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All You Need to Know About GFCI Outlets - ou89pd09 - 2021-08-17
All You Need to Know About GFCI Outlets
All You Need to Know About GFCI Outlets
When it comes to electricity, safety has always been a major concern, but thanks to the development of ground fault
circuit interrupter GFCI outlet (GFCIs), the risk of being severely
shocked or electrocuted is greatly reduced. According to the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI),
electrocutions are down 83 percent since the 1970s when GFCIs were introduced. These quick-to-react outlets are required by
law in new home construction, and it’s a good idea to put them in older homes as well. Read on for must-know info on GFCIs
—what they are, how they work, and where to install them.
In your home, the flow of electricity is contained within wires covered with rubber- or plastic-based insulating
material. When everything goes as planned, the electrical current runs safely through the insulated wires to switches and
wall plate outlets and on to the many appliances and gadgets we take for
granted today. But in its raw state, electricity has a “mind” of its own, and left to its own devices—as evidenced by
most lightning strikes—it makes a beeline for the ground.
A ground fault is the occurrence of electricity taking an unintended path to the ground. It occurs when the electrical
current escapes the insulated wires, as a result of a damaged cord or faulty wiring, and flows through a different
conductor. If that different conductor is a human being, the result can be a serious electrical shock or electrocution.
Because water is an excellent conductor of electricity, the risk of a ground fault occurring is greater in areas of your
home where water is commonly used, such as near a kitchen sink.
The singular purpose of a new GFCI outlet is to
prevent electrical injury to humans, something regular outlets are not equipped to do. A standard household outlet features
two, three-prong plug-in slots, while a GFCI outlet features the same plug-in configuration plus two buttons on its face: a
“TEST” button and a “RESET” button. The rules requiring the installation of the GFCI outlets in new construction has
expanded over the years to include more applicable locations:
Normally, electrical current flows at a uniform rate through wiring, but when a ground fault occurs, the flow of
electricity surges as it jumps to the unintended conductor. A GFCI outlet contains a sensor that monitors the flow of the
electrical current through the wires, and when it senses a ground fault (in electrical terms, “fault” means any variation
from the normal current), the GFCI, which also contains an internal switch, shuts off the flow of electricity in the
outlet.
While you may still receive a painful shock, the [url=http://www.3gracegfci.com/gfci-outlet/south-america-gfci-
outlet/]South America GFCI outlet[/url] will prevent a prolonged surge of electricity, the type that injures and kills. A
standard outlet, like the type in your bedroom, doesn’t have a sensor.
The National Electric Code (NEC) requires the installation of GFCI outlets in new construction in areas where
electrical outlets are in close proximity to water. Older homes are not required to have GFCI outlets unless the wiring is
being updated, but it’s a good idea to install them anyway.
The NEC requires GFCIs on all exterior and bathroom receptacles (another term for outlets). GFCIs are also required on
all receptacles serving kitchen countertops. In laundry rooms and utility rooms, GFCIs should be installed on outlets
within six feet of sinks, washing machines, and water heaters. They should also be installed within six feet of a wet bar
and in garages and unfinished basements.
In bedrooms, living rooms, and other areas where water fixtures are not found, regular outlets are fine—and they are
still installed in today’s new homes. The ESFI estimates that approximately 43 million homes in the U.S. still
do not have GFCIs installed in “wet” rooms, and notes that as many as 47 percent of today’s electrocutions could be
prevented in older homes if GFCIs were installed.
A DIYer with basic knowledge of electrical wiring may be able to replace an existing outlet with a
decorative GFCI plate (instructions below), but
only when swapping out a three-prong outlet—two plugin slots and a hole. Outlets with only two slots and no third hole
indicate the presence of older wiring that should only be replaced by a licensed electrician.
The other caveat is that only outlets connected to three wires are suitable for DIY replacement. Outlets with three
attached wires (remove the outlet plate to determine the number of attached wires) indicate that the outlet is located
at the end of an electrical circuit (a wiring loop that starts and finishes at the breaker panel). An outlet with five
attached wires is located in the middle of an electric circuit, and the wiring process is more complicated—only a licensed
electrician should replace those outlets.
Replacing an existing outlet at the end of a circuit (as explained above) is not particularly difficult, but the task
requires some experience. You should understand how outlets are wired and how electrical current travels from the breaker
panel through each electrical circuit (wiring loop) in your home. Some communities prohibit homeowners from doing their own
wiring, so check with your local building authority before you start.
During the recent 2020 code review, panel members of the National Electrical Code (NEC) approved changes to ground
fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) protection. Those changes dramatically reduce the dangers associated with electrical
hazard and shock. The most significant change is the increase of amp protection ratings across all receptacle outlets, both
indoor and outdoor, wherever GFCI protection is required.
The 2020 change
Code-making panel 2 (CMP 2) updated text to read, “All 125-volt through 250-volt receptacles installed in the
locations specified in 210.8(A) (1) through (11) and supplied by single-phase branch circuits rated 150 volts or less to
ground shall have ground fault circuit interrupter protection for personnel.” In layman’s terms, the NEC removed amp
values across all amp-rated receptacle outlets requiring GFCI protection in the areas listed in this section.
The rationale for change
NEC 2017 language only accounts for 15- and 20-amp receptacle outlets for dwelling units. During 2020 code review
meetings, panel members agreed that hazards always exist; if 15- and 20-amp receptacle outlets present a hazard, that
hazard also exists on 30-amp and higher receptacle outlets. However, it was difficult to understand the likelihood of a
hazardous occurrence when weighed against expanded requirements. Recent home-based electrocution accidents – a 10-
year-old girl behind an energized appliance, a child in Oklahoma retrieving a pet behind a clothes dryer,
a 10-year-old Houston boy playing hide and seek — helped panel members realize the need for change. In light of
these tragic events, we now have a requirement that sets a higher standard across more areas of the Code, though there are
some exceptions discussed later in this blog.
What might the future hold?
The NEC mandates GFCI protection in many areas of the home: bathrooms, garages, outdoor receptacles, crawl spaces,
basements, kitchens and anything within six feet of a sink or water source. While that may seem like a lot, the entirety of
a home is not covered. The reality is when people have a problem with a tripped circuit, it's entirely possible
they’ll use an extension cord to plug into a receptacle outlet that's not GFCI protected. Doing so does nothing to
eliminate the original hazard potentially caused by the device in use. I hope that NEC members account for the human factor
and require GFCI coverage throughout the home during the next code review.
The 2020 change
The NEC expanded GFCI protection for dwelling units with basements both finished and unfinished.
The rationale for change
Often afterthoughts that present unique hazards, basements are typically not as well maintained as other areas of the
home. Further, environments are often wet and damp, and moisture is a great conductor. These code updates help ensure that
accidents due to factors such as leakage current and contact with water are considerably lessened or eliminated.
What might the future hold?
Many rooms in a home are already required to have GFCI protection. While it feels like the most logical code
progression, others in the industry still pushback on requiring GFCIs throughout a home claiming financial concerns or
installation problems. As with the parental language update, I believe this code change can inspire discussions to include
GFCIs throughout the home.
The NEC expanded GFCI protection under Article 210.63(A) for HVAC equipment and Article 210.63(B) for indoor service
equipment and indoor equipment requiring dedicated space.
The rationale for change
Equipment location is at the crux of this update. While HVAC equipment in the basement is covered now that all basement
circuits are GFCI protected, HVAC equipment located in attics and other areas would likely not have GFCI protection. CMP 2
recognized that many HVAC areas are typically tight working spaces where technicians perform justified energized work (they
can’t troubleshoot a de-energized circuit). In essence, the update assures equipment requiring service has a GFCI-
protected receptacle outlet for ready access.
What might the future hold?
Because this is the NEC’s first venture into expanding 210.63, I expect some inspectors and contractors may not see
eye to eye on code language. Industry discussions across the country and during future review cycles will help the NEC make
future improvements.
The NEC updated the Code for outdoor electrical
outlet plates supplied by single-phase branch circuits rated 150 volts to ground or less, 50 amps or less. Key to
this update: it extends beyond receptacle outlets to include all outlets. Now all hard-wired equipment falls under the Code
’s purview.
The rationale for change
One downfall of the electrical business is that it’s more reactive than proactive, with accidents often the catalyst
for change. Numerous incidents inspired this code change, including an accident involving a 12-year-old boy who
jumped over a fence and touched an AC condenser unit with an electrical fault. The outer metal housing was electrified and
the child was fatally electrocuted immediately upon coming in contact with the condenser and fence
simultaneously.
What might the future hold?
GFCI technology is unforgiving in that it’s built to detect even the slightest power variance, and when expanded to
include outlets impacting new types of loads, questions arise. With GFCIs installed, leakage-current trips may be near
constant, rendering large equipment unusable. In the future, I hope industries rethink products with acceptable leakage
current, hertz and frequency values to reduce future compatibility issues.
Further, this change will likely spur discussions related to current GFCI requirements focusing only on receptacle
outlets. Hardwiring equipment does not eliminate the electrical hazard. I venture someone will propose public inputs during
the next code-review cycle to
The NEC reviewed all locations with a GFCI requirement and aligned with Article 210.8. Updates were made in many
locations to include text, such as “in addition to the requirements of 210.8” and similar, to clarify language and
eliminate misinterpretation.
The rationale for change
The NEC included Article 210.8(B) for other than dwelling units in 1993. Before its inclusion, builders relied on
requirements in later chapters of the Code (chapters five through seven), for safety guidance. For example, RV Park GFCI
requirements added in 1978 aligned with 210.8’s 15- and 20-amp receptacle outlet GFCI protection philosophy at that time.
NEC 2017 created some confusion when 210.8(B) increased GFCI protection requirements beyond 15- and 20-amp receptacle
outlets for other than dwelling units. This presented a challenge: a chapter two requirement applied a generally wider
level of GFCI protection. This conflicted with chapter five, which has less coverage of GFCI protection.
The correlating committee recognized similar conflicts exist across industries and formulated a task group that
challenged every code panel to look at their GFCI requirements and attempt to align them with 210.8’s 50-amp increase.
What might the future hold?
Each code panel performed their review; some made changes, others did not. There is room for discussion in future
revisions of the Code regarding shock hazards in the special other than dwelling unit applications. I believe the NEC will
soon increase its focus on GFCIs and hopefully add clarity as each application in chapters five through seven approaches
GFCI protection differently.
While representatives in agriculture and RV industries have valid concerns about nuisance tripping, I believe the NEC
should revisit Article 547 for agricultural buildings and Article 551 for RVs and RV parks to address valid shock hazard
concerns and consider increasing GFCI protection to 50 amps.
The rationale for change
Farming and RV industries rely on circuits that operate at well over 20 amps, yet no safety requirements exist. Much of
the equipment used in these industries can be quite old with leakage current a serious concern. In my opinion, the Code
lacks parity in how safety requirements exist in some industries and not in others. That must change.
The studies needed to promote change exist. The University of Iowa and the University of Nebraska have uncovered many
incidents where farmers lost their lives due to faulty agricultural electrical equipment. Further, RV “hot skin,” a
situation where the entirety of an RV’s outer housing becomes energized due to electrical faults, can kill in an instant,
as was the case when a young boy died when touching an RV. If RV parks and farms running 30- to 50-amp receptacles
without GFCI protection is not deemed a concern worth addressing, how can anyone claim running 30- to 50-amp receptacles
outside of dwelling units is a hazard? Common sense dictates both are hazards and change is necessary.
What might the future hold?
I appreciate that equipment compatibility issues on farms and at RV parks may require much time and financial capital
to resolve. However, I cannot condone sitting idle as lives are lost. I hope a series of discussions during the next code
review cycle inspires commissioning an NFPA Fire Protection Research Foundation study to further understand the
implications of expanding GFCI protection beyond 15 and 20 amps in RV parks and farms. Let’s study the problem, understand
the challenges and determine solutions that increase safety.