maximum # of receptacles protected by a gfci.

Merry Christmas
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Delta 3 said:
Does anyone know if there is a limit on how many (within reason) receptacles can be put on the load side of a GFCI receptacle?
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Check the directions that came with your GFCI.

If they do not set a limit neither does the NEC.
 
Just be aware that the potential number of inconvenient / nuisance trips is directly proportional to the number of receptacles served by one gfci device. This is purely a design issue unless otherwise indicated by the manufacturer.
 
bphgravity said:
Just be aware that the potential number of inconvenient / nuisance trips is directly proportional to the number of receptacles served by one gfci device.
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That is a darn good point to consider.:smile:
 
Most of the GFCI devices we use are listed for 20amps feed through - same as the branch circuit - so as long as you can't overload it I don't see where it matters how many receptacles are down stream of it. Same as if it were a GFCI c/b.
 
bkludecke said:
Most of the GFCI devices we use are listed for 20amps feed through - same as the branch circuit - so as long as you can't overload it I don't see where it matters how many receptacles are down stream of it. Same as if it were a GFCI c/b.
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As far as circuit current it does not make much difference.

As far as a ground fault trip it does make a difference.

Every appliance and every foot of wiring on the load side of the GFCI adds to the amount of current imbalance the GFCI reads.

If you had 5 appliances on the circuit each one adding half a ma of leakage current onto the circuit you would be getting close to trip without any real ground fault.

The most reliable way to deal with this is to use a GFCI receptacle at each point of use. Many of the plans we get specify that we do just that.

This also makes it easy for reseting the GFCI if it trips, no hunting for it's location.
 
iwire said:
The most reliable way to deal with this is to use a GFCI receptacle at each point of use. Many of the plans we get specify that we do just that.

This also makes it easy for reseting the GFCI if it trips, no hunting for it's location.
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I'd just like to point out that this is almost never done in residential, obviously due to cost. But it's quite common in commercial work. It makes the roughing much easier too. We simply pigtail as we always do, and strip the ends to indicate a GFCI is going there. No "feed out" circuits to keep track of.
 
peter d said:
I'd just like to point out that this is almost never done in residential, obviously due to cost.
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When I used to do bare bones condos we would use a GFCI at the closest bathroom from the panel and run from that to all the other bathrooms and the outside receptacles as well.:roll:

I would hope in custom homes one GFCI per bathroom would be standard.
 
iwire said:
As far as circuit current it does not make much difference.

As far as a ground fault trip it does make a difference.

Every appliance and every foot of wiring on the load side of the GFCI adds to the amount of current imbalance the GFCI reads.

If you had 5 appliances on the circuit each one adding half a ma of leakage current onto the circuit you would be getting close to trip without any real ground fault.

The most reliable way to deal with this is to use a GFCI receptacle at each point of use. Many of the plans we get specify that we do just that.

This also makes it easy for reseting the GFCI if it trips, no hunting for it's location.
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I agree Iwire and that's how I did my house and that's how I do custom homes when $$ permit. But the question was about outlets/recepts and if care is given when making the terminations and laying out the circuit, few problems - if any - are likely to occur. We've done thousands of feed-through applications without nuisance trips and I attribute it to using care and common sense when laying out the circuit. We never loop bathroom recepts anymore, and kitchen are getting 3+ SA cicuits in the larger homes.
 
racerdave3 said:
No limit that I am aware of. I think every electrician pretty much uses common sense on the number of receptacles on a circuit anyway.
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That is a very broad statement, I let another guy go into a house I was doing when I fell ill.When I returned in a few days I went through what was done while out.I found over 35 receptacles on a circuit That I had pulled a HR for.When i asked him what he was thinking he simply responded I wired that circuit till I got tired. GRRRRRRRRRRRRR !!!!!!!!! lost a few hours redoing things on that one.
 
allenwayne said:
That is a very broad statement, I let another guy go into a house I was doing when I fell ill.When I returned in a few days I went through what was done while out.I found over 35 receptacles on a circuit That I had pulled a HR for.When i asked him what he was thinking he simply responded I wired that circuit till I got tired. GRRRRRRRRRRRRR !!!!!!!!! lost a few hours redoing things on that one.
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I guess I stand corrected then. 35 receptacles is an outrageous amount for sure. Just goes to prove that if you want a job done right you have to do it yourself!
 
35 receptacles!!!!????

In the immortal words of Donald Trump...


YOU'RE FIRED!!!


Day one apprentices do better than this...sheeesh!
 
child proofing

child proofing

Considering that the plastic inserts are easily removed by a child, is a GFCI sufficient protection for small children. I know that there are outlets available that have built in protection, but I can put in a single GFCI so that all the outlets in the nursery are protected.
 
curt_bixel@yahoo.com said:
Considering that the plastic inserts are easily removed by a child, is a GFCI sufficient protection for small children.
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No.

The first thing to realize is a GFCI does not prevent a shock, it limits the duration of the shock. Also the trip level was chosen with healthy adults in mind.

A GFCI does not provide any protection against line to line shocks (hot to neutral)

I know that there are outlets available that have built in protection,
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Yes they are tamper resistant and may be a good choice.

For my kids room I simple killed the power to some of the outlets and used this type

outlet-cover-box.jpg


on other outlets.
 
Point well made about the feed through amperage, This all came about in discussion at our shop because there is an inspector defecting people in our area by saying you cannnot have more than 3 receptacles on a countertop served by a gfci. That is NOT nec NOR local jurisdiction either. Bad inspector, no no:)
 
Different every jurisdiction

Different every jurisdiction

Here in Ohio,the counties I work in it depends on every jurisdiction. The kitchen has a maximum of 2 per gfi.(1000watts per). Bathrooms are one gfi per bathroom on 20 amp circuit. You can pick-up the lights over whirlpools if wired in #12. Garages are maximum of 3 on a 15 amp circuit.(500watts per).
Outside recepticles are 300 watts so 5 per gfi.
The next county, you best get a wattage schedule from them because you USUALLY dont get it right.
 
SE Cable

SE Cable

I had a general question about installing SE cable.
If a contractor is building four plex town homes, (four units on one building pad) can the (feeder) SE cable go from the meter base pass through the fire wall annd service the panel box on the interior unit. Basically, there is a four gang meter base on one side of the building and the feeders pass through the fire wall of each unit going to the panel box.
 
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