Revised UL 943 - GFCI Receptacles

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czars

Czars
Location
West Melbourne, FL
Occupation
Florida Certified Electrical Contractor
The revised UL 943 requires GFCI receptacles to perform periodic self tests. Does anyone know the required period of the periodic tests? Also, does anyone know what the current failure rate of GFCI receptacles and breakers is. It used to be fairly high.
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
The revised UL 943 requires GFCI receptacles to perform periodic self tests. Does anyone know the required period of the periodic tests? Also, does anyone know what the current failure rate of GFCI receptacles and breakers is. It used to be fairly high.


Was just looking at a email I got from P&S on this topic. From what I recall the standard is self test every three hours, they claimed their devices will test every three seconds.

FWIW all devices will fail at some time.
 

tom baker

First Chief Moderator
Staff member
The reason why 2011 NEC required GFCI devices to be readily accessible was to be able to test and reset.
Now that we have self test could the 2011 NEC requirement be deleted?
Probably not.....
 

bphgravity

Senior Member
Location
Florida
Actually, there are (11) new requirements in UL 943 related to GFCI self-test and power denial &/or GFCI end-of-life that were added to the standard way back in 2012. These (11) new requirements became mandatory on June 29, 2015. ALL of the GFCI manufactures were already meeting these requirements well before the deadline.

The automatic test shall be initiated within five seconds of power availability to the line or load terminals. The automatic test shall be repeated at least every three hours.
AND

The consequence of the auto-monitoring test detection of a problem shall be one or more of the following:
a) Power denial (trip with the inability to reset);
b) Trip with the ability to reset, subject to the next auto-monitoring test cycle or repeatedly trip;
c) Visual and/or audible indication as permitted by 6.30.8.


There is a lot more to it, but this answers two inquires made here...
 

bphgravity

Senior Member
Location
Florida
The reason why 2011 NEC required GFCI devices to be readily accessible was to be able to test and reset.
Now that we have self test could the 2011 NEC requirement be deleted?
Probably not.....

Your correct - probably not.

GFCI devices will still need to be manually tested and rest at time of installation and at least every 30-days. This part of the standard has not changed and will still be included in the installation instructions. The readily accessible requirement will likely remain in the 2017 NEC.
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
The reason why 2011 NEC required GFCI devices to be readily accessible was to be able to test and reset.
Now that we have self test could the 2011 NEC requirement be deleted?
Probably not.....
I don't know all the specifics on what new requirements are, but the new self tests probably do not actually open the circuit - especially the P&S models that say they run a test every 3 seconds - that would be rather inconvenient for users I would think if it actually opened the circuit when performing that test:cool:

Plus they still have test and reset buttons, so the usual recommendation of a manual test every 30 days likely still applies which would be a simulation of an actual ground fault condition, the automatic tests now required are likely more technical tests of the logic circuitry, and may still find issues without actually introducing a real fault condition or opening the circuit. Basically the device may have a more advanced "processor" installed in it that is monitoring more specific conditions then ever was monitored before.
 

svemike

Member
Location
Sonoma, CA
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I purchased a 3 pack self test Leviton GFTR1 White, Tamper resistant, $42 Home Depot, so $14 apiece. The WR one is GFWT1, a couple of dollars more. As of now, only available in HD Stores, not online.
 
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