A ground fault circuit interrupter, or GFCI, is an inexpensive electrical safety device that can protect you and your family members from a serious electric shock.

Have you ever had an electric shock? While it is an unpleasant experience, it is not usually fatal. However, given the right conditions, the same shock could be fatal! If your body makes a solid connection to the ground, the shock could easily kill you. Here are two examples of a solid ground connection:

• If you are physically standing or touching the ground outside

• If you touch something conductive, such as any part of the plumbing system in your house, that is also touching the ground outside

In other words, if you decide to operate your hedge trimmer in your bare feet and you get a shock, you may not survive it.

How Can a GFCI Help?

A GFCI is a special electrical outlet that prevents electric shocks in situations such as the ones described above. The GFCI monitors the electrical current leaving from and returning to the outlet. The current leaving the outlet should be the same amount as the returning current. If the current returning is less than that which leaves, the missing current could be passing through somebody’s body to the ground. The GFCI detects the mismatch and shuts off the electrical outlet in a split second.

Where Should GFCI Outlets Be Located?

GFCI outlets should be installed in any area that presents a risk of an electric shock with a direct path to the ground. In other words, anywhere you might directly touch the ground outside or anywhere where you might touch a part of the plumbing system. Some smart GFCIs locations are:

• Exterior outlets
• Kitchen counter outlets (not common in Canada)
• Bathroom outlets
• Garage outlets
• Outlets in unfinished basements

This is not a complete list. Areas near swimming pools, hot tubs, and so on should also include this type of outlet.

GFCIs are not perfect, however, and have been known to “nuisance trip” when connected to certain types of electrical equipment. For this reason, exceptions to the suggested (or required) locations for GFCIs exist. For example, a regular outlet would be a better choice for a freezer in your garage since the potential for nuisance tripping of the GCFI is high and might go undetected for days, leading to spoiled food in the shut-off freezer.

Remote GFCI

Several electrical outlets usually connect to a single circuit in an average home. A single GFCI outlet will protect all of the outlets in the circuit, even if the other outlets are not GFCIs. But the GFCI outlet must be the first outlet in the string in order for it to properly protect the other outlets, and, of course the connections have to be properly made.

Remote GFCIs sometimes cause confusion for home owners in the following ways:

• A home owner thinks the bathroom does not have a GFCI because the outlet looks like a standard one. The standard outlet under the protection of a remote GFCI should have a sticker indicating its GFCI protection. The problem is, the sticker does not stick forever. A Pillar To Post® inspector can test this for you.

• A standard outlet that does not appear to work in a bathroom or kitchen may actually be attached to a remote GFCI outlet that has nuisance tripped. Before calling an electrician, check the GFCI outlets in other bathrooms and in other locations around the house.

Testing

GFCIs are easy to test and should be tested every month. Simply press the test button on the outlet. You should hear a pop as the reset button pops out a little. To reset, just press the reset button. If the GFCI fails to trip, or if you are unable to reset it, it is time for an electrician to replace it.

Special breakers also provide GFCI protection to the entire circuit. These breakers can be installed instead of GFCI outlets. The GFCI breaker should also be tested monthly. You will recognize this breaker from the test and reset button.

GFCIs can help prevent injury and death from electric shock. It is a small device worth having to ensure the safety of your family members.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Information that is being provide is for Educational Purpose, Any electric work that is needing to be done, should be done by a Licensed Electrician.

Source: Pillar To Post Information Series

A 40 amp breaker, standard ranges have a three conductor #8 copper wire installed, terminating in a three pole four wire grounding receptacle. NEMA number 14-50R.

 

Information that is being provide is for Educational Purpose, Any electric work that is needing to be done, should be done by a Licensed Electrician.

The most common type of cable used in houses is technically known as NMD 90 (Non-Metallic Dry service cable rated at maximum of 90 degrees Celsius).

It is usually a plastic white covered cable.

How is Wire Sized?

In Canada and the United States there is a standard by which we measure wire. This standard is the A.W.G. (American Wire Gauge).

The most common size of wire that you will be dealing with is a #14.

Wire sizes start at higher numbers such as #24 (small wire) and as the number decreases in value the wire increases in size. The largest wire you will likely need is a #3 gauge. This would be for your incoming service.

The following chart identifies wire/amperage/breaker sizes:

Wire Size	Rating (Amperage)	Breaker Size (Amps)
#14	15 A.	15 A.
#12	20 A.	20 A.
#10	30 A.	30 A.
#8	45 A.	40 A.
#6	65 A.	60 A.
#3	105 A.	100 A.

*All sizes are a maximum value and in accordance with the Canadian Electrical Code.

Types of Wire

Wire can be either solid of stranded. Most wiring you do in your home will be with solid wire.

Solid wire is easier to work with and takes less time to install. You will find stranded wire in extension cords and any wire gauge over a #10.

Most Commonly Used Cables and Their Uses

2-conductor #14

Plugs, Switched, Lights ,( approx 70 % of your house wiring)

3-conductor #14

3- way Switches, Split Receptacles

2-conductor #12

Selected Heaters , Air Compressors, etc. (anything that uses a maximum of 20 amps)

Kitchen Receptacles circuits (as per the new provisions in the Canadian Electrical Code)

3-conductor #10

– any device that requires a maximum of 30 amps (the most common application would be your electric dryer)

3-conductor #8

– maximum of 40 amps (the most common application would be your electric range)

Information that is being provide is for Educational Purpose, Any electric work that is needing to be done, should be done by a Licensed Electrician.