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What is the difference between a ground fault breaker and a gfci outlet?
Wiki User
∙ 13y ago
A ground fault breaker is installed in the distribution panel and every device that is connected to the breaker in that circuit is protected. A GFCI receptacle is installed in a outlet receptacle box. They can be wired two ways. Direct wired will protect just the outlet of the box that it is mounted in or (in - out) wired where the GFCI receptacle protects all of the down stream ordinary receptacles in the circuit.
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They're the same thing.
"GFCI" is an acronym for "Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter". It "interrupts, or "breaks" the circuit if there is a ground fault.
A ground fault is defined as any condition in which current goes somewhere other than the return wire. The GFCI constantly compares the current through the "hot" wire to the current returning through the neutral wire, and if there is any significant difference in the two, the GFCI interrupts the current, potentially saving lives.
Wiki User
∙ 13y ago
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoA fuse performs the same function as a circuit breaker: they both protect the wiring feeding electrical equipment from overheating or catching on fire if too much current is drawn by that electrical equipment which they are protecting.
Fuse
A fuse is much simpler than a breaker and is cheaper to manufacture but, if it "blows" because of an excess amount of current, a fuse can only be replaced by a new one.
Circuit breaker
A circuit breaker can be reset once the problem has been resolved.
GFCI
A GFCI is a Ground Fault Current Interrupter. It will act to break the flow of current in the circuit it is protecting if the current flowing in the hot or live wire does not match the current flowing in the neutral wire. A GFCI can be reset once the problem has been resolved.
For more information on these devices see the answers to the Related Questions shown below.
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoA circuit breaker is a mechanical fuse in essence. It replaced the old fashioned fuse wire in the distribution board when the live and neural came in to direct contact or the load on the circuit exceeded the current of the fuse (or switch). A GFCI as its know in the US and Canada or a Residual-Current Circuit Breaker in the European areas is a device that sense a leak in the circuit between the lived conductor and the return neutral conductor. A leak could be for example when the leak passes through a human to earth. IN the UK these devices are known as ELCBs' Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker. here they are found on extension cables especially those used by trades people who plug power tools in to them
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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.
What do you need and how can you install a ground cable if your 240V outlet doesn't have a ground wire?
You need a 3 conductor wire with ground. For example if you had a 30 amp breaker for that outlet you would need 10awg 3w/ground. That's 10 gauge 3 conductor with ground and replace the old wire back to the panel.
What device senses short circuits and stops electrical flow when ground fault occur?
It is a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter or GFCI. It can either be equipped in your electric panel as a GFCI breaker, or in a GFCI outlet which also lets you extend the GFCI protection to other outlets "down the line" from the GFCI outlet.
How can you wire a normal 120V outlet out of a double pole circuit breaker?
well, the easy answer is, black wire to one pole of the breaker, white wire to the neutral bus with all the other white wires, bare wire to the ground bus with all the other bare (or green) wires. BUT the breaker must be 20 amps or less for residential outlets and you much match the wire size to the breaker, #14 for 15 amp breaker, #12 for a 20 amp breaker AND if there is only going to be one outlet, if it is a 20 amp circuit, the outlet has to be rated for 20 amps. Yes, but why would you want to? It is unclear to anybody else what you are doing and therefore a hazard. Do it right. Use a single pole breaker designed for 110V.
How do I know if I have a 30 amp breaker at my house to plug a trailer into?
If it is a 30 amp breaker then it is a 240 volt outlet.
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.
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.
How can you wire a 110V plug outlet from a 240V plug outlet not speaking of a converter but actually changing the plug outlet so that there are no long term effects on the 120V appliance?
Assuming the wiring to the outlet has 2 loads and one neutral, isolate one load from the outlet and use the neutral as the common. be sure to ground from the receptacle to your conduit or ground lead. You should also replace the corresponding breaker with a 120 volt single breaker.
What gauge wire do you run between a 30 amp breaker and an outlet?
10 AWG.
Can you run an electric toaster oven and hotplate on 110 volts at same time?
You can if the total current requirement of both does not exceed the breaker for that circuit. If it is a 15A breaker (the outlet will have 2 parallel straight slots and the ground hole) you will almost certainly pop the breaker and will have to use them one at a time. If it is a 20A breaker (the outlet will have a T shaped slot, a straight slot, and the ground hole) you might be able to use both at the same time.
What do you need and how can you install a ground cable if your 240V outlet doesn't have a ground wire?
You need a 3 conductor wire with ground. For example if you had a 30 amp breaker for that outlet you would need 10awg 3w/ground. That's 10 gauge 3 conductor with ground and replace the old wire back to the panel.
What difference between 13Ampere socket outlet and 15Ampere socket outlet?
2 Amp
What is the difference between inside and outside electrical boxes?
An outside electrical box has a watertight in-use outlet cover so even when a cord is plugged in the outlet stays covered. That is the main difference between the outside box and inside box. An outside box also uses a ground fault circuit interrupter.
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.
What is manometric head?
it is the pressure difference between inlet and outlet of pump.
What is tripping relay?
You need to remove everything connected to the breaker and see if it still trips. If it does it is in the wiring or possibly a bad breaker. Disconnect load from breaker and see if it still trips. If so replace the breaker. If it still trips and is not the breaker then you will have to start pulling each outlet from wall and checking after disconnecting each outlet.
What device senses short circuits and stops electrical flow when ground fault occur?
It is a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter or GFCI. It can either be equipped in your electric panel as a GFCI breaker, or in a GFCI outlet which also lets you extend the GFCI protection to other outlets "down the line" from the GFCI outlet.
