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GFCI outlets should be installed in any potentially wet or damp areas such as kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms, outdoors, basements, garages and workshops. Damp areas can make you prone to dangerous electric shock but using a GFCI outlet can greatly reduce your risk of injury.
Where must GFCI outlets be installed?
GFCI receptacles are required in bathrooms, garages, crawl spaces, basements, laundry rooms and areas where a water source is present.
Can I put a GFCI anywhere in a circuit?
You can replace almost any electrical outlet with a GFCI outlet. Correctly wired GFCIs will also protect other outlets on the same circuit. The electrical code also requires GFCIs in unfinished basements, garages, most outdoor receptacles and places where construction activity occurs.
Do all outlets in kitchen need to be GFCI?
In kitchens, all outlets that serve countertop surfaces should be equipped with GFCI outlet protection. That would include any outlets on walls, behind wet areas (sinks, etc.) that have features such as countertop breakfast bars (open counter surfaces above sinks used to sit at on the opposite side).
How many GFCI outlets can be on a circuit?
The Standard Number Of GFCI’s On One Circuit Keep in mind, you only need one GFCI at the beginning of the circuit for GFCI protection for the whole circuit. You might even opt for a GFCI rated breaker instead.
Should outlets under sink be GFCI?
The National Electrical Code, a minimum standard for electricians in the United States, allows for electrical outlets to be placed under the sink. However, all electrical outlets within a distance of 6 feet from the sink must have GFCI protection.
Does a GFCI have to be the first outlet?
GFCI doesn’t have to be the first in line because placing the GFCI first in line will trip whenever something goes wrong with any of the outlets downstream. While placing the GFCI first in line will protect all the other outlets downstream. On the one hand, you could buy a GFCI for every single outlet in the room.
Can you have 2 GFCI outlets on the same circuit?
Yes, you can have many GFCI outlets on the same circuit The way they vary from a regular outlet is they check for ground faults.
How close to a sink DO YOU NEED A GFCI?
As a rule of thumb, any outlet within six feet of the sink should be a GFCI outlet.
Does a refrigerator need a GFCI?
A refrigerator shouldn’t be plugged into a GFCI outlet. GFCI outlets are used in areas of the home with water or moisture. These include bathrooms, basements, and kitchens. This type of outlet is important because it reduces the risk of electrocution and electrical fires.
Does a dishwasher need GFCI protection?
Kitchen dishwashers installed in dwelling units require GFCI protection whether hard wired or cord and plug connected.
Does power go to line or load on GFCI?
The “line” wires are the incoming power from the breaker box and the “load” wires are the outgoing power that travels down the circuit to the next outlet.
Does every outlet in a garage need to be GFCI?
All garage outlets must be GFCI. It is an electrical violation to have non-GFCI outlets in your garage. The NEC (National Electrical Code) made this a requirement in 2008. GFCI outlets in your garage can save you from electrical failures and shock.
How many GFCI outlets do I need in my garage?
Yes, all garage outlets must be GFCI-protected-no exceptions. Since 2008, GFCI outlets have been required for “all 125-volt, single-phase, 15 and 20-amp outlets” in the garage. In fact, both the NEC (National Electric Code) and the IRC (International Residential Code) require this.
How far does an electrical outlet need to be from a sink?
It must be a GFCI, and it must be within 3 feet of the edge of the sink. Either behind or beside the sink is acceptable — across from the sink on an opposite wall is not. If the bathroom has two sinks, each must have an electrical receptacle within 3 feet.
What is code for GFCI outlets in kitchen?
Kitchens: All receptacles serving countertop areas and any receptacle within 6 feet of a sink must have GFCI protection. Laundry, utility, and wet bar sinks: Where receptacles are placed within 6 feet of the outside edge of the sink, they require GFCI protection.
Is under a sink considered a wet location?
A wet location is an interior location that is subject to saturation with water or an exterior location subject to saturation with water or unprotected and exposed to the weather. Sinks have a proximity damp zone of a 2 feet radius in all directions from the water source.
Will 1 GFCI protect?
Yes, a single GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) receptacle outlet will protect everything on the circuit, but ONLY if it is placed at the first outlet location. If it is installed anywhere else, then it will protect everything downstream, but not any outlets between the GFCI and the panel.
How many outlets can 1 GFCI protect?
There’s no limit. A standard GFCI will protect up to 20 amps, drawn from any combination of receptacles, either the built-in one or any number of additional ones connected to its load terminals.
Where is the first outlet in a circuit?
So, to find the first outlet in a chain, I would turn the power off to the room, look at where the switch for the switched outlets is and look at the outlet on the other side of the door. If the outlet has a 2-wire and a 3-wire, there is a good chance that you have found the first outlet in the chain.
