advanced search

GFCI Basics

Feb 1, 2001 12:00 PM, By Mike Holt

Find more articles on GFCIs

A GFCI is only as good as its installation and inspection.

A ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) is the only protection device designed to protect people against electric shock from an electrical system. Because of this, we need to understand what a GFCI is, how it works, and what its limitations are.

We need only to look to the NEC for the definition of a GFCI. The NEC defines it as "a device intended for the protection of personnel that functions to de-energize a circuit or portion thereof within an established period of time when a current to ground exceeds some predetermined value that is less than that required to operate the overcurrent protective device of the supply circuit."

A GFCI protection device operates on the principle of monitoring the imbalance of current between the circuit's ungrounded (hot) and grounded (neutral) conductor. It does not monitor the grounding conductor, and so it will still operate in a circuit without a ground.

In a typical 2-wire circuit, the current returning to the power supply will be equal to the current leaving the power supply (except for some small leakage). If the difference between the current leaving and returning through the current transformer of the GFCI protection device exceeds 5mA (51mA), the solid-state circuitry opens the switching contacts and de-energizes the circuit (see Figure, above). This will always happen as long as the GFCI is in working order. However, GFCIs fail more often than most people think. And they give no outward sign that they are no longer providing their protection.

Typically, when a GFCI protection device fails, the switching contacts remain closed, and the device continues to provide power - but no protection.

According to a study conducted by the American Society of Home Inspectors (published in IAEI News, November/December 1999), 21% of GFCI circuit breakers and 19% of GFCI receptacles tested did not provide GFCI protection. Yet, the circuit remained energized! In the examined cases, failures of the GFCI sensing circuits were mostly due to damage to the internal transient voltage surge protection (metal-oxide varistors) that protect the GFCI sensing circuit. This damage resulted from voltage surges from lightning and other transients. In areas of high-lightning activity, such as Southwest Florida, the failure rate for GFCI circuit breakers was more than 57%.

One manufacturer makes a 15A 125V GFCI receptacle you cannot reset if the GFCI circuit no longer provides ground fault protection. In addition, this particular GFCI receptacle has a built-in line-load reversal feature that prevents the GFCI from resetting if the installer mistakenly reverses the load and line connections.

One final thought on GFCI protection: Press the test feature of the GFCI protection device to ensure it works. These are excellent devices when properly wired. However, never assume a GFCI protection device is operational unless you test it!

Sidebar: Warning

Severe electric shock or death can occur if a person touches the hot and neutral conductor at the same time - even if the circuit is GFCI-protected. This is because the current transformer within the GFCI protection device does not sense an imbalance between the departing and returning current, and the switching contacts remain closed.

---

Acceptable Use Policy blog comments powered by Disqus

Browse Back Issues Select an Issue November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 1, 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 1, 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 1, 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 1, 2006 May 1, 2006 April 2006 March 1, 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004 July 2004 June 2004 May 2004 April 2004 March 2004 February 1, 2004 January 1, 2004 December 1, 2003 November 1, 2003 October 1, 2003 September 1, 2003 August 1, 2003 July 1, 2003 June 1, 2003 May 1, 2003 April 1, 2003 March 1, 2003 February 1, 2003 January 1, 2003 December 1, 2002 November 1, 2002 October 1, 2002 September 1, 2002 August 1, 2002 July 1, 2002 June 1, 2002 May 1, 2002 April 1, 2002 March 1, 2002 February 1, 2002 January 1, 2002 December 1, 2001 November 1, 2001 October 1, 2001 September 1, 2001 August 1, 2001 July 1, 2001 June 1, 2001 May 1, 2001 April 1, 2001 March 1, 2001 February 1, 2001 February 1, 1995 January 1, 2001 December 1, 2000 November 1, 2000 October 1, 2000 September 1, 2000 August 1, 2000 July 1, 2000 June 1, 2000 May 1, 2000 April 1, 2000 March 1, 2000 February 1, 2000 January 1, 2000 December 1, 1999 November 1, 1999 October 1, 1999 September 1, 1999 August 1, 1999 July 1, 1999 June 1, 1999 May 1, 1999 April 1, 1999 March 1, 1999 February 1, 1999 January 1, 1999 December 1, 1998 November 1, 1998 October 1, 1998 September 1, 1998 August 1, 1998 July 1, 1998 June 1, 1998 May 1, 1998 April 1, 1998 March 1, 1998 February 1, 1998 January 1, 1998 December 1, 1997 November 1, 1997 December 1, 1996 November 1, 1996 October 1, 1996 September 1, 1996 August 1, 1996 July 1, 1996 June 1, 1996 May 1, 1996 April 1, 1996 March 1, 1996 February 1, 1996 January 1, 1996 December 1, 1995 November 30, 1995 November 1, 1995 October 1, 1995 September 1, 1995 August 1, 1995 July 1, 1995 June 1, 1995 May 1, 1995 April 1, 1995 March 1, 1995

browse e-newsletters