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Electrical
Advice From an Experienced
Professional |
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| Dear
Mr. Electrician:
I push the
"Test"
button on my bathroom
GFCI (Ground fault
circuit interupter)
receptacle
occasionally, but
nothing seems to
happen. How do I know
if the GFCI receptacle
is working properly? |
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Answer: By
pushing the
"Test"
button a simulated
ground fault of 6
milliamperes is
shorted across the
internal conductors
and should cause the GFCI Receptacle
to
stop working
immediately. Normally
you would hear a mild
click sound and the
"Reset"
button would pop out a
little. Pushing in the
"Reset"
button should
reactivate the GFCI
receptacle. If the
GFCI is not
deactivated after
pushing the
"Test"
button, the GFCI
receptacle should be
replaced as soon as
possible because you
are no longer
protected against an
electric shock or
electrocution.
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To replace the ground
fault interuptor receptacle you should
begin by shutting off
the power to that
particular circuit at
the main circuit
breaker panel or main
fuse panel. Test the
receptacle with a
lamp, radio, or an
electrical tester to
make sure that the
GFCI receptacle is
without power. This
may not be totally
accurate as it is
possible that a
defective GFI
receptacle will not
have power
available
regardless.
Therefore you should
proceed to next step
with caution and test
the actual wires at
the screw terminals of
the GFI
receptacle using
a voltage tester, a
voltmeter or a pigtail
light socket with a
lightbulb.
Top
Remove the GFCI
receptacle cover by
unscrewing
(Counterclockwise) the
upper and lower screws
on the cover plate.
Next unscrew the upper
and lower screws that
secure the receptacle
to the wall mounted
electrical box.
Carefully pull the
GFCI receptacle
straight out of the
box as far as it will
go. Take note of the
wires connected to it.
Look at the new GFCI
receptacle that you
will be using to
replace the old one.
On the back you will
see some words stamped
into it.
"Line" and
"Load" are
what you need to take
notice of. Look at the
back of the existing
GFCI receptacle and
take notice of which
wires are on the
"Line" and
"Load"
terminals.
Normally the wires are
white and black. Black
on the
"Line" side
would be the hot wire
that feeds into the
receptacle. The white
wire on the
"Line" side
is the neutral
conductor that
provides a path for
the return current
from the black wire.
Remove one wire from
the existing
receptacle and screw
it onto the same
terminal on the new
GFCI receptacle.
Repeat this for each
wire until complete.
By doing it this way
you ensure to have the
new GFCI receptacle
wired the same as the
old one. The green or
bare wire gets
connected to the green
screw.
It is possible that
the old GFCI
receptacle did not
have screw terminals
for the connections,
but instead had
pigtails which were
spliced to the wires
in the electrical box
using twist-on wire
connectors. You can
untwist the wire
connectors by turning
them counter-clockwise
and separating the
pigtail from each
conductor in the box.
Do this one at a time
also and put the
conductor on the same
terminal as it was
connected to on the
old GFCI receptacle.
Top
You may find that
wires coming out of
the electrical box are
a little short to
connect comfortably to
the new GFCI
receptacle. You should
have a minimum of
3" extending past
the edge of the
electrical box. If the
wires are too short
you can splice short
pieces of wire onto
them. Use wires of the
same gauge (Usually
#14 or #12 solid or
stranded). Strip the
ends back
approximately 1"
and hold the ends
together so that they
cross each other to
form a narrow X. Using
pliers twist the wires
together tightly in a
clockwise direction.
Trim the end slightly
with wire cutters so
that you have
1/2" to 3/4"
of bare twisted wire
exposed. Use a medium
sized wire connector
to complete the
splice. Twist the wire
connector tightly by
hand in a clockwise
direction. Repeat this
process for all of the
short wires in the
electrical box.
Begin the process of
putting the new GFCI
receptacle into the
box by pushing the
wires back into the
box accordion style
meaning that they are
folded and bent in
such a way as to
compress back into the
box as the GFCI is
pushed in. Push the
GFCI receptacle in
enough to catch a few
threads for each
screw. Be sure that
the GFCI is straight
and flat. Take your
screwdriver and push
the GFCI support strap
that holds the screw
into the box at the
lower point and the
upper point. This will
make it easier to turn
the screws all the way
down. Tighten the
screws down but not
snug. Check again to
make sure that the
GFCI is straight. If
it isn't, now is the
time to tap the
support strap gently
with your screwdriver
to the left or to the
right to make it look
level. There is room
in the screw slot to
allow for some
alignment. After the
GFCI receptacle is
straight snug the
mounting screws down
and put the wall plate
on. Push the
"Reset"
button and then push
the "Test"
button to make sure
that the device is
operating properly.
Top
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You are on
http://www.MrElectrician.tv/questions/question-gfi.html
Updated
May 30, 2011
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| Copyright
2011 John Grabowski - All Rights
Reserved |
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