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Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCI's)

What is a GFCI?
A ground-fault circuit interrupter, or GFCI, is a device used in electrical wiring to disconnect a circuit when unbalanced current is detected between an energized conductor and a neutral return conductor.  Such an imbalance is sometimes caused by current "leaking" through a person who is simultaneously in contact with a ground and an energized part of the circuit, which could result in lethal shock.  GFCIs are designed to provide protection in such a situation, unlike standard circuit breakers, which guard against overloads, short circuits and ground faults. 
 
It is estimated that about 300 deaths by electrocution occur every year, so the use of GFCIs has been adopted in new construction, and recommended as an upgrade in older construction, in order to mitigate the possibility of injury or fatality from electric shock.
 History
The first high-sensitivity system for detecting current leaking to ground was developed by Henri Rubin in 1955 for use in South African mines.  This cold-cathode system had a tripping sensitivity of 250 mA (milliamperes), and was soon followed by an upgraded design that allowed for adjustable trip-sensitivity from 12.5 to 17.5 mA.  The extremely rapid tripping after earth leakage-detection caused the circuit to de-energize before electric shock could drive a person's heart into ventricular fibrillation, which is usually the specific cause of death attributed to electric shock.
Charles Dalziel first developed a transistorized version of the ground-fault circuit interrupter in 1961.  Through the 1970s, most GFCIs were of the circuit-breaker type.  This version of the GFCI was prone to frequent false trips due to poor alternating-current characteristics of 120-volt insulations.  Especially in circuits with long cable runs, current leaking along the conductors’ insulation could be high enough that breakers tended to trip at the slightest imbalance. 
 
Since the early 1980s, ground-fault circuit interrupters have been built into outlet receptacles, and advances in design in both receptacle and breaker types have improved reliability while reducing instances of "false trips," known as nuisance-tripping.
 NEC Requirements for GFCIs
The National Electrical Code (NEC) has included recommendations and requirements for GFCIs in some form since 1968, when it first allowed for GFCIs as a method of protection for underwater swimming pool lights.  Throughout the 1970s, GFCI installation requirements were gradually added for 120-volt receptacles in areas prone to possible water contact, including bathrooms, garages, and any receptacles located outdoors.
The 1980s saw additional requirements implemented.  During this period, kitchens and basements were added as areas that were required to have GFCIs, as well as boat houses, commercial garages, and indoor pools and spas.  New requirements during the '90s included crawlspaces, wet bars and rooftops.  Elevator machine rooms, car tops and pits were also included at this time.  In 1996, GFCIs were mandated for all temporary wiring for construction, remodeling, maintenance, repair, demolition and similar activities and, in 1999, the NEC extended GFCI requirements to carnivals, circuses and fairs.
Testing Receptacle-Type GFCIs
Receptacle-type GFCIs are currently designed to allow for safe and easy testing that can be performed without any professional or technical knowledge of electricity.  GFCIs should be tested right after installation to make sure they are working properly and protecting the circuit.  They should also be tested once a month to make sure they are working properly and are providing protection from fatal shock. 
 
To test the receptacle GFCI, first plug a nightlight or lamp into the outlet. The light should be on.  Then press the "TEST" button on the GFCI. The "RESET" button should pop out, and the light should turn off.
 
If the "RESET" button pops out but the light does not turn off, the GFCI has been improperly wired. Contact an electrician to correct the wiring errors.
 If the "RESET" button does not pop out, the GFCI is defective and should be replaced.
If the GFCI is functioning properly and the lamp turns off, press the "RESET" button to restore power to the outlet.

Looking for a Connecticut Home Inspector? Contact Allied Home Inspections LLC - "Inspected Once, Inspected Right!" ​
Allied Home Inspections LLC
Bethel CT. 06801
Mon - Sat 8AM to 9PM
(203) 515-6622​
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Servicing Bethel, Bridgewater, Brookfield, Cheshire, Danbury, Easton, Fairfield, Hamden, Kent, Middlebury, Monroe, New Fairfield,  New Milford, Newtown, Norwalk, Oxford, Redding, Ridgefield, Roxbury, Seymour, Shelton, Sherman, Southbury, Stratford, Trumbull, Warren, Weston, Westport, and Wilton Connecticut
  • Home
  • Contact
  • About Me
  • Unbiased
  • References
  • Radon Testing
  • Water Testing
  • FAQ
  • Info and tips
    • Blog
    • 15 Tools Every Homeowner Should Own
    • 10 Ways To Save Energy
    • Abrasive Blasting for Mold Remediation
    • Acid Rain
    • Adjustable Steel Columns
    • Advantages of Solar Energy
    • Aging in Place
    • Aluminum Siding
    • Aluminum Wiring
    • Ants
    • Anti-Scald Valves
    • Arc-Fault Circuit Interrupters (AFCIs)
    • Asbestos
    • Asbestos in Vermiculite
    • Attic Pull-Down Ladders
    • Average Home Inspection Cost
    • Backdrafting
    • Backflow Prevention
    • Barbeque Safety
    • Basement Waterproofing
    • Bathroom Vents
    • Bats
    • Bed Bugs
    • Bethel Home Inspector - Allied Home Inspections LLC
    • Biological Pollutants
    • Brookfield Home Inspector - Allied Home Inspections LLC
    • Bug Zappers
    • Building a Home
    • Building Cavities Used as Supply or Return Ducts
    • Buying a Foreclosure
    • Carbon Monoxide
    • Carpeted Bathrooms
    • Central Humidifiers
    • Central Vacuum
    • Central Air-Conditioning Systems
    • Child-Proofing
    • Chinese Drywall
    • Clothing Moths
    • Collar Ties
    • Condensation in Double-Paned Windows
    • Crumbling Foundations in CT
    • Danbury Condo Inspector - Allied Home Inspections LLC
    • Danbury Home Inspector - Allied Home Inspections LLC
    • Electrical Conductor Types
    • Electric Heat and Condensation
    • Electrical Panels
    • EMFs in the Home
    • Energy Conservation
    • Energy-Efficient Houses
    • Engineered Wood Flooring
    • Exterior Design Features
    • Factory-Built Fireplaces
    • Fairfield Home Inspector - Allied Home Inspections LLC
    • FHA Loan Basics
    • Fire Safety
    • Foreclosures
    • Foreclosure Inspections
    • Formaldehyde
    • Foundation Insulation
    • Galvanic Corrosion
    • Galvanized Pipe
    • Garages
    • Garage Doors and Openers
    • Garage Fire Containment
    • GFCI's
    • Gutters
    • Home Inspection: An Overview
    • How To Choose a Home Inspector
    • Ice Dams
    • Infrared Inspections
    • Insulation
    • Internships for Home Inspectors in Connecticut
    • Knob and Tube
    • Links and Resources
    • Manufactured Homes
    • Newtown Home Inspector - Allied Home Inspections LLC
    • New Milford Home Inspector - Allied Home Inspections LLC
    • Oil Burners
    • Plumbing Terms
    • Ridgefield Home Inspector - Allied Home Inspections LLC
    • Roofing
    • Scope of a Home Inspection
    • Sealing / insulating
    • Septic
    • Siding and Insects
    • Stamford Water Contamination
    • Termites
    • Tips For Home Sellers
    • Tips On Finding A Home Inspector
    • Tips To Crush Your Home Inspection
    • Typical Inspection
    • Underground Oil Tanks
    • Vinyl Siding
    • Water Quality
    • Water Softeners
    • Water Softener Backwash
    • Water Wells