Where and Why Do We Need GFCI Protection?

why do people put GFCI receptacles  all over the place [Music]   so GFCI protection is something in code it was  something that was developed a long time ago but   the expansion of where it's required is like ever  expanding with each new code cycle so if you're   in a house for instance there's a whole bunch of  places where you have to have ground fault circuit   interrupter protection GFCI protection there's  a thing called GFI protection too ground fault   interrupter but a ground fault circuit interrupter  is more specifically either a breaker or it's a   receptacle that if there is a ground fault  meaning if a hot conductor touches something   metal around electrical equipment that's what we  call a ground fault and it's faulted to ground   on the ground conductor where the equipment  grounding conductor they're actually called   GFCI devices for personnel for its protection for  personnel for people so if somebody's standing in   like a puddle of water and they go to try to plug  something in there's a higher risk of them getting   seriously injured so this device is something  that very very quickly within milliseconds boom   is able to disconnect the incoming conductors  that are going to the receptacle and separate   them for that outgoing conductors or from the  actual load side of the device itself [Music]   so what does code actually say about putting  GFCI receptacles in now there's a lot of   different parts of uh code you got to realize it  depends on what environment you're in so the way   that the NEC is laid out is it separates based  off of like if you're in a dwelling unit where   people are living because they're going to be  using the space way differently than people   that are in like a bank conducting Commerce  doing business so we're going to be in 210.8   ground fault circuit interrupter protection for  personnel now one thing to notice with gfcis is   its receptacles it's places where people  are plugging in and taking things out it's   not light switches there is one place in here  where that talks about it actually in a crawl   space lighting outlet but most gsci protection  is not for lighting because lighting is way up   there we're way down here and we're not going  to be like likely energizing something while   standing in some water and a ground fault occur  from something that's up there so it's usually   something we're plugging in and we're using and  unplugging so what does it say 210.8 ground fault   circuit interrupted protection Class A GFCI shall  be protected in accordance with 210.8 a through f   so a specifically is dwelling units  that's anywhere you dwell where you live   um so that's really what we're going to focus on  for this because most people are watching this   right now are either electricians or homeowners  they're trying to figure out where they need to   put in gfis for an inspection So within dwelling  units specifically it says all 125 volt through   250 volt receptacles installed in the following  locations and supplied by single phase Branch   circuits rated 150 volts or less to ground shall  have ground fault circuit interrupted protection   for personnel so receptacles not lighting but  also not the entire branch circuit it says all 125   through 250 volt receptacles in these locations  so just keep that in mind when we start talking   about arc fault protection we're talking about the  entire branch circuit we're not talking about the   receptacle that's why I bring that up because  a lot of people get confused with GFCI and afci   and it's like don't the don't doesn't the whole  circuit have to be protected if it's GFCI it's   like no it's the point of contact that somebody  might actually introduce their finger into a   prong while they're plugging something in so what  it says for dwelling units we've got receptacles   in bathrooms number two receptacles in garages  and also accessory buildings that have a floor   located at or below grade level not intended as  habitable rooms and limited to storage areas work   areas and areas of similar use so places people  are probably going to be plugging extension cords   in and stuff that's not like actual a room  where somebody's living next number three is   receptacles Outdoors so anything outdoors water  rain obvious everything outdoors receptacles in   crawl spaces at or below grade level so crawl  spaces typically not the same thing as like a   basement or something like that it's usually just  a small little space that might have moisture   might have some like wetness dampness might be  like puddles and then if somebody's crawling   through there there needs to be protection because  of that moisture and it's specifically at or below   grade right where water is going to either  rest or it's going to find its way down into   um receptacles in basements number five so  same kind of thing basements collect water   so any receptacles in basements have to be GFCI  protected uh receptacles in kitchens now it's   not just specific to counter top receptacles  it's all receptacles in kitchens receptacles   in areas with sinks and permanent Provisions  for food preparation beverage preparation or   cooking so basically they just kind of expanded  the language of what a kitchen is because people   would have like large houses like we would do  a lot of huge Custom Homes where they have like   a Butler's pantry and then they have like a  prep area and then they have you know like a   Butler's kitchen or a bar or all these different  things that were like well it's kind of close to   the kitchen like it shares the same space as  the kitchen so is it still the kitchen there's   still appliances there's still stuff to make  food so they just kind of expanded the area   so it's anything with permanent Provisions for  food prep beverage prep or cooking then there's   receptacles near sinks specifically and number  eight we're receptacles are installed within six   feet from the top inside edge of the bowl of the  sink so any areas that are not kitchens if you   have like a mop sink somewhere well I guess the  mop I mean a mop sinks still like sink but like   some people put sinks in weird places and and so  it might be like a utility room well a utility   room you still have to have GFCI protection  which we'll get into here in a second and 11. I guess if you're just being weird and you  put sinks in weird places you just have to   read GFCI protect those receptacles uh number  nine receptacles in boat houses obviously you're   right next to the water number 10 receptacles in  bathtubs or shower stalls where receptacles are   installed within six feet of the outside edge of  the bathtub or the shower stalls somebody could   step outside of that tub and be soaking wet and  trying to plug and unplug stuff I mean I guess   I've done it like old radios and stuff I don't  know but it's for dummies like me uh number 11   laundry areas same thing wash machine leak water  wet clothes water um any receptacles that are in   laundry areas and then number 12 uh indoor damp  and wet locations so it kind of covers anything   else and that's going to be up to the either the  jurisdiction of the ahj of like who's inspecting   whether or not that really gets um looked at like  if anybody notices that or a homeowner bucking   back against it because a lot of homeowners are  going to do that they want most people want less   GFCI protection because it's just annoying to  have GFCI receptacles trip all of the time but   like if you consider an indoor damp location like  a mud room could be a damp location because it's   the first room in the house and if there's like  snow and stuff and you guys have been out like   playing and doing you know crazy stuff out in  the country and you trudge in a whole bunch   of mud and water from snowboarding or whatever  like okay now it's a damp environment you know   but it's not always a damp environment so all  right so now those are the areas that code for   dwelling units for any kind of dwelling unit  for a duplex for a single family house for a   multi-family house that's anything you can live  in or dwell in there are a couple of exceptions   to this so exception number one receptacles that  are not readily accessible and are supplied by a   branch circuit dedicated to Electric snow melting  de-icing or Pipeline and vessel heating equipment   shall be permitted to be installed differently  exception number two a receptacle supplying   only a permanently installed premises security  system shall be permitted to Omit ground fault   circuit interrupter protection because if you have  a security system you don't just want like a GFCI   receptacle to trip and then your whole security  system goes out it's like you have to evaluate the   risk versus the liability for that one exception  number three listed weight supporting ceiling   receptacles utilizing combination with compatible  weight supporting attached fittings installed for   the purpose of supporting a ceiling Luminaire  or ceiling suspended fan chubby permit to omit   the ground fault circuit interrupter protection  and then exception number four factory installed   receptacles that are not readily accessible and  are mounted internally to bathroom exhaust fan   assemblies shall not require GFCI protection  unless required by the installation of its   constructions or listing so this is a funny  one but inside of most event fans you're in   a bathroom when you open them up you're going to  see a two-prong receptacle and it's like the the   motor has this tiny little cord with a receptacle  on it because the motor can actually be changed   out from the housing so the housing stays up there  it's got this little receptacle and you take this   piece of metal out with the receptacle and there's  wires on the back of it and that's how we wire our   wires into the back side of that receptacle we  put the receptacle in place and then the motor   can stick up inside of that thing and if it's ever  crappy you just unplug it pull the motor out put a   new motor in so that little receptacle became an  issue with some people some inspectors out there   being like well it's in a bathroom so it says that  it needs to be gsti protected it's a receptacle   somebody might get hurt no nobody's no he is  going to get hurt on a vet fan in a bathroom like   I suppose if it's a if it's a really short room  and you could reach up there and pull it down   and be working on an event fan with water on  the ground with it being live and the breakers   on you're doing all kinds of stupid this is  something that shouldn't need to be in here this   is silliness that fan is technically an appliance  or a piece of equipment it should just have a   breaker or a disconnecting means you shut it off  just like any other thing and work on it you're   not like nobody's taking the cover off their  fan and like unplugging things while standing   most bathrooms like eight nine feet tall like  who's tall enough to do that I just don't get it   but I had an inspector fail me on a rough  inspection because of that they're like   well even though this is a 10 foot ceiling  in this bathroom somebody could just come in   contact with that I'm like what it was like when  people leave the the covers off of their fans a   lot I'm like yeah but it's 10 feet in the air I  can't even jump that high to try to touch that   doesn't matter enough people have said that it's  a concern that it got put in here so and we're not   going to look at Part B other than dwelling units  other than dwelling units is like everything else   they're non-dwelling units or other than dwelling  units now uh some things that also other than the   other than dwelling units and other than just in  receptacles they have part C of 210.8 crawl space   lighting Outlets these are the only mention that  they make of lighting outlets at all but I mean   again like it's probably more that you're in this  damp or possibly wet environment crawling around   so like everything around you should be GFCI  protected um there's specific appliances that   have to be GFCI protected but most of these  are commercial things like non-dwellings but   you do have dishwashers have to be GFCI protected  electric ranges wall mounted ovens counter mounted   cooking units clothes dryers and microwave ovens  so they're very specific now in which appliances   have to be GFCI protect and the reason for that  is because before we said kitchens that's just   receptacles and kitchens what if we have things  that are direct wired or what if we have things   that are not 120 volt you know receptacles they're  250 volt receptacles so anyways they put specific   appliances to make sure that you get those  appliances GFCI protected then we have E Equipment   requiring servicing it says GFCI protection shall  be provided for the receptacles required by 210.63   210.63 equipment requiring servicing a 125 volt  single phase 15 or 20 amp rated receptacle Outlet   shall be installed in an accessible location  within 25 feet of the equipment as specified   in 210.63 A and B so these are called service  receptacles it basically if you're in an attic   somewhere if you're you know outside there's air  conditioning equipment you have to have a service   receptacle so if a technician has to come up and  mess with that equipment that within 25 feet of   it you've got some kind of receptacle to work  on that equipment this is just saying that that   receptacle has to be GFCI protected all those  receptacles and then lastly a little bit more   specifically for dwellings they say for dwellings  all outdoor Outlets other than those covered in   210.aa exception number one including Outlets  installed in the following locations and supplied   by a single phase Branch circuits rated 150  volts or less to Ground 50 amps or less shall be   provided with GFCI protection number one garages  that have floors located at or below grade level   number two accessory buildings and number three  boat houses if equipment supplied by an outlet   covered under the requirements of this section is  replaced the outlet shall be supplied with GFCI   protection exception number one GFCI protection  shall not be required on lighting Outlets other   than those covered in 210.8c for the crawl spaces  and then exception number two GFCI protection   shall not be required for listed HVAC equipment  this exception shall expire September 1st of 2026   so now we're gonna have to put air conditioners  on GFCI protection in 2026 get ready for that   so thank you guys so much for your attention  love you crazy people I'll see in the next one

Channel: Electrician U

Views: 99,093

Keywords: electrician, electrical, electricity, dustin stelzer, electrician vlog, construction, commercial, residential, electrical vlog, electrical courses, electrician courses, electrical class, electrician class, electrician school, where do i need gfci outlets, what is a gfci outlet, what is gfci protection, gfci protection, do i need gfci, 2023 nec code changes, national election 2023, 2023 national electrical code changes, 2023 nec, 2023 nec code book, customers questions, the uplift

Id: 56Oc6cbYuxU

Length: 14min 57sec (897 seconds)

Published: Mon Dec 05 2022