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A GFCI breaker monitors the imbalance of current between the ungrounded (hot) and grounded (neutral) conductor of a given circuit. With the exception of small amounts of leak-age, the current returning to the power supply in a typical 2-wire circuit will be equal to the current leaving the power supply. If the difference between the current leaving and returning through the current transformer of the GFCI exceeds 5 mA (61 mA), the solid-state circuitry opens the switching contacts and de-energizes the circuit. Touch the neutral or hot and you change this current which will trip the breaker.

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