MAY 2005
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GFCI designed to protect against electrical shock
As published in the Atlanta Journal Constitution 05/13/05 By: Bill Garwood If you have a relatively new house (constructed after 1980) or an older house that has been upgraded, you have probably noticed that some of your outlets have buttons on them. Sometimes these buttons are different colors like red or blue, and sometimes they are the same color as the outlet. These funny-looking outlets are actually safety devices called ground-fault circuit-interrupters, and they are designed to protect you from shocks. How do they work?
The GFCI is designed to detect the flow of current through the device from the hot side to the neutral side. When things are operating properly, this current flow will be equal.
However, if there is a problem such as a short in an appliance or tool, the electrical current will seek to go to the ground. The problem arises when a person, for whatever reason, is in the path to the ground and electrical shock might occur.
Under these circumstances, the GFCI device detects the difference in the flow of current and turns off before a person can be shocked.
What types of GFCI protection are available?
Three types of GFCI protection are available for home use. There is the GFCI receptacle; the GFCI breaker, located inside your electrical panel box; and portable GFCI devices such as extension cords or plug bars that have GFCI devices in them. GFCI outlets are permanently installed and relatively inexpensive — typically, $10 to $15.
Where should GFCI devices be installed?
Since water is an excellent conductor of electricity and because all metal parts of a house (like plumbing supply pipes or metal kitchen sinks) must be connected (bonded) to the ground, GFCI protection is recommended in locations where occupants will come in contact with metal components of the house or the ground. In homes constructed to comply with the National Electrical Code GFCI, protection should be installed in outdoor spaces, kitchens, bathrooms, garages, laundry rooms, wet bars, unfinished basements and crawl spaces and at whirlpool tubs.
How do I know if my GFCIs are operating properly?
Every GFCI device has testing buttons. On a GFCI outlet or remote device, there are two buttons: One trips the GFCI (making the device go dead) and the other resets. On a GFCI breaker there is only one button that trips the breaker. The breaker, then, needs to be reset. To test the device, plug a night light or lamp into the GFCI outlet or an outlet protected by a GFCI breaker and push the "test" button. If the device trips and the light goes out, the GFCI is operating properly. Simply reset the outlet or breaker. If the device trips but the light does not go out or if the device does not trip, it is either defective or incorrectly wired. In those cases, call a licensed electrician to make repairs.
For additional information on GFCIs visit the Consumer Product Safety Commission Web site at www.cpsc.gov or call the consumer hotline at 1-800-638-2772.