GFCI: How They Work and Why They Are Important for Safety
Creating a safe environment for you and your family should always be a top priority. A home’s electrical system has the potential for danger, so you must utilize the proper electrical safety measures. One of these electrical safety measures you should install in your home is a GFCI or ground-fault circuit interrupter; these are available as a receptacle outlet or a circuit breaker. While this is a small feature, its impact on the safety of your home’s electrical system is significant.
This article will explain how a GFCI works, what makes them important for safety, and what to do if your GFCI stops working.
What Makes Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter So Important?
Before explaining how a GFCI works, it’s crucial to explain what happens if it is missing from a home’s electrical system. As the name implies, a GFCI will interrupt a ground fault and stops the electricity from making its cycle back to the neutral conductor.
A ground fault is an unintentional connection between an electrical conductor and a noncurrent-carrying electrical conductor (neutral wire, equipment ground) or conductive material. When a ground fault occurs, the electricity always tries to find a path back to the source. Contrary to popular belief, this is a myth. Electricity takes all paths available. If you place an item like your finger or a metal object in an outlet, the electricity will transfer into the object–even if it’s not designed for it.
Since a child can stick their finger in an outlet or throw water into it, a GFCI will save them from a shock. These outlets are mandatory in locations like the bathrooms, outdoors, kitchen countertops, sinks, laundry areas, garages, basements, indoor damp & wet locations, and crawl spaces.
How Do GFCI’s Work?
A ground-fault interrupter works by sensing the amount of electricity flowing into and returning from a piece of equipment. If there is a sudden difference in the electricity flow that exceeds five milliamperes, the GFCI cuts off the power.
The GFCI is extremely fast-acting, cutting off the flow of electricity in as little as 1/40th of a second. This time is fast enough to prevent someone from feeling a shock in the event of a ground fault.
You can tell that a GFCI outlet has activated when the button on the outlet pops out from its standard position. There is also a test feature on the outlet that allows you to verify the system works.
What Happens If Your GFCI Stops Working?
Unfortunately, a GFCI will eventually stop working. You can notice if a GFCI is developing problems if the GFCI keeps tripping or the GFCI outlet is not working. If the system stops working, you need the help of a professional electrician.
While replacing the GFCI outlet is a simple fix, it sometimes is not the root of an electrical outlet not working. An electrician can diagnose the problem if an electrical outlet is not working and help to restore the safety of your home’s system.
Conclusion
A ground fault interrupter is a vital piece of every home’s electrical system that keeps you safe. If you want to ensure that a GFCI will work when you need it most, it’s best to get it installed and tested by a qualified electrician.