GFCI at docks

[McLintock]

Ok, this may have been discussed here before, but a guy a know who sells solar power dock stations say’s GFCI do not always work around docks, and that’s his big selling point. I wonder if the cases of electrocution he is talking about are GFCI not installed right? Or how many involve people who had a little to much to drink.

I bring this up because if GFCI’s are faulty, as this guy would say, why does the NEC keep increasing were they are required? I do not want someone to trust something to something and it be faulty.


“ shoot low boys their riding shetland ponies”

 

[ptonsparky]

Could he mean they have just quit working? As in will not reset?

 

[McLintock]

Could, I do know about every homeowner does not test the GFCI’s. And that is a problem to


“ shoot low boys their riding shetland ponies”

 

[ptonsparky]

Could, I do know about every homeowner does not test the GFCI’s. And that is a problem to


“ shoot low boys their riding shetland ponies”

I’m a homeowner and do not test my own GFCIs.

 

[marmathsen]

I've often wondered if it doesn't make more sense to locate the GFCI protection outside of a "very wet location" like a dock. If you have a GFCI receptacle on a dock a it gets a bunch of water splashed or poured on it, isn't it reasonable to think the water could make it's way into the line side terminals?

Rob G

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

 

[don_resqcapt19]

Older GFCIs never failed safe...that is when the electronics quit working they continued to supply power. The newer ones, are self testing, but they are not required to stop supplying power when they fail the self test. They can provide an audio and or visual indication of the failure. This type continues to supply power until the test button is pushed or there is a power failure. After either one of these evens the failed device cannot be reset.

Not sure what the solar power had to do with this. If the solar power system is supplying an outlet that requires GFPE or GFCI protection, that does not change just because the power source is solar.