One possible disadvantage is that they are susceptible to false triggering by radio frequency energy. If your GFI is tripping intermittently, you may need to shield it from outside interference.
Yes, in the form of GFCI circuit breakers, not as a receptacle.
Yes, Electrical supply stores usually carry them
GFCI (or Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) should always be installed anywhere there is a possibility of the "plug-in" getting damp or wet, such as the Kitchen or Bathroom, also it doesn't hurt to use a GFCI in rooms used by children as they trip much faster on a fault than circuit breakers (if the kid sticks something in the plug in)
yes. A GFCI monitors the amount of current flowing from hot to neutral. If there is any imbalance, it trips the circuit.
First, lets say this: GFCI stands for Ground-Fault Circuit Interupter. This is NOT an over-current device, and NOT an over-load device. This device stop the flow at 6mA (6/1000 of an amp) of leakage current - current leaking to ground from either the hot or neutral wire. Do you mean a GFCI breaker or a GFCI receptacle?? GFCI receptacles do not "trip on overload". Period. The only over-current protection on a receptacle is provided by the circuit breaker protecting that branch circuit. GFCI breakers are ALSO over-current devices just like normal breakers. And yes, they DO get weak, just like standard breakers do from repeated tripping. They basically have a metal strip inside that gets bent and straightened each time you trip & reset the breaker. All metal gets weak when it gets bent & straightened repeatedly. It is called "metal fatigue".
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Yes, in the form of GFCI circuit breakers, not as a receptacle.
Yes, Electrical supply stores usually carry them
press the red test button
Fuses, Circuit Breakers, GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter), Surge Protector, etc.
GFCI (or Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) should always be installed anywhere there is a possibility of the "plug-in" getting damp or wet, such as the Kitchen or Bathroom, also it doesn't hurt to use a GFCI in rooms used by children as they trip much faster on a fault than circuit breakers (if the kid sticks something in the plug in)
yes
yes. A GFCI monitors the amount of current flowing from hot to neutral. If there is any imbalance, it trips the circuit.
Yes, you install a GFCI on a 2 wire circuit.
First, lets say this: GFCI stands for Ground-Fault Circuit Interupter. This is NOT an over-current device, and NOT an over-load device. This device stop the flow at 6mA (6/1000 of an amp) of leakage current - current leaking to ground from either the hot or neutral wire. Do you mean a GFCI breaker or a GFCI receptacle?? GFCI receptacles do not "trip on overload". Period. The only over-current protection on a receptacle is provided by the circuit breaker protecting that branch circuit. GFCI breakers are ALSO over-current devices just like normal breakers. And yes, they DO get weak, just like standard breakers do from repeated tripping. They basically have a metal strip inside that gets bent and straightened each time you trip & reset the breaker. All metal gets weak when it gets bent & straightened repeatedly. It is called "metal fatigue".
The test button should only trip the GFCI. The fact that it is tripping two breakers indicates that somehow both breakers are feeding your GFCI circuit. I have seen this when there was a wiring error and two circuits were joined in an outlet that was connected to a breaker and through the GFCI outlet. To troubleshoot determine which outlets are effected when both breakers are off. Pull outlet from box and if there are two feeds remove one from outlet and run a toner on wire left on outlet to panel and one off outlet to panel. The GFCI could block the toner so if one side of the outlet does not tone back to panel check at GFCI. There must be two paths to your electric panel for the two breakers to trip and the GFCI may be faulty as well. Another way to check is to have the GFCI reset and both breakers on. Check each outlet that you have identified as being on GFCI noting that they can be in different rooms. With all outlets working turn off one of the tripped breakers. See if any outlets so off. If not turn off the other breaker and turn on the first breaker. If power is still present then the outlets are being fed by both breakers.