View Single Post
  #9   Report Post  
Old March 28th 07, 04:29 AM posted to rec.radio.amateur.antenna
Jimmie D Jimmie D is offline
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by RadioBanter: Feb 2007
Posts: 287
Default GFCI problem when running high power


"John, N9JG" wrote in message
et...
I am using an Orion to drive my Drake L-4B, and I operate mostly on 40
meters. My antenna is a 110 feet long dipole, center-fed with open-wire
feed
line, and elevated about 30 feet with the support for one end attached to
the house chimney. My shack is in a 2nd floor bedroom, and the circuit
breaker panel is located in the basement at the opposite end of the house.
The house has a brick exterior, and one end of the antenna is only a few
feet from the shack.

When I operate high power on 40 meters, a GFCI equipped circuit breaker,
which is located in the house circuit breaker panel, moves to the open
position. None of my station equipment is attached to this breaker; this
particular breaker powers four outlets in the garage and two outlets on
the
house exterior. None of these outlets are normally in use. Is it possible
(or even desirable) to install one or more bypass capacitors inside the
breaker panel, and immediately adjacent to, the ground-fault circuit
interrupter? If so, what type of capacitor is recommended?

John, N9JG



If you GFCI breakers are pretty old try some new ones they seem to be more
resistant to RF interference. Ive had a similar problem and new breakers did
it for me. Solve any RF-in-the-shack problems.

Jimmie