GFCI Lightning Behavior

[Francis Vineyard]

It seems under certain conditions garage appliances will trip the GFCI during a lightning storm. My assumption is when the voltage surge force by lightning changes the potential between the hot and both the neutral and grounding circuit it will trip the GFCI; if this is correct would surge protection before the GFCI work?

Is the appliance a part at fault?

Thoughts!

Francis

 

[mark handler]

http://www.oah.state.mn.us/cases/190019553-electric/batch10.pdf

 

[chris kennedy]

if this is correct would surge protection before the GFCI work?

Surge protection is not designed to protect equipment from nearby lightning strikes.

All surge protectors are not created equal. In fact, there is a tremendous range in both performance and price of protection systems.

• At one end, you have your basic $5 surge protector power strip, which will offer very little protection.
  
• On the other end you have systems costing hundreds or even thousands of dollars, which will protect against pretty much everything short of lightning striking nearby.