Today I was installing weather resistant p&s gfci receptacles and it had never registered with me that they always include a plastic faceplate. Does anyone run into a situation where they actually use them? We all were visiting and couldnt think of any applications that we run into that it would be code legal for us. Perhaps its just how p&s bulk produces things and its cheapest for them to just include it and send it out the door? It does make it nice to have a bunch of spare faceplates for indoor receptacles. Look forward to hearing everyones thoughts.
Weather Resistant GFCI Faceplate
- Thread starter MasonF
- Start date
- Status
letgomywago
Senior Member
- Location
- Washington state and Oregon coast
- Occupation
- residential electrician
I don't always use them but the arlington in box outdoor cover and box uses a standard cover plate. It usually comes with one but it is 1 instance that it could be helpfull. I use pns stuff too and just save those for where I'd need them for regular receptacles and switches. It is my goto outdoor box for stucco/dryvit and vinyl.
ramsy
NoFixNoPay Electric
- Location
- LA basin, CA
- Occupation
- Service Electrician 2020 NEC
Not code legal for anyone, per 406.9, unless WR devices go indoors in dry locations.
goldstar
Senior Member
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
Just a point of info, the P&S cover plates will not fit in an Arlington in-box. They are slightly larger than the std. ones.
BTW, I have boxes of Decora cover plates collected from all those GFCI receptacles that come packed with a cover plate that I never used.
BTW, I have boxes of Decora cover plates collected from all those GFCI receptacles that come packed with a cover plate that I never used.
Frank DuVal
Senior Member
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor, Electrical Engineer
Arlington In Box. Well, if the plates fit inside the box... I dislike the bubble covers.
I buy the GFCI receptacles in three packs, so I do not get cover plates included.
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
- Occupation
- EC
Packaging they use for what is typically sold at electric supply house is individual boxed including a cover plate.
Packaging they use for what is sold at Menards (which probably is a big box store in your area as well) is either individual boxed receptacle or three pack receptacles but no cover plate.
Why the difference IDK. But a lot of things sold in big box come in different packaging types than same product sold at big box stores.
Square D loadcenters - supply house packaged main lugs models always have equipment grounding bar inside might need to be mounted in the position of your choice but is in the package. Big box, often they don't provided an EGC bar at all and if you don't pay attention you may end up coming back to purchase one.
I was literally throwing out some trash today and there was a P&S WR box in there and I said, hold up, why do they bother to put the faceplates in there?
Only thing I can think of, we've got one electrician I've followed behind that only uses WR GFI for EVERYTHING. So, I guess for that guy its convenient. For me I've got a pile of single deco covers now that I'll use in the next new house that does rocker switches.
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
- Occupation
- EC
If you put the GFCI in a multi-gang box you won't use the single gang wall plate included with it either.I was literally throwing out some trash today and there was a P&S WR box in there and I said, hold up, why do they bother to put the faceplates in there?
Only thing I can think of, we've got one electrician I've followed behind that only uses WR GFI for EVERYTHING. So, I guess for that guy its convenient. For me I've got a pile of single deco covers now that I'll use in the next new house that does rocker switches.
- Status