0
ALL outdoor circuits and all 115v circuits in a bathroom, kitchen or garage should be protected by a GFIC. If you have any doubt, contact your local building inspector.
GFIC outlets are relatively inexpensive and can be wired into the first circuit of a string of outdoor outlets. The expense is reasonable and the protection is well worth the investment.
Wiki User
∙ 14y ago
Add your answer:
Earn +20 pts
Does Every Receptacle on the circuit have to be GFI in a work shop?
No
How do you replace a GFCI outlet?
The GFI outlet was there for a reason, such as a bathroom or other location around water where there is more risk of a shock being harmful or lethal. If it was a GFI, keep it a GFI. Also that outlet may be protecting other standard outlets being fed from the GFI. You can only after the house has passed inspection after the house was finished being built. It's a requirement that all new houses have to have a GFI wherever there's water, but it's perfectly legal once you buy the house to do this modification. However, it's highly not recommended unless there's more than one GFI outlet hooked up to the same circuit. If there's more than one, it's optional to take one off and replace it with a standard outlet because you really only need 1 GFI outlet to protect the rest of the outlets on the same circuit. But if it's already there, just leave it as is. Example: power box>GFI>normal>normal>GFI>normal; end; You can take off the second GFI and and every normal non-GFI outlet will function like GFI. If you take off the left one, only the last normal outlet will be GFI protected, the ons to the left wouldn't.
Can you use 2 GFCI outlets on the same circuit?
Yes, there are several ways to wire them. If you only want some plugs to be GFI (only the actual GFI plugs) protected then you wire them using just the "load" screws. if you want the whole circuit to be protected (or just two separate portions) the GFI plug must be first in the circuit and the protected plugs wired off of the "line" screws on the receptacle. Check the instructions, local codes, and with an electrician of course. Be safe, GFI circuits can be tricky.
What is the device designed to detect a difference in current between circuit wire called the inward and outward paths?
GFI
Can you back wire an outlet on a gfi circuit?
Don't know what you mean by back wire, but most GFCI outlets have a circuit to attach additional outlets that will be protected by the GFCI. Keep total load in minds.
Do you need a gfi plug for a spa if it is being plugged into a gfi circuit?
If your spa is connected with a GFCI circuit breaker you will not need the GFCI receptacle.
Does Every Receptacle on the circuit have to be GFI in a work shop?
No
Can you add an outlet onto the gfi next to the circuit breaker panel?
If t hat GFI is the only plug on the circuit then yes. If there are other plugs you have to find out how many so that you don't exceed the capacity of that circuit. If the GFI is the only plug there, turn the power off to it at it's breaker and run the appropriate wire to the new plug you want to install. Wire in the new plug, then make the connections at the old GFI plug. Always work towards the power, even if the circuit is dead. It's good practice. This way you rarely if ever have to work on live circuits. Start at the furthest point in the circuit away from the electrical panel and work toward it. You can have the new outlet protected by the GFI if you connect the wires from the new outlet to the LOAD side of the GFI. If the GFI is still new there is usually a yellow sticker covering the screws, those 2 screws are the LOAD side meaning that if anything happens downstream on that circuit to make a GFI trip the GFI will sense it and turn the circuit off. If you want just a standard outlet then put the new wires on the same screws as the old wires on the GFI. Once you're done, and all the boxes are closed and safe, turn the breaker back on.
What is the terminology GFI?
GFI (or GFCI) is an acronym for Ground Fault (Circuit) Interruptor. Essentially, it is a current sensor. A GFI outlet or breaker monitors the current flowing through both the hot and neutral wires. If there is a difference between them, that means electricity is leaving the normal circuit and is flowing through something else (probably you). The GFI watches for this difference and shuts off power to the circuit if an imbalance is detected. This is why a GFI is mandatory for pools, bathrooms, etc.. If you happen to become a conductor because you are wet, the GFI will detect the current flowing through you and shut the power off. A normal breaker will only shut off if your body happens to overload it, which is unlikely.
Do both the breakers and the outlets need to be GFI if you are running two 15 amp GFI circuits?
If you're using a GFCI breaker then the entire circuit will be protected by just the breaker alone. Every receptacle, switch, etc on that breaker will utilise the GFCI protection. You may have problems with it tripping if you plug in a motor (vacuum, etc) on the circuit.
How do you find a triped circuit?
Check the circuit panel / breaker box. The tripped breaker should be partway between 'OFF' and 'ON'. If nothing else, turn the breakers off then on, one at a time and when the tripped breaker is reset, the circuit should be live again. Also check GFI outlets. If one is in fault condition, it will need to be reset. If the tripped GFI outlet is protecting other outlets, they will come back when the tripped GFI is reset. These sockets seem to hide in many cases... Behind microwave ovens for example or refrigerators.
What is A mini circuit breaker that responds to shorts or contact with water?
GFI is a mini circuit breaker that responds to shorts or contact with water
How do you replace a GFCI outlet?
The GFI outlet was there for a reason, such as a bathroom or other location around water where there is more risk of a shock being harmful or lethal. If it was a GFI, keep it a GFI. Also that outlet may be protecting other standard outlets being fed from the GFI. You can only after the house has passed inspection after the house was finished being built. It's a requirement that all new houses have to have a GFI wherever there's water, but it's perfectly legal once you buy the house to do this modification. However, it's highly not recommended unless there's more than one GFI outlet hooked up to the same circuit. If there's more than one, it's optional to take one off and replace it with a standard outlet because you really only need 1 GFI outlet to protect the rest of the outlets on the same circuit. But if it's already there, just leave it as is. Example: power box>GFI>normal>normal>GFI>normal; end; You can take off the second GFI and and every normal non-GFI outlet will function like GFI. If you take off the left one, only the last normal outlet will be GFI protected, the ons to the left wouldn't.
Can one use 1 circuit of a 3 wire plus ground 2 circuit cable as a GFI circuit with the other as a lighting circuit?
A GFCI can not be used on a three wire branch circuit. It has to be on a single two wire circuit.
What can you do if you're newly installed dryer keeps tripping the electrical panel repeatadly and it also trips the GFI in the Garage at the same time?
If the GFI that is tripping is a different circuit, there is electrical leakage between the circuit the GFI is controlling, and the dryer circuit. It is possible that there is some cross wiring in the electrical box. I would strongly recommend getting a licensed electrician to look at it, preferably before you have a fire. If the GFI is the same circuit as the one where the dryer is plugged in, you might want to have the dryer checked for leakage to ground. You should also check the dryer circuit's rating against the rating of the breaker in its circuit. A dryer typically takes 30A on usually a single two-gang breaker; if you have a larger dryer that pulls, say, 45A, a 30A breaker will always pop. It sounds to me like a bad electrician has, instead of buying a proper two-gang 30-A breaker, installed your dryer across two circuits, one being the garage GFI circuit; the dryer, because it pulls 220V, pulls an unbalanced load across the GFI and triggers it, and the other circuit breaker is triggered because it loses the extra power provided through the GFI. I cannot emphasize this enough: get this checked out and fixed. Now. Before you get a house fire.
Can you use 2 GFCI outlets on the same circuit?
Yes, there are several ways to wire them. If you only want some plugs to be GFI (only the actual GFI plugs) protected then you wire them using just the "load" screws. if you want the whole circuit to be protected (or just two separate portions) the GFI plug must be first in the circuit and the protected plugs wired off of the "line" screws on the receptacle. Check the instructions, local codes, and with an electrician of course. Be safe, GFI circuits can be tricky.
The light on my gfi outlet is dim and sometimes out i am getting no power to it but the circuit breaker is not tripped i just replaced the gfi and it didn't help any ideas?
If the GFI outlet is tripped (the outlet, not the breaker) then it is telling you there is a ground fault which must be fixed. If the GFI outlet is not tripped, and the breaker is not tripped, but it is still not providing power, then you have a loose connection or a wiring error.
