REFERENCE
If accessible loads are removed and the GFCI still trips, an appliance becomes less likely and the remaining uncertainty shifts toward the protected wiring or the device itself. That requires professional evaluation if it persists.
If accessible loads are removed and the GFCI still trips, an appliance becomes less likely and the remaining uncertainty shifts toward the protected wiring or the device itself. That requires professional evaluation if it persists. This page explains the mechanism and the terminology. It does not assess your installation, rank causes for your situation, or tell you whether anything is safe to touch or continue using.
Illustrations live on dedicated diagram pages. This symptom page does not select a diagram state, because doing so would imply a diagnosis.
This is a reference note, not a diagnosis. It packages the symptom page you selected with the observations that are useful to record before a licensed electrician sees the installation.
Symptom reference: GFCI trips with nothing plugged in
What this reference explains: If accessible loads are removed and the GFCI still trips, an appliance becomes less likely and the remaining uncertainty shifts toward the protected wiring or the device itself. That requires professional evaluation if it persists.
Record before the visit:
Safety boundary: Do not open an outlet box, panel, device enclosure, move wiring, replace a breaker, bypass protection, or test live conductors. If there is smoke, heat, sparking, a burning smell, shock, fire, or immediate danger, stop and contact emergency services or a licensed electrician as appropriate.
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Write down what changed and when, what is connected to the circuit, whether anything was wet or damaged, what the device or breaker did (tripped once, trips immediately, will not reset), and any tester or meter markings you can read from outside the enclosure. That description is what a licensed electrician needs.
Where to stop. Do not open an outlet box, panel or enclosure, move or replace wiring, replace a breaker, bypass a protective device, or test live conductors. If the next step would require any of those, or if there is smoke, heat, sparking, a burning smell, or a shock, stop and contact a licensed electrician. In an emergency, contact emergency services.