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What is the proper type of meter for testing a GCFI receptacle?
Wiki User
∙ 14y ago
Any electrical meter which measures volts or a standard plug tester. (the ones which plug into the receptacle and light up indicator lights) As long as the receptacle measures 110-120V between the hot and neutral, and measures 110-120V between the hot and ground, then it is wired correctly and supplying correct voltage with ground reference. To determine if the GFCI is "tripping" or opening the circuit when it should, simply press the test button. If it doesn't trip, (or reset correctly with the reset button) replace the device.
Wiki User
∙ 14y ago
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What would indicate a properly polarized and grounded outlet?
For North American wiring systems there is a test device known as a receptacle tester. It is a non-expensive device that just plugs into the wall receptacle. There are three lights that light telling you how the receptacle is configured. Newer devices also have a push button to test GCFI receptacles.In general, using a volt meter "hot" to ground equals 120 volts. Hot to neutral equals 120 volts. Neutral to ground no voltage. Large blade hole is the neutral and small blade hole is the "hot" connection, many times these will be reversed. If any of these examples are not met, then there is a wrong configuration of the wiring of the receptacle. Best answer is to buy a receptacle tester, even the electrical inspector carries one with them when inspecting new wiring jobs.
Do Mindless Behavior go to church?
Yes they go to glory christian or gcfi I know them he is my bf Trey young Is my boyfriend for real I love him
Do gcfi breakers operate with only hot and neutral ?
yes. A GFCI monitors the amount of current flowing from hot to neutral. If there is any imbalance, it trips the circuit.
How do you ground a plastic box ground wire attached to GCFI and ground at fuse panel. Do I need to ground at the box itself as well?
Grounding a plastic box is a little hard as plastic is a nonconductor.be satisfied with grounding to a ground wire.
Why may a gcfi not stay on?
gfci+++++++++++Ground Fault Circuit Interupter, It Could Be Bad, Or Just Doing Its Job. You May Have An Overload On The Circuit, Or Something Grounding. Sometimes I Have Seen These Wired Into The Recpticals Over Sinks And Counter Tops. Unplug All Items That Are Around It ( if this is the case ) Push It Back On See If It Works. HOPE THIS WILL HELP
Can you change an old 30A fuse box if it has 1r1b1w wire to a 15A gfci for a whirlpool tub outlet?
Yes you can. It involves working in the breaker box and changing out breakers. You'll also have to "re-identify" the black wire to green for your ground. If you think you can do this, post back and I'll provide details on how. Yes I Can! The fuse box has 2 30amp fuses. At the breaker box you'll need a single 15amp breaker. YOU CANNOT USE THE EXISTING 30AMP BREAKER! Attach the black wire to the new breaker and the white wire to the neutral bus (where all the other whites are attached). You now have a red wire remaining. You'll use this as the ground wire. YOU MUST perform what is called "re-identifying" the wire by wrapping green tape around the wire. This lets someone know that the wire is a ground wire and not a hot wire (red is hot, green is ground). Attach this wire to the ground bus (where all the bare copper wires are). Wiring the GFCI is just like a standard receptacle (black and white on the terminals and your RED (which has now become a ground wire) on the green ground screw. Make sure to wrap the red wire with green tape at the GCFI also! This is very important!
What happens if you throw a switched on hair drier into water?
There are a couple things that could happen, worst of all would be harming yourself. If the dryer was plugged into a working GCFI receptacle, then nothing should happen except the little red button on the GFI would trip. They are designed to trip faster than a heart beat. If the dryer is plugged into a regular plug circuit and if the breaker is working, then it will just trip as this will cause a "short" circuit. If the breaker is not working, then most likely there will be lots of sparks because it doesn't trip. Something should trip, even the 100 amp main should go. The only time you would be in trouble is if you are in between the circuit somehow. ie, you are holding onto the tap at the same time and there is copper Plumbing, or you are holding the dryer when you put it in. My recommendation, just don't do that.... Andy The above answer is not entirely accurate. If it is a properly functioning GFI circuit then yes the GFI should trip. The key feature of GFIs is that they detect the difference between the current being supplied and the current returning. If you drop a drier in a bathtub then at least some of the current will be grounded through the plumbing (and you along the way). So the GFI should trip and they trip quickly. However if it is a regular circuit breaker then you do *not* have any guarantee that it will protect you. The water *may* short the drier and cause a large enough current flow to trip the breaker. However it may not. It could have enough resistance to limit the current below 15A or whatever the circuit breaker trips at. In which case it won't trip at all. Regular circuit breakers are there to prevent short circuits from overloading the wiring which would burn your house down. They're *not* there to prevent you from being electrocuted. You, and even a bathtub of water, have resistance which depending on various factors may be enough to avoid overloading a regular circuit breaker.
What happens if you throw a switched-on hair drier into water?
There are a couple things that could happen, worst of all would be harming yourself. If the dryer was plugged into a working GCFI receptacle, then nothing should happen except the little red button on the GFI would trip. They are designed to trip faster than a heart beat. If the dryer is plugged into a regular plug circuit and if the breaker is working, then it will just trip as this will cause a "short" circuit. If the breaker is not working, then most likely there will be lots of sparks because it doesn't trip. Something should trip, even the 100 amp main should go. The only time you would be in trouble is if you are in between the circuit somehow. ie, you are holding onto the tap at the same time and there is copper plumbing, or you are holding the dryer when you put it in. My recommendation, just don't do that.... Andy The above answer is not entirely accurate. If it is a properly functioning GFI circuit then yes the GFI should trip. The key feature of GFIs is that they detect the difference between the current being supplied and the current returning. If you drop a drier in a bathtub then at least some of the current will be grounded through the plumbing (and you along the way). So the GFI should trip and they trip quickly. However if it is a regular circuit breaker then you do *not* have any guarantee that it will protect you. The water *may* short the drier and cause a large enough current flow to trip the breaker. However it may not. It could have enough resistance to limit the current below 15A or whatever the circuit breaker trips at. In which case it won't trip at all. Regular circuit breakers are there to prevent short circuits from overloading the wiring which would burn your house down. They're *not* there to prevent you from being electrocuted. You, and even a bathtub of water, have resistance which depending on various factors may be enough to avoid overloading a regular circuit breaker.
