Other than the common " trip " caused by a shorted to ground igniter, have there been any other gfci problems out there, such as short life,

self tripping? ....

 Are some brands better than others?

 Do you always power thru a gfci other than when using an inverter?

GFI outlets do wear out if they get tripped a lot. They don't like water, any amount of water can trip one.

You should not be able to plug into a non GFI outlet if you are outside, all your outside outlets by law are to be GFI.

Yes I always plug in to a GFCI. There are many in the market at various price levels and they all work well, the upper end ones are built better and will last longer where as the cheap grade will start tripping more often after they trip a few times.  GFCI’S are design to detect any varience in the current flow not only a short in the igniter but if the plug is not sealed well moisture will trip them or the biggest problem I have seen is people having too many plugs on one circuit or like the guy who came into the store one day wanting to put a 20 amp GFCI on his 15 amp circuit because his 15 amp GFCI kept tripping!

I have to use an extension cord, and if I leave it plugged in and it rains, the GFCI will trip. That's a good actually.

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If you seal your plug with liquid tape or electrical tape that will eliminate that problem.

The other option is to install a GFCI breaker. We recently remodeled the main level of our house and the code called for the breakers to be upgraded to GFCI/ARC fault breakers. 

However, some can be sensitive. At least once a month we’ll trip one when running the microwave and coffee machine.

The other option is to install a GFCI breaker. We recently remodeled the main level of our house and the code called for the breakers to be upgraded to GFCI/ARC fault breakers. 

However, some can be sensitive. At least once a month we’ll trip one when running the microwave and coffee machine.

Even if you install a GFCI Breaker it will detect moisture in the plug and trip.  GFCI’S are designed to detect any variation in the current and trip.

the biggest problem I have seen is people having too many plugs on one circuit

I'm no rocket scientist but I believe that it's unlikely that too many plugs will cause a healthy GFI plug to trip, trip the breaker, by all means. However since a GFI plug is tripped due to stray current and the more plugs that you have connected to a circuit the more likely that one of them may have a stray current source, you may be right in some cases.  If there is more than a few micro amps difference in current travelling in the hot wire (typically black) and the current in the common wire (typically white) the GFI will trip. 

It's funny.  Back in the 80's these things used to be real expensive and contractors used to chain multiple bathrooms, kitchen, and outdoor plugs on one GFCI.  I was always tripping it.

New homes have multiple GFCIs.  They are pretty cheap now.  My current house was built in the late 90's and it has over a dozen GFCI's.  This must have been when a lot of electrical components started moving offshore for manufacturing.   I think almost everyone of my GFCI's has been swapped out.  It started when the house was about five years old.  This is not a multiple trip situation.  They just die.  I replaced one just this past week. 

The replacement units that I have been buying are Leviton smartlockpro 7599-KW.  I used to buy them from Home Depot in contractor packs.  It appears these guys may have been replaced with a newer model though the older model with an LED in the upper right corner are still available from Amazon.  I have yet to replace one of these.   

Our AZ house has several dual function GFCI breakers located in the main panel. One for outdoors, one for baths and one for kitchen.

If you  are using an extension cord from your pit to GFCI, then use a heavy duty 12 gauge one and you can buy a water proof connector for it at any hardware store. I have an extension cord that has it's own water proof gadget on the plug in end and is 25 feet long.  I use it for my pond heater in the winter so my pond and water fall doesn't freeze. It has never tripped my GFCI in rain or snow.  My GFCI receptacle is under my porch roof.  Safety first!   

Here is the outlet cover I use.  I haven't had any issues with moisture yet.

i have similar outlet covers on outlets exposed to the elements.  The ones under the porch roof do not have that style though.

Here is the outlet cover I use.  I haven't had any issues with moisture yet.

I hav a very similar one to this one too.  Only issues ive had is when i have both my pellet grills starting up at the same time.  So now I put them on separate outlets