your GFCI outlet

This will drastically reduce the moisture issues your outlet will experience.

Is it time to replace your old GFCI?

Sometimes a GFCI simply needs to be replaced.

Old worn-out GFCIs are more sensitive and will trip more easily.

Replacing an old GFCI with a new one can solve a lot of issues if your GFCI trips often. 

Where is the moisture coming from?

Rain isn’t always the cause of a tripped GFCI.

Could it be your irrigation?

A bubble cover can only deflect so much moisture.

Identifying what is causing the GFCI to trip repeatedly can help you come up with a more permanent solution. 

Before you call the repair guy, check your GFCI

If your outdoor lighting system has ceased working, consider what the weather has been like over the last couple of days.

Has there been a lot of rain recently?

Has warmer weather caused lots of snow/ice melt?

Resetting your GFCI is easy! The trouble sometimes is locating it.

Do you live in Utah and have a landscape lighting system that’s still not working?

We can help. Call us at (801) 440-7647 for more information, or schedule a free maintenance consultation on our website.