GFCI outlets question

[hostage]

I have been doing some work on my house and I have noticed that I have one circuit in the basement braker box that is GFCI. This is connected to all the vanity outlets and all outside oulets. The question is should I put GFCI outlets in the bathroom and exposed outside outlets, even though the whole circuit is protected by a GFCI braker? House is a 1979 track home.

Thanks in advance,

-Hostage

 

[ENSIGN]

Re: GFCI outlets question

My house is wired the same way,You will not get any additional protection by using GFCI outlets and could create a problem.Just use a standard outlet

 

[matt167]

Re: GFCI outlets question

Yep. You'll be fine with just the breaker. I'd have to to search thru the NEC codes to find it, but GFI breakers are required for bathrooms/vanity's now, so your 1979 home is up to code in that way.

 

[colbyt]

Re: GFCI outlets question

My answer would be no but for about $4 you can buy a tester to verify the operation of breaker. You just plug it in and press a button. The breaker should trip.

 

[foodfisher]

Re: GFCI outlets question

Adding more will make it more difficult to find out which one popped in case of outage.

 

[bigdee]

Re: GFCI outlets question

Adding more will make it more difficult to find out which one popped in case of outage.

Your fine. GFCI breaker or GFCI receptacle feeding other standard receptacles makes no difference. Personally, I prefer the GFCI breaker. GFCIs have saved many lives and the new arc fault breakers have probably saved even more lives by preventing fires.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: GFCI outlets question

Personally, I prefer the GFCI breaker.

I prefer them as well on a reliability standpoint. For some reason, the GFCI outlets fail far more than the breakers do.

 

[Tim Frank]

Re: GFCI outlets question

I prefer them as well on a reliability standpoint. For some reason, the GFCI outlets fail far more than the breakers do.

Wonder if cost has anything to do with it....

 

[NewfieDan]

Re: GFCI outlets question

You are fine. The Canadian Electrical Code, which is very close to the NEC, states that vanity outlets and exterior outlets have to be GFCI protected. I don't believe the NEC states that each outlet is required to have a GFCI outlet.

Another option that I have done due to the initial cost of the GFCI breaker was to put the GFCI outlet as the first one in the circuit. All the rest of the outlets are connected to the "load" terminals of the GFCI. Doing it this way also protects all of the other outlets. This is how I wired the exterior outlets of my garage a couple of years ago.

Your best bet is to call an electrician in your area to double check just in case there are any codes that you may not be aware of.

 

[hostage]

Re: GFCI outlets question

Thanks for the input guys! I might install some GFCI outlets in my kitchen as I think those are not wired to GFCI braker

 

[Tim Frank]

Re: GFCI outlets question

Thanks for the input guys! I might install some GFCI outlets in my kitchen as I think those are not wired to GFCI braker

You probably have new enough construction/wiring that you have split receptacles in your kitchen fed with 14/3 cable.
That is not compatible with using GFCI receptacles.
If you are trying to protect the plugs around the sink either use a 2 pole 15A GFCI breaker ($$$$) or a 12/2 cable and put a 20A breaker in the panel with a 20A Tee-slot GFCI receptacle.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: GFCI outlets question

You probably have new enough construction/wiring that you have split receptacles in your kitchen fed with 14/3 cable.
That is not compatible with using GFCI receptacles.

You are saying this because of Neutral/Hot imbalances?

 

[Tim Frank]

Re: GFCI outlets question

You are saying this because of Neutral/Hot imbalances?

No. Because you need two poles to feed split receptacles....those breakers are $$$$.
Although I Don't know your codes in the US.
Up here, we have to have split receptacles in a kitchen.....add in the GFCI criterion within 1.5 metres of sink....and you have a bit of a conundrum....duelling regs.

I've known some people to "cap" one leg of the 14/3 and just connect the GFCI receptacle as a standard duplex, but you are then cutting your available outlets by 1/2 per fixture so altered.

 

[bigdee]

Re: GFCI outlets question

Thanks for the input guys! I might install some GFCI outlets in my kitchen as I think those are not wired to GFCI braker

good idea but DO NOT put the refrigerator or freezer on a GFCI!!!

 

[glenn property of pam]

Re: GFCI outlets question

with new gfci recepticals/breakers you get stickers that everyone throws away. if a inspector is being a arse then they like to see the stickers so people know that the receptical is gfci protected.

 

[glenn property of pam]

Re: GFCI outlets question

No. Because you need two poles to feed split receptacles....those breakers are $$$$.
Although I Don't know your codes in the US.
Up here, we have to have split receptacles in a kitchen.....add in the GFCI criterion within 1.5 metres of sink....and you have a bit of a conundrum....duelling regs.

I've known some people to "cap" one leg of the 14/3 and just connect the GFCI receptacle as a standard duplex, but you are then cutting your available outlets by 1/2 per fixture so altered.

split recepticals.....tell us more..... is that 2 hots and one netrual and one dual breaker per receptical?......i thought the uk with ring main and a gfci main breaker was strange but this sounds intresting

 

[bigdee]

Re: GFCI outlets question

You are saying this because of Neutral/Hot imbalances?

GFCI will function on a split circuit,that is not the problem. The problem is that on multi-wire circuits the NEC requires that both poles must be d-energized if a fault occurs.

 

[Tim Frank]

Re: GFCI outlets question

split recepticals.....tell us more..... is that 2 hots and one netrual and one dual breaker per receptical?......i thought the uk with ring main and a gfci main breaker was strange but this sounds intresting

Correct.

 

[joed]

Re: GFCI outlets question

split recepticals.....tell us more..... is that 2 hots and one netrual and one dual breaker per receptical?......i thought the uk with ring main and a gfci main breaker was strange but this sounds intresting

Yes that was the standard kitchen receptacle wiring code until GFCI became a requirement in Ontario within 1.5m of sinks.

The OP is from USA and probably does not have split wired receptacles. I was not a requirement there is not very common.

 

[Tempelton]

Re: GFCI outlets question

When I bought a house a few years ago part of the house inspection, also part of the new code in VA at least, was the all outlets in kitchens and bathrooms that were with in 10' of a water source needed to be a GFI outlet.