Any reasons beside cost to not use all dual function breakers for small home

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JoeNorm

Senior Member
Location
WA
I am wiring a small home, maybe 20 circuits total. Is there a compelling reason NOT to use all dual function QO breakers besides a slight cost increase?

I figure why not have the added protection?

I have not had much issue with nuisance tripping so I don't really expect in the future.

Thanks
 

tom baker

First Chief Moderator
Staff member
Eventually all dwelling unit circuits well be GFCI. Its easier to say what circuits are not required to be GFCI, under the 2020 code, need to GFCI 240 receptacles
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
Eventually all dwelling unit circuits well be GFCI. Its easier to say what circuits are not required to be GFCI, under the 2020 code, need to GFCI 240 receptacles
only 240 receptacles in areas mentioned. Clothes dryers pretty much will always be required. Ranges and window AC's depends on location or conditions. Those the most common 240 volt receptacles in a dwelling, but location/conditions would still apply to anything else.
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
I am wiring a small home, maybe 20 circuits total. Is there a compelling reason NOT to use all dual function QO breakers besides a slight cost increase?

I figure why not have the added protection?

I have not had much issue with nuisance tripping so I don't really expect in the future.

Thanks
The longer the length of the circuit, the better the chance capacitive leakage adds up enough to cause nuisance tripping of GFCI's.

What that means is if you already losing 3 mA just in the premises wiring you are going to trip with a plugged in load that only leaks 3 mA, where that same appliance doesn't cause trouble when plugged directly into a GFCI receptacle or a downstream protected receptacle that is nearby.

May not be too much of an issue in most dwellings, but the longer the home run the more it can be a factor.
 
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