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Answer for USA, Canada and countries running a 60 Hz supply service.GFCI receptacles are required by the US National Electrical Code in locations where water and electricity are likely to come into contact, such as in kitchens, bathrooms, garages, and outdoors.

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For dwellings (places where people live) the exact places GFCI protection is required are listed in Article 210.8 of the US National Electrical Code 2008:

(1) bathrooms

(2) garages

(3) outdoors

(4) crawl spaces

(5) unfinished basements

(6) kitchens

(7) laundry, utility, and wet bar sinks

(8) boathouses

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As always, if you are in doubt about what to do, the best advice anyone should give you is to call a licensed electrician to advise what work is needed.

IF YOU'RE NOT ALREADY SURE YOU CAN DO THIS JOB

SAFELY AND COMPETENTLY

REFER THIS WORK TO QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS.

If you do this work yourself, always turn off the powerat the breaker box/fuse panel BEFORE you attempt to do any work AND always use a meter or voltage indicator to insure the circuit is, in fact, de-energized.

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13y ago
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14y ago

GFCI is a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter The GFCI outlet compares the electricity flowing on the hot wire and the neutral wire. If there is a difference in the two it trips. The GFCI can detect very small differences in between the neutral and hot wire.

GFCI outlets should be used in bathrooms, garages, basement, outdoor outlets, counter top outlets, kitchen outlets,

GFCI protection is also required in pools, spas, and hot tubs.

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14y ago

A GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) outlet is connected to a special electronic circuit breaker that compares the electrical current going OUT, across one of the wires to the amount of current coming back, across the OTHER wire. (that's the hot/neutral pair) That special electronic circuit breaker is called a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter, or GFCI for short.

If at any point the current across the two wires does not match, the breaker will shut off the current to the outlet. The assumption is, (and it's a valid assumption) that if the current out does not match the current in, then electrical current is draining TO GROUND through something else... that something else might just be you. In other words, there is a ground "fault"

While a GFCI outlet is a good idea, unfortunately many people take unnecessary chances under the assumption that the GFCI will protect them. But remember, electronic circuits do occasionally fail.

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14y ago

GFCI stands for 'ground fault current interruptor'. These are used near Plumbing in houses and on exterior electrical outlets and can be built into extension cords and appliances such as hair dryers. The GFCI breaks the circuit if ~20 milliamps returns through ground instead of the neutral. (A standard two-prong plug has a hot and a neutral.) If the current returns through ground, that is a ground fault and you are usually providing the path. Any current through you higher than about 30 ma is likely to cause your heart to go into ventricular fibrillation and the result is your death. The fuse or circuit breaker in the circuit is protecting the wiring, the GFCI protects you.

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14y ago

Bathrooms, kitchens, garage and outside outlets are typically put on a GFI type breaker. Some electricians use a central GFI breaker that is inside the breaker panel, others use a GFI outlet at one location then "daisy-chain" several outlets to that circuit. Either is acceptable.

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14y ago

A "GFI" should be used anywhere that a person may become "grounded".

In typical 120/240 AC house wiring, the "center tap" of the supply transformer is grounded or at least runs close to zero potential to ground.

That means that both of the "hot legs" of the 220 line have approximately 120 Volt potential to ground, and the available amperage is quite high relative to human tolerances.

If a person touches one of the "hot legs" of the circuit and is grounded at the same time, the potential for fatal electrocution becomes quite high.

A person can be grouned anywhere around plumbing. Pipes are typically a good source for grounding. A person can be grounded when on concrete floors or anywhere outdoors. While wood and carpeted floors tend to be more of an insulation, they too can become an effective ground under certain conditions, such as if they become wet.

In general, building codes require that electrical circuits implement a GFCI when the circuit will be used:

  • Outside
  • In a bathroom that is near a tub or sink.
  • In a kitchen where the outlet is near a sink or other grounded device.
  • In a garage.
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13y ago

Ground Fault Circuit Interupter is used where the electric circuit needs to be instantly interrupted...like in the bathroom where an appliance might fall in the water, or an exterior outlet that might get wet in the rain...to prevent electric shock.

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10y ago

One can find a GFI outlet wherever in a household you can find an outlet. Sometimes, there is a GFI circuit breaker that can control multiple outlets.

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Q: When do you need a GFCI breaker?
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Related questions

Do you need a gfci outlet if you have a gfci breaker?

Not if the GFCI breaker is supplying the circuit you are wanting to put the GFCI receptacle into.


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.


A GFCI device in a breaker is intended to?

A GFCI device in a breaker is intended to trip the breaker open when a ground fault is sensed in the circuit that the breaker is protecting.


Does anyone make a 100 amp GFCI breaker?

Not that I know of. The largest GFCI breaker I have seen is a 60 amp.


Why and when would you use a GFCI breaker within a older home with a groun?

You need a GFCI outlet at any location that is within 6' of a water source. You also need a GFCI outlet in a room with a concrete floor, any garage, and any location outside the home or under the home in the crawl space. A GFCI outlet protects you from electrical shock near water or moisture. You can protect more than one outlet with 1 GFCI outlet. Connect the incoming power to the LINE side of the GFCI outlet and all the other outlets getting power from that outlet to the LOAD side of the GFCI outlet. That way they will all be protected by 1 GFCI. A GFCI breaker is used to protect an entire circuit and not just individual receptacles. It is often cheaper to use GFCI receptacles than a breaker, especially if "piggy-backed" such as described above. It is also more convenient to reset a GFCI receptacle than to reset a breaker. But your question is "why." From this I suspect you may be misunderstanding the difference between a breaker and GFCI protection. To keep things simple let me say that a GFCI does not work on the same principles as a standard breaker. It provides a much safer protection than a standard breaker. Even with a ground you need GFCI protection as listed above.


Can a circuit with a GFCI be shared at the box?

Your question is a bit vague, but let's try a two part answer. If you have a GFCI breaker in an electric panel you should only have one connection at the breaker, but the breaker will protect all devices on the circuit. If you are talking about a GFCI outlet, they are equipped to extend the GFCI protection to other non-GFCI outlets by using the proper "output" connection on the GFCI.


Are gfci receptacles required in kitchens?

No, you could use a GFCI circuit breaker instead.


Is a ground fault indicator outlet installed at the breaker box?

There are tow places to put a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter. There is a GFCI breaker which would be installed in a breaker box and a GFCI outlet that can be installed anywhere. Most GFCI outlets allow you to connect regular outlets to the GFCI and those outlets will also be protected.


When would it be a better idea in a residence to install a GFCI breaker instead of an GFCI outlet?

GFCI Breakers are quite a bit more expensive than a GFCI outlet. More often than not a typical residence will need only a handful of GFCI outlets that combined together will be cheaper than a GFCI breaker. If you need to protect a series of outlets with GFCI protection you can simply connect the rest of the outlets on that same circuit downstream from the first outlet on the line and make that the GFCI. All you have to do is connect all the other outlets to the LOAD side of the GFCI outlet. If a GFCI fault occurs in any of the outlets down stream they will trip that very first GFCI plug you placed and keep you safe.


Are gfci plugs required in a bathroom?

Deoends on code you are governed by. In USA, a GFCI outlet or a circuit controlled by a GFCI circuit breaker would be required.


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.


If your wall receptacle has tripped but not at the circuit breaker how can this problem be repaired?

If it's a GFCI receptacle and the button is not resetting then change the GFCI outlet.