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Home > Archive > Alternative Power sources > September 2007 > 15 vs 20 amp circuits
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15 vs 20 amp circuits
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| David Williams 2007-09-23, 5:25 pm |
| -> Also, does on GFI protect the entire circuit on which it is located or do I
-> need to install more? My basement, like so many, sometimes gets wet when the
-> outside drains are blocked.
Most GFI outlets are of the "feed through" type. There are two pairs of
terminals (plus ground). You connect one pair, live and neutral, to
the main breaker box, and you use the other pair to feed other
outlets. When it's wired this way, the GFI does protect all the outlets
that are fed through it.
But if you just put a GFI outlet in place of one that's in parallel
with some other outlets, then the other outlets are not protected. The
current has to pass through the GFI in order to trip it when a fault
occurs.
dow
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| Keith Stelter 2007-09-23, 5:25 pm |
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"David XXXXXXXX" <david.XXXXXXXX@bayman.org> wrote in message
news:1190582856.912.1190581381@bayman.org...
>-> Also, does on GFI protect the entire circuit on which it is located or
>do I
> -> need to install more? My basement, like so many, sometimes gets wet
> when the
> -> outside drains are blocked.
>
> Most GFI outlets are of the "feed through" type. There are two pairs of
> terminals (plus ground). You connect one pair, live and neutral, to
> the main breaker box, and you use the other pair to feed other
> outlets. When it's wired this way, the GFI does protect all the outlets
> that are fed through it.
>
> But if you just put a GFI outlet in place of one that's in parallel
> with some other outlets, then the other outlets are not protected. The
> current has to pass through the GFI in order to trip it when a fault
> occurs.
>
> dow
I also agree with everyone else regarding the use of 20 amp circuits as
opposed to 15 amp.
My house was under-wired when I bought it, and I've spent the last 10 years
correcting and beefing up all of the circuits. I bet when the house was
built in the 60's the difference would have been probably $20.00 TOTAL to
upgrade to heavier wire.
My personal experience with GFI receptacles is that they tend to be VERY
finicky when they are in a damp basement or garage. I've tried every brand
that I could find because people said that some were much better than
others, but I still find that they are "over-sensitive" when installed in
humid basements. For that reason I always recommend using an actual GFI
breaker in the box. They are expensive, but offer the same protection and
tend to be more stable. This is just my experience. I can, however, add that
my brother is an electrical engineer and he experiences and does the same
thing. I'm sure that 100 people will now comment that they have GFI
receptacles in their damp basements and garages that never give them
problems, so do what you feel is best!
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