Ground faults occur when live electrical wires touch ground wires or metal junction boxes, causing electric shock. Ground fault interrupters (GFI) automatically cut off electrical connections to prevent injury or damage. GFIs are required in areas with water, such as kitchens and bathrooms. GFCIs protect multiple outlets and are more common than GFIs. GFIs are worth the expense and can be installed by a licensed electrician or as portable units. Areas requiring ground fault breakers include outdoor, garage, kitchen, bathroom, crawl space, and unfinished basement outlets. Homeowners should upgrade their equipment to meet building codes.
A ground fault is a short circuit that occurs when a live electrical wire touches a ground wire or metal junction box. If a wire is not protected by a circuit breaker, fuse, or ground fault circuit breaker, an electric shock can occur. A ground fault interrupter (GFI) is any device that automatically cuts off an electrical connection which can cause damage to a home and more importantly, keep people from getting electrocuted.
Ground fault breakers are found in homes and commercial buildings where electricity and water are in close proximity to each other, particularly in kitchens and bathrooms. Water is highly conductive. In order to prevent injury when cooking or cleaning while using water or water-based materials in these areas, a ground fault circuit breaker cuts off the flow of electricity in the event of a ground fault.
Many local building codes in the United States and other countries require ground fault breakers to be installed in kitchens and bathrooms. When using an RCD, only the socket on which it is installed is protected. Ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) have all but replaced the ground fault interrupter, because a GFCI protects its own outlet and up to four other outlets that are in the same circuit. If a ground fault occurs in an outlet protected by a ground fault circuit breaker, the GFCI outlet will trip, open the electrical connection, and cut off the flow of electricity before anyone is injured or anything is damaged.
A ground fault interrupter outlet, also called a GFI outlet, is often much more expensive than a regular electrical outlet. However they are worth the expense in most cases. GFI outlets prevent thousands of electric shocks and burns every year.
Other forms of GFI are the breaker type, found in the breaker panel box, and the portable type. The circuit breaker type trips when a ground fault occurs and when a short circuit or overload occurs. This type of GFI protects every outlet and appliance connected to that circuit. GFI Portables are self-contained units that can be plugged into any outlet to protect that outlet and everything it powers. Some extension cords are designed with portable GFIs.
Areas of the home that should have ground fault breakers installed include all outdoor outlets, garage outlets, kitchen outlets, bathroom outlets, crawl space outlets, and all outlets in unfinished basements. Homeowners who do not have ground fault breakers protecting these areas of the home are encouraged to upgrade their equipment to meet building codes as soon as possible. A licensed electrician can upgrade the electrical equipment in a home to ensure that ground fault breakers are installed correctly. Homeowners wishing to install GFI themselves should be sure they understand how to do the job correctly before attempting the installation.
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