GFI's or not

[Guest Don Gillespie]

The question is easy GFI's yes or GFI's no lets see what the members are doing

There is no right or wrong answer lets just see what everyone is doing with their displays.

[testraub]

Definitely GFCI's on ALL 15 of my outdoor receptacles. Electrician here. Will be adding MORE next year

[MrLights]

Yes definitely GFCI protected, I am a self-employed contractor. I have been on jobs that the temporary power pole did not have a GFI and have been shocked when it rains.

[-klb-]

I'd vote 3 times if I could..

Yes, on the house
Yes, on the dedicated 400A service in the city park
Yes, on the 100A sub panel on the back of the firehouse

[George Simmons]

Only fools and the lemmings that follow them would combine electric and water without GFCI's and think that's a good idea... wait - if it eliminates those idiots from the gene pool then maybe it IS a good idea after all...

[garyfunk]

Will the people that voted No, please step forward and tell us why?

[Guest Don Gillespie]

I am glad everyone is only voting once the purpose of this post is to see what everyone is doing I am not out to belittle anyone if they do not use GFI's that is their option I am not out to change anyones mind but if new members join this forum the least we can do is educate them Dan pulled the last thread off the forum when it kind of got out of controll lets see where the voting takes us and let the new members decide for themselves on what they should use.

[jerryb721]

I'm one of those fools George is speaking of, I don't consider myself a lemming so a fool is all that is left. Oh wait he did mention idiot as well. document.write('');
Well if the shoe fits, it is size 13 isn't it?

Didn't have GFI back in the day and my lights always ran, so I don't now either.
Although after 6 days of heavy rain here in SoCal and hearing others who had their GFI tripping and not being able to run their shows, I'm thinking about installing them.

Not a good excuse but we seldom have rain here so I've not really thought much of it because most of my plugs are on the house and off the ground and the lights near the ground I have the plugs elevated.

[-klb-]

One of the things I am putting in our city budget request is some funds to cover testing and replacing some number of GFCI outlets.

I want to locate one of those plug in go/no go testers. The ones that have a nuisance, but acceptable leak to ground when plugged in by themselves, which should not trip the GFCI, and a test button that in combination with the nuisance load should always trip the GFCI.

Based on those results, replace GFCIs as needed, (for either failure mode) and upgrade from plastic to metal in use weather covers on quite a few. If any money is left, I have some other upgrades to how we do the seasonal panels that I want to do.

[garyfunk]

I didn't use to run GFIs but I do now. When I remodeled the garage, I installed a 50 Amp circuit box and GFI breakers. Add that I have 4 kids from 2 years old to 9 years old and I want them to be safe, I felt it was necessary.

When I finish the basement, I will be putting in a 100 amp box and using arc-fault breakers.

[gmacw]

With eight controllers running this year, this is the first year out of four that I'm using GFI's. I've never had a problem before but know that they are needed. I do have one controller doing two arches that trips quite a bit, I've isolated it to one arch that now isn't using a GFI & works fine. too much snow on ground to trace it out....

[TitusCarnathan]

gfci's may be a pain in the but

but when you are getting fried by a extension cord are a light set because there is nonething to cut the power when you have a hot to earth ground going through you you would be thankful to have one

plus it is required going by the NEC

[Rick Hughes]

Why risk it? I put so much time, thought and money into my display I can certainly invest a few bucks for the GFCIs to protect myself, others, my display and my peace of mind.

[pdowns]

T110431 wrote:

when you are getting fried by a extension cord are a light set because there is nonething to cut the power when you have a hot to earth ground going through you you would be thankful to have one

plus it is required going by the NEC

The NEC itself is not law, but most states make complying with it state law. And there's a good reason. I actually had a friend die from a 110 volt shock in his kitchen. (it's a water thing)

Jerry stated that his plugs are on the house and that keeps them out of water. For me, that's also true. But there's still a lot of wire laying on the ground, including plugs between strings. And don't forget, a frayed cord can easily get into water.

GFCI is mighty cheap insurance!

Respectfully, I disagree with Don. There is a wrong answer.

[redsea300]

I am a General Contractor and dabble in electrical. I have also taken numerous code classes. The 2008 NEC has a complete section devoted to GFCI's 210.8. Section 210.8 (A). All (1) Bathrooms, (2) Garages (3) OUTDOORS, (4) Crawl Spaces, (5) Unfinished basements, (6) Kitchens where receptacles are installed to serve countertop surfaces, (7) Laundry,utility and wet bars, (8) Boat House are to be GFCI.
In my opinion it is cheap insurance to keep everybody safe. I would hate to see a spectator electrocuted due to not putting in a 8 dollar GFI plug. I have 35 GFI's running my display and never have had a problem with any of them.Sorry for preaching. Just trying to educate those who need it.

[garyfunk]

NEC, the National Electric Code, is published every year with major and minor changes each year. As far as I know, every U.S State, County and City has adopted some version of this code.

The county I live in, I believe, is still on the 2008 code. Some are back as far as 2005. I'm doing what I can to keep up with what keeps my insurance rates as low as I can. I have already gotten a reduction because of the work in did in the garage. When I finish the basement, my overall rate will be even lower per square foot.

[Guest guest]

garyfunk wrote:

Will the people that voted No, please step forward and tell us why?

especially those who were vocal about not using them on the last thread.

there may be a lot of misunderstanding about what they do and do not do, and what is and isn't protected, but set that aside. What I would like to understand is, for those who do not use them, the reason they are not needed. If the response is "i agree with the need, just don't want to spend the time/money to implement them", thats fine too..just say so.

[jajohnson]

AMEN

very foolish to omit GFCI from all outdoor circuits

[garyfunk]

Yes. What Jeff said.

[testraub]

Ahhhh What does Jeff know? Just kidding of course I'm a firm believer in the NEC and GFCI's. The State of VA would yank my license in a heartbeat if I didn't install a GFCI in an outdoor location....UNLESS it was for heat tape and installed in the eve (see exceptions). But since all of mine are not in the eve's or for heat tape it kinda makes it a moot point.