In our homes, electrical wiring uses insulated sheathing to contain electricity. Many people understand how a GFCI outlet works but don’t truly understand a ground fault.Ī ground fault describes how electricity unintentionally exits a contained electrical path and follows its natural flow directly to the earth (ground). The use of the term GFCI is more common than GFI among manufacturers and electrical contractors, but there is no difference in the device’s function. Ground Fault Interrupter (GFI) and Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) both detect ground faults and will “ interrupt” the flow of electricity to the circuit when ground faults occur. There is no difference between GFI and GFCI, and the terms are interchangeable. It is common for you to find a GFCI outlet closest to the electrical panel box, and the GFCI will protect other areas through the same circuit. Another example is where exterior outlets will be GFCI protected through a GFCI outlet located inside a garage. However, they can be used on a GFCI-protected circuit, provided the GFCI is on the leading outlet.įor example, you will often see bathrooms with a standard outlet in new construction homes but have GFCI protection from another bathroom outlet. The regular outlets cannot monitor the current and provide such protection. Just for comparison, at ten milliamperes, human muscles paralyze due to the electricity passing through the body, and only two seconds of this are enough to cause death. The GFCI stops any prolonged exposure to life-threatening electrical shock. It can detect slight imbalances as low as 4-5 milliamperes and trip the circuit in 1/13 of a second. The GFCI outlets work fast, which is vital to saving lives. That imbalance will be registered instantly by the GFCI, which cuts off the power in the outlet and any outlets downstream from the circuit. However, if a ground fault happens, this will create an imbalance. The current flow usually remains the same (with some slight losses). The GFCI has a sensor that tracks the flow of electricity. If the neutral wire is loose, the open neutral will cause the GFCI to fail. When you plug in an electrical appliance, the electricity will flow from the hot wire to the neutral wire.The round one beneath is called the ground. The left slot is neutral, and the right is hot.Here in the United States, we have two vertical slots, usually on top and another round hole below them. When a problem is detected, it shuts itself off, stopping any electrical current from that particular outlet to protect against electrical shock-the below graphic diagrams how a GFCI is wired to protect an entire circuit. The GFCI outlet works to detect variance with the electricity as it travels through the outlet. You don’t need to know every term to understand and learn crucial details. Not everybody is a qualified electrician, and all the technical vocabulary can be confusing. How Does a GFCI Outlet Work?Ī GFCI outlet improves the overall safety of your home. That is why it is essential to be adequately informed and understand how they work, recognize them, and expect them. They provide high levels of protection and safety for us and our homes. The accidents have dramatically decreased since the introduction and the consequent increase in GFCI outlets usage.
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