Gfci - Breaker Or Outlet?

Originally Posted by Celtic

You should become intimately familiar with 406.3(D) before making any decisions.

Originally Posted by bob_cntrctr

Gentlemen,

I'm dealing with an older place. Ungrounded outlets everywhere, including near sinks. Looking to do a little upgrade to at least gfci protection on outlets near kitchen and bathroom sinks.

I know I can go to gfci outlets IF I label them "No Ground", or I can go to gfci breakers in I label them "No ground" and "gfci protected" - but what are the pros and cons of each?

Breakers - expensive. What else?

Thanks.

Originally Posted by Bubbles

Whichever you chose. This may help.

I particularly like the perfectly labeled panel and the 1" of bare conductor he leaves on when rewires the recep. It's always a good idea to run all your current through a 0.32 rec. as well

good luck

Originally Posted by bob_cntrctr

OK, thought of one - if there's any knob and tube - ya, it's that old - the unbalanced load on the common return if there's more than one outlet on a circuit and both are used will trip the breaker every time.

Originally Posted by bob_cntrctr

But 406.3(D) only requires that the new outlets be gfci protected. I don't believe it specifies that it must be gfci outlets, only that the receptacles be gfci protected an properly labelled, leaving open the possibility that they could be protected by gfci breakers instead.

Originally Posted by 2008 NEC

406.3(D)(3) Non–Grounding-Type Receptacles.
Where attachment to an equipment grounding conductor does not exist in the receptacle enclosure, the installation shall comply with (D)(3)(a), (D)(3)(b), or (D)(3)(c).

(a) A non–grounding-type receptacle(s) shall be permitted to be replaced with another non–grounding-type receptacle(s).

(b) A non–grounding-type receptacle(s) shall be permitted to be replaced with a ground-fault circuit interrupter type of receptacle(s). These receptacles shall be marked “No Equipment Ground.” An equipment grounding conductor shall not be connected from the ground-fault circuit interrupter-type receptacle to any outlet supplied from the ground-fault circuit-interrupter receptacle.

(c) A non–grounding-type receptacle(s) shall be permitted to be replaced with a grounding-type receptacle(s) where supplied through a ground-fault circuit interrupter. Grounding-type receptacles supplied through the ground fault circuit interrupter shall be marked “GFCI Protected” and “No Equipment Ground.” An equipment grounding conductor shall not be connected between the grounding type receptacles.