Incorporation of certain electrical safety devices such as circuit breakers, electrical fuses, GFCI receptacles etc. is vital as far as the safety schema of your home is concerned.
Certain spaces of your home such as kitchens, lawns and bathrooms are susceptible to electrical shocks as the electrical outlets/sockets in these areas are bound to come in direct contact with water. To ensure safety in these particular spaces, devices known as GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters) deserve a mandatory installation.
The GFCI outlets (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters) are placed on the wall just like the normal electrical outlets. But unlike the typical outlets, they cut off the electricity as soon as an imbalance is noticed between the active wire and the neutral wire.
A GFCI receptacle keeps a track of the current flowing from the hot wire to the neutral wire. If however water comes in contact with the outlet then the current flows through the water as well. Consequently it causes an imbalance in the amount of current flowing between the hot and the neutral wires. This is determined spontaneously by the receptacle and it breaks down the circuit immediately preventing any potential electrical shock.
To make sure that the GFCI outlet is working properly, press the 'test' button on the outlet. If the action trips the outlet and breaks the circuit then normal operation of the GFCI is confirmed. Press the 'restore' button to precondition the outlet. If however pressing the 'test' button results in tripping of the receptacle but power is still received then the complication could be with the wiring of the outlet. Get the mis-wiring fixed immediately by a professional electrician.
The GFCI is often attached to a common circuit with the other electrical devices, breaker box and the fuses wired to it. Once the GFCI outlet trips, it affects the operation of the other subsequent devices lying after the outlet in the circuit. However no obstruction is experienced by the devices that are installed prior to the GFCI in the circuit.
If a problem with the 'test' or 'reset' button is encountered then it is better to get it replaced as any laid back attitude could prove costly to the safety of your home. A problem with the 'reset' button however most commonly points to a low-power reception by the GFCI.
If however the working and the benefits of the GFCI outlets still leave you with some doubts then an opinion from an expert can be availed.
Author Resource:
Scott Rodgers is an author with vast experience in electricians work all over the country. His amazing knowledge has created business opportunities for a lot many Haiku Electricians (Need one? click here !) and Kula Electricians (Need one? click here !).
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