dmulhol925
Member
Will a GFI circuit breaker provide protection on the old two wire systems?
GFI Circuit Breakers
- Thread starter dmulhol925
- Start date
- Status
Yes. It is probably the best way to go besides rewiring.
http://www.prospex.us/DOCS/ELECTRICAL/HOW GFCI DEVICES WORK.pdf
- Location
- Illinois
- Occupation
- retired electrician
But remember you can't test it with a plug in tester...you can only test it with the test button on the device.
Rewire
Senior Member
- Location
- Lake of the Ozarks
I spent an hour slowly explaining that to a real estate home inspector
ptonsparky
Tom
- Occupation
- EC - retired
Was it worth the time? Meaning did he/she grasp the concept?
jumper
Senior Member
- Location
- 3 Hr 2 Min from Winged Horses
jxofaltrds
Inspector Mike®
- Location
- Mike P. Columbus Ohio
- Occupation
- ESI, PI, RBO
I love going to a home after the report says no ground.
- Location
- Bremerton, Washington
Its actually safer than having an equipment ground, as the EGC provides a shock path to ground.
- Location
- Illinois
- Occupation
- retired electrician
Sometimes that could be correct but not always. You have to receive a shock before the GFCI can act to limit the duration of the shock. An EGC can prevent the shock from happening by keeping the non-current carrying parts at ground potential. if there is a high current fault, the faulted equipment will have voltage on it that is equal to the voltage drop on the fault clearing circuit between the point of the fault and the main bonding jumper. Table 250.122 is intended to size the EGC large enough so that this voltage drop will be less than 50 volts, and the voltage is only there until the OCPD opens the circuit.
ryan_618
Senior Member
- Location
- Salt Lake City, Utah
It also won't trip if you throw it in water. Take a two wire cord (GFCI protected) and throw it in a sink full of water. Then do the same with a three wire cord (also GFCI protected) and see what happens.
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
I could not convince our local inspector of this issue so................ I got a plastic bucket and filled it with water and then took a 2 wire lamp cord connected to a keyless socket and installed a wp flood bulb. I then made a short extension with a 3 wire cord and installed a box with a gfci one end. Plugged it in and lowered the lamp into the water. The inspector couldn't believe it.
ryan_618
Senior Member
- Location
- Salt Lake City, Utah
Its a great way to explain how a GFCI functions. I couldn't tell you how many times I've done it during seminars.
- Status