GFCI / Insulation / Cost Savings

[Orville]

Ever since I started capping off my female pass throughs, female receptacles on the end of light strands and any open female recptacles on any extension cords with those plastic/nylon Child Safe outlet covers, my GFCI issues all went away. during rainstorms, our sprinklers coming on {overnight fades between everything} or neighbors sprinklers {at the time} would come on, and then sometimes wind would spray the water over onto display elements and trip my GFCI by water getting into the female pass through or ends.

And after using those little outlet covers, I have never had my GFCI trip in the rain or from any sprinklers/light mists again. Before I started using them, I was constantly tripping my GFCI every time it rained or just got a little wet from overspray.

And these covers just plug in to the recpetacle like a regular male plug does, they are made out of nylon/plastic, have male prongs, that, again, directly plug into a female receptacle and make them virtually waterproof. I never had any moisture inside any of my female receptacles so covered with them.

Picked them up at Wal-Mart, bag of 30 covers was around $3-$4, they are white, but I painted mine all flat black. Painting them black actually helped make them seal even tighter too!

Here's a photo {see below} of what they look like and how they are used. And it's been pouring rain today on the 5 duplex {10 outlets} outside today and you can see{hopefully} the rainwater on them. The GFCI is to the left of the outlets, they are plugged into the GFCI. I am almost all LED, so I don't have to have a lot of different circuits for my controllers and display. I can take the hose and soak out these outlets and the GFCI or inside breaker won't trip. These little covers have been worth their weight in gold as far as I'm concerned!

Sorry it's so small, but had to merge several photo's and then shrink them down, as this was the only way I could post it within the limits of the forum and in this post.

Edited September 14, 2012 by Orville

[Orville]

I guess I do a prop or set of props at a time but becuse I do a beat or voice or a rythem which use a prop or set of props or a section like roof, tree etc. So when I say I go through and do the backgound that uses one thing or a group so I do the smae just described it differently.

Orville, never thought to use the child safe outlets. Interesting. (Side note - did you know if you put those in your unused outlets in your house you will save on your electric bill? I know it sounds strange but we did it and it works) Now back, I never had a GFI trip because of the female plug ends. I had them trip because of $30 extention cords. the ones that have plugs every 3-4 feet. It was a 10 gauge heave duty cord. I eneded up putting plastic bags around the outlets and plugs. I always point my female ends down. Will keep this in mind if I have probs. I keep the plugs on hand all the time anyway.

Unused Outlets? What are those?

Seriously though, do you know why that covering the outlets saves on your electric bill?

It is because you did cover your unused outlets with these covers. A lot of people don't even think about this, that the outlets usually allow drafts/heat/cold from outside into the house, they also allow A/C or Heat to escape. A lot of folks don't realize that the outlet is the same as a very small opening to the outside {those electrical wires behind it have to come from somewhere!}, so by covering it and the ground plug hole, which these covers do nicely, it doesn't allow air/cold/heat in or out. But also make sure you have the outlet plate screwed down tight and no gaps around the cover plate {just not so tight you crack or break it!}. So, yes, that's why it helps reduce your electric bill.

Edited September 14, 2012 by Orville

[Guest wbottomley]

Orville, never thought to use the child safe outlets. Interesting. (Side note - did you know if you put those in your unused outlets in your house you will save on your electric bill? I know it sounds strange but we did it and it works)

Since you're drinking Kool-Aid... I have some ocean front property for sale in Arizona. Would you be interested in it? All of that money you're saving, you could buy hundreds of acres of land.

Edited September 14, 2012 by wbottomley

[Guest wbottomley]

Very good. I guess people in Florida know how to do things to save electricity. I know it is not much but every little bit helps.

Keep the comedy coming.

[shfr26]

Unused Outlets? What are those?

Seriously though, do you know why that covering the outlets saves on your electric bill?

It is because you did cover your unused outlets with these covers. A lot of people don't even think about this, that the outlets usually allow drafts/heat/cold from outside into the house, they also allow A/C or Heat to escape. A lot of folks don't realize that the outlet is the same as a very small opening to the outside {those electrical wires behind it have to come from somewhere!}, so by covering it and the ground plug hole, which these covers do nicely, it doesn't allow air/cold/heat in or out. But also make sure you have the outlet plate screwed down tight and no gaps around the cover plate {just not so tight you crack or break it!}. So, yes, that's why it helps reduce your electric bill.

How much do you figure one would save doing this?

Edited September 14, 2012 by shfr26

[TJ Hvasta]

Hey, everybody knows putting child saftey caps in the unused outlets keeps the electricity from spilling onto the floor.. where do you think static electricity comes from when you touch a doorknob?? sheesh, I thot everybody knew that one

Edited September 15, 2012 by TJ Hvasta

[Orville]

Keep the comedy coming.

Laugh all you want, but it really does work. In my case we own a manufactured home, it sits ABOVE ground and the electrical wiring comes in through the flooring areas into the walls, you CAN feel the hot air coming in from outside and when I was doing some work, could feel the A/C coming out from the inside where the electrical wiring goes to the outlets.

And after installing the child protective outlet covers in the unused outlets, our power bill did decrease, no it wasn't substantial, but it did decreae by an additional $45/month since they've been in place!

So it may not work in a standard home, I can't say, but it does work in a manufactured home.

[shfr26]

Laugh all you want, but it really does work. In my case we own a manufactured home, it sits ABOVE ground and the electrical wiring comes in through the flooring areas into the walls, you CAN feel the hot air coming in from outside and when I was doing some work, could feel the A/C coming out from the inside where the electrical wiring goes to the outlets.

And after installing the child protective outlet covers in the unused outlets, our power bill did decrease, no it wasn't substantial, but it did decreae by an additional $45/month since they've been in place!

So it may not work in a standard home, I can't say, but it does work in a manufactured home.

That would equal about 2 controllers a year right???

[TJ Hvasta]

Maybe I'm missing something, or the sarcasm font isnt showing.. If you are doing foam outlet covers to prevent heat loss/cold intrusion, fine, that's called insulation. but if you're saying you're putting child outlet plugs to keep electricity from coming out.. then you're not quite as smart as people thought.

Edited September 16, 2012 by TJ Hvasta

[Baron1414]

For my two cents worth, I use both foam behind receptacle plates and child proof caps and it does save A/C and heat and found it works in the south,west,north or east. Also, I use the caps at the end of all open cords, lights etc and have not had had any issues with popped GFI's for years now.

[Orville]

Maybe I'm missing something, or the sarcasm font isnt showing.. If you are doing foam outlet covers to prevent heat loss/cold intrusion, fine, that's called insulation. but if you're saying you're putting child outlet plugs to keep electricity from coming out.. then you're not quite as smart as people thought.

I'm still trying to figure out where the "the covers keep electricity spilling out to the floor" came from as it was first brought up in your post, post #29. I don't know of anyone that has stated it keeps electricity from spilling out of the outlet, not that I read in this thread, except for your post, again at #29. So I guess I must have missed something somwhere....

Because I know I would not, and did not state anything like that in any of my replies.

So if someone else did bring that up, could you please point us to that post? Thank you.

[tjflory]

I'm still trying to figure out where the "the covers keep electricity spilling out to the floor" came from as it was first brought up in your post, post #29. I don't know of anyone that has stated it keeps electricity from spilling out of the outlet, not that I read in this thread, except for your post, again at #29. So I guess I must have missed something somwhere....

Because I know I would not, and did not state anything like that in any of my replies.

So if someone else did bring that up, could you please point us to that post? Thank you.

Uh... Hello? ...He's a Pirate!

tj (the other one)

[Max-Paul]

It was never said that it keeps electrons from spilling out on the floor Orville. But then too you did not say anything about air flowing in and out by you either. And so as they told me a long time ago. When speaking in front of a group (this goes for the typed word too). You must pose your words to relate to the audience. So, myself included was having a chuckle thinking that you where saving money on your electric bill cause you blocked the leaky outlet with one of those child safety caps. So, cause you did not explain, and a few of use have a funny bone. The implied fix was you sealed the leaky outlet and no more electrons are escaping the outlet.

This is part of the reason that some new people are calling a cable with multi conductors, 4 core or 6 core. Core might be an over seas name for conductors. Like England likes to call a vacuum tube a valve. But here in the states, if you started to tell me that you need a new valve, then I would think you had a faucet leaking in your bathroom or kitchen.

[LOR Staff]

I have to agree with everyone else here. I really was shaking my head until I got to the point where you said it stops hot air intrusion.

That would be absolutely 100% correct - and even more so if you have a mfg house that sits up off a slab. All that hot air is going to try to come in through any crack, and if that crack is around a wire/conduit you will get it through the outlets. Sealing cracks is one of the best return on investment when it comes to decreasing cooling/heating needs. For a couple of bucks (in outlet covers, calk, or what have you), you can save a good percentage.

Sure, my new super-high-efficiency heat pump I installed this year is saving me $20-$30/mo, but it also cost me $6K! Even if I only save $.50 a mo because of calk, that calk only cost me $2 and is a MUCH better return.

[Dad02]

Sorry, I had too much time on my hands and read past the second post. Sounds like a good idea for the ghost busters, bug busters, dust busters, gang busters, fili busters, or is it myth busters.

[Orville]

It was never said that it keeps electrons from spilling out on the floor Orville. But then too you did not say anything about air flowing in and out by you either. And so as they told me a long time ago. When speaking in front of a group (this goes for the typed word too). You must pose your words to relate to the audience. So, myself included was having a chuckle thinking that you where saving money on your electric bill cause you blocked the leaky outlet with one of those child safety caps. So, cause you did not explain, and a few of use have a funny bone. The implied fix was you sealed the leaky outlet and no more electrons are escaping the outlet.

This is part of the reason that some new people are calling a cable with multi conductors, 4 core or 6 core. Core might be an over seas name for conductors. Like England likes to call a vacuum tube a valve. But here in the states, if you started to tell me that you need a new valve, then I would think you had a faucet leaking in your bathroom or kitchen.

Excuse me, but that is EXACTLY what I did when I answered this from Funtobewith11's comment in post #2 and I quote::

Funtobewith11

Orville, never thought to use the child safe outlets. Interesting. (Side note - did you know if you put those in your unused outlets in your house you will save on your electric bill?

My reply from post #3:

Orville

It is because you did cover your unused outlets with these covers. A lot of people don't even think about this, that the outlets usually allow drafts/heat/cold from outside into the house, they also allow A/C or Heat to escape. A lot of folks don't realize that the outlet is the same as a very small opening to the outside {those electrical wires behind it have to come from somewhere!}, so by covering it and the ground plug hole, which these covers do nicely, it doesn't allow air/cold/heat in or out. But also make sure you have the outlet plate screwed down tight and no gaps around the cover plate {just not so tight you crack or break it!}. So, yes, that's why it helps reduce your electric bill.

NOWHERE did I ever imply that the electrons spill out or that the electricity escaped out of the outlet and that these would prevent that.

Just another case in point that folks ARE NOT READING the full replies or they would know better to say someone said something they never stated or implied anywhere in the thread.

TJ is the first one that made that statement, I never had a thing to do with it.

Edited September 17, 2012 by Orville

[Surfing4Dough]

Orville, I am not sure why you keep putting yourself in the line of fire on this one. You are not the one that brought up such use of safety outlet covers to "save on your electric bill" in the first place (you brought them up for other uses), so not sure why you think the joking is aimed at you anyway.

Orville, never thought to use the child safe outlets. Interesting. (Side note - did you know if you put those in your unused outlets in your house you will save on your electric bill? I know it sounds strange but we did it and it works)

And to be fair, I am not 100% certain that Funtobewith11 fully knows why he is saving money using these, nor has he clarified as the conversation has carried on. Based on the comment "I know it sounds strange but we did it and it works" makes me wonder if he wondered if electricity was somehow "spilling". Insulating doesn't sound that "strange" whereas leaking outlets does sound strange. Maybe after your follow-up post, he had a "duh" moment and then fully realized why he was seeing the electrical savings (though i have a hard time believing it contributed to much more than a buck out of the $50 he somehow conserved other ways--majority of air leakage doesn't happen through the outlet, but rather around the outlet, hence foam insulator covers). Just my speculation though...

[TJ Hvasta]

Hey, everybody knows putting child saftey caps in the unused outlets keeps the electricity from spilling onto the floor.. where do you think static electricity comes from when you touch a doorknob?? sheesh, I thot everybody knew that one

My bad, guess I shudda made the smileys 36point, then they would not have been missed.. and I think the font selection window needs "goofy sarcasim" as a choice..

Max & S4D said it.. there are so many new members on here, unless you spell things out exactly, they will not understand or get the reason or importance of why we do things. Orv, no insult intented at you (or anyone really) as to why "the caps save on electric bill".. however. the outlets have sealed backs (other than having holes for wire insertion), foam backing of the plates, not the outlets themselves, is what would block heat/cold loss. And if its done on outlets on interior walls, then that'd just be money wasted.. would it naught??

Did you know that even tho the tv is switched off, it's still running? Consuming an average of 36watts a month? Cell phone chargers plugged into a wall.. there's no cell phone attached, yet its a drain as the transformer inside is always on.. Think of those things and tell noobs that!

oh bugger.. cant make smileys bigger

Edited September 17, 2012 by TJ Hvasta

[Ken Benedict]

Visiting the original question, I use a shot of WD-40 in each receptacle then cover it with "gaffer tape", the kind used in theatre.

Nary a problem in several years of rain.

Gaffer tape: http://www.ebay.com/...=item2eb75d72db

(also keeps the electrons from spilling onto the lawn and making such a mess) (insert large sarcastic smiley face here)