GFCI Outlets: Required for outdoor use?

[BoomerD]

So you guys are saying that I "have to" use GFCI outlets in order to keep to code (required by code)?

ALL exterior outlets must be protected by a GCFI. Whether you use GCFI outlets at each outlet box, wire them in a protected circuit, or use a GCFI breaker for the circuit will depend on how your house is wired.
(IIRC, you don't want GCFI outlets in a circuit that is on a GCFI breaker.)

Where the hell is Rubycon when you need her? :biggrin:

 

[NL5]

$1.25 per regular outlet vs $14 per GFCI outlet...I'd say that is a huge difference.

$12.75 for the whole project is a huge difference?

Depending on where and how the circuit/s are ran, you only need one GFCI per branch, but I thought that was explained already???!!?!?

 

[BoomerD]

http://www.hilo-electric.com/blank?pageid=63

 

[bruceb]

First you never put more than 1 GFCI outlet on the same branch circuit. Just as you Never put a GFCI Circuit Breaker and a GFCI outlet on the same branh circuit. If you do it will not work and breakers will be tripping for seemingly no reason. As to finding which outlet is the feed, first put some lamps on the line and turn off the breaker to see which one it is that is feeding that area of outlets. Usually the outlet closest to where the panel board is at will be the feed. It was already mentioned above to use a test probe to ID the HOT Feed and that will work. Just be careful.

And I say it again:

If you are unsure of your qualifications or skill set, get a Licensed Electrician. Your safety is worth more than the fees he will charge you.

 

[Sea Moose]

And I say it again:

If you are unsure of your qualifications or skill set, get a Licensed Electrician. Your safety is worth more than the fees he will charge you.

And chances are you arent an electrician SO STOP DOING ILLEGAL WORK

Fixed

 

[Colt45]

And chances are you arent an electrician SO STOP DOING ILLEGAL WORK

right, and you've never gone 5mph over, and gotten a permit for everything you've ever worked on.

 

[Sea Moose]

right, and you've never gone 5mph over, and gotten a permit for everything you've ever worked on.

yes but i am licenced to work on electrical services, and you sir are not!

If you wire up a plug wrong (active to earth) you will kill someone.

 

[Colt45]

Gotta be pretty bloody slow to screw that up.

 

[Squisher]

If the builder set it up to be in "series" you'll see two sets of wires in each box until you get to the last box in the series.

Go back to HD and pick up one of these: http://www.homedepot.com/Electrical-...atalogId=10053 along with the GFCI

It'll light up if it detects a live wire. Pull all the wires out of the boxes and flip on the breaker. Go around and detect which one is live. Only one should be and this will be the first in the circuit. Wire in that live wire (but not while it's live) to the GFCI "live" connection. Take the tape off the back and connect the other wire to the "load" connection. Another box should now be live. You should now be able to wire the rest with regular duplex plugs.

 

[JEDI]

And chances are you arent an electrician SO STOP DOING ILLEGAL WORK

illegal work in HIS OWN HOUSE?!

esplain

 

[DrPizza]

If the builder set it up to be in "series" you'll see two sets of wires in each box until you get to the last box in the series.

Go back to HD and pick up one of these: http://www.homedepot.com/Electrical-...atalogId=10053 along with the GFCI

It'll light up if it detects a live wire. Pull all the wires out of the boxes and flip on the breaker. Go around and detect which one is live. Only one should be and this will be the first in the circuit. Wire in that live wire (but not while it's live) to the GFCI "live" connection. Take the tape off the back and connect the other wire to the "load" connection. Another box should now be live. You should now be able to wire the rest with regular duplex plugs.

Unless junction boxes are illegal, I'd bet there's a junction box. A $2 box & a handful of wirenuts is cheaper than the extra quite a few feet of wiring it would take to completely go in a circle around the house to all 4 corners. Granted, now that'll make it more expensive for the homeowner who has to install the GFCI's, but the builder isn't concerned with that - every $5 the builder saves is money in his pocket.

 

[bruceb]

Most outlets have the first box, closest to the panel board as the feed, then wires box to box to feed the other outlets. This is the norm and any other way is not normally done, unless you need one of the other boxes on it's own breaker, as in kitchen appliance outlets. As to the legality of doing your own work, technically, you need a permit for major work. But not for changing a switch, outlet or ceiling lamp in the same location. But if you are adding outlets, switches, lamps, yes, you do need a permit. Same as with any work being done in the panel board, except for just changing a bad breaker. And in your case, your outlets will be outside, subject to weather, so it is wise to get it done properly so you are safe.

 

[BigJ]

Depending on the code cycle and/or local codes/amendments adopted by your AHJ (Authority Having Jurisdiction), GFCI protection might not be enough. The 2008 NEC specifies GFCI protection and Weather Resistant receptacles in Damp and Wet Locations. The 2008 NEC also specifies that the receptacles be Tamper Resistant.

The in-use cover you picked is required in wet locations.

GFCI protection, whether it be a GFCI breaker or GFCI receptacles, is typically a design choice and not an actual code requirement to use one over the other. Again, your AHJ will make the rules on what is required.

As for people talking about legality of doing your own work, it is completely up to the AHJ on which work you can or cannot perform. In some places, you can't even change out your light switch without a permit. In other places, you don't even need a permit to change out your service because there is no regulation. The legality of performing your own electrical work will vary greatly by region.

As for the NEC, the NEC by itself is absolutely meaningless. It is only a legally enforceable document once the AHJ adopts it. Some states have their own building codes that closely mirror existing code documents, but are their own codes. In these states, the NEC would mean nothing. Your AHJ decides that standards for electrical work.

 

[ShawnD1]

And, as someone pointed out before - if your GFCI ever pops off, something is WRONG. Period. You have current going to ground. That should NEVER happen.

He said it happens when it rains. That doesn't seem too ridiculous since the waterproof cover will be open if something is plugged in. As little as 20mA of ground current will cause a GFCI receptacle to trip. That kind of a fault can be done by just a few drops of water.
(this is why the code requires waterproof covers)

 

[StarsFan4Life]

Here is the deal. I would like to get you out here, but I don't think it will be today as I am traveling in the morning and need to get ready for that. However, I took some pictures and wanted to get your input.

Here is what I have purchased:

* 4 x Leviton White 15A SmartlockPro® GFCI Outlets (http://www.homedepot.com/Electrical-...atalogId=10053)

* 4 x Taymac Weatherproof Receptacle Covers (http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1...atalogId=10053)


Attachment #1 (photo1.jpg):

In this picture, this shows the pre-run electrical box on each corner of my home (only 4). I am wanting to complete these with GFCI outlets I purchased above.

Attachement #2 (photo2.jpg):

In this picture, you will see one of the electrical boxes on the west side of my home (farthest away from the breaker box - breaker box is on the east side of the home) with a single black, white and bare copper wire. I have actually just wired this one to one of the GFCI outlets I purchased above. Black went to brass, white went to silver and bare (copper) went to green on the outlet. It is secure and READY. However, this is where it stopped for me. Picture #3 will explain more.

Attachement #3, 4 & 5 (photo3.jpg photo4.jpg & photo5.jpg):

When I opened up this one, I found a big surpise. I found two black wires, two white wires and two bare(copper) wires. It then dawned on me that the way the wiring is setup is the two electrical boxes on the east side of them home feed the eletrical boxes on the west side of the home (frontyard east feeds frontyard west / backyard east feeds backyard west). In this picture, I went on ahead and exposed all the wires so I could look at them. Safely, I turned the breaker/fuse on for this circuit and used a wire/pulse tester and found one of the black wires to be hot, and the other black was dead. I then turned this breaker back off. So I then determined that the other black that was not hot, feeds to the west side electrical box. My question here is, which white (nuetral) do I use on the GFCI outlet install on this one and which white feeds back to the west side electrical box. On the GFCI outlet's back, I see 2 brass, 2 silver and one green screw(s). On the GFCI outlet, one set of the brass/silver is covered by a yellow tag that says

"Attention: The load terminals under this label are for feeding additional receptacles. Miswiring can leave this outlet without ground fault protection."

I am assuming the uncovered brass/silver screws are like the "input" for incoming feeds and the covered are for going "out" to the other receptacle on the other side of the house. Which would mean that the live hot wire needs to connect to the uncovered brass screw, but I am not sure which white one to use on the uncovered silver screw. Am I correct here? Also, in picture #5 you see that there are two bare wires connected by a cover and 1 coming out of that. Since the GFCI outlet only has 1 green screw, I need to leave this as is and connect it to the green on the outlet, correct?

I hope I am NOT too confusing here and really appreciate your help.

 

[Leros]

If you put a GFCI on your outdoor outlets, put some thought about which circuit they are on. When I was a kid, some of the outdoor outlets were on the same circuit as my bedroom. Sometimes when it rained, the GFCI would trip and I would lose power in my room... over and over again. It was very frustrating.

 

[0roo0roo]

According to the 2008 NEC, all outdoor outlets must be GFCI protected. There are several ways to do it, but it must be done. Besides, it's just a REALLY good idea, and won't add much to your costs.

basically yea if hes going through that amount of effort already, he might as well do it right. theres no reason to skimp on a few bucks for gfci. if you buy a 3 pack at homedepot etc it costs less, about 10 dollars an outlet i believe. if you buy a single, yes it costs 12-15

 

[Red Squirrel]

If they are all on one circuit just find the wire that goes to the panel and add a GFCI outlet right at the panel and branch the wire on the load leads. Cheapest way of doing it and still to code. Cheaper then a GFCI breaker and it will serve the same purpose.

But if you really don't know what you're doing I suggest you do more research or get someone to show you how. You can learn electrical trial and error, but it hurts more, and you often get unwanted firework shows.