GFCI Installation

I am planning to install two (2) GFCI swithches - one in each bathroom. The presently installed switches are standard, being able to accommodate two appliances .

The wiring shows the two black wires on the brass screws, the white wires on the silver screws and the copper wire on the green ground.

Do I install the GFCIs in the same manner, with the blacks on the brass, the whites on the silver and the copper on the ground?

I will definitely cut the power source before I begin.

Thank you,

Tony

 

I assume you mean GFCI receptacles.GFCI receptacles have 2 sets of screws 1 set is for line connections {power source},and the other set is for load connections.The load connection isn't always used, this allows the GFCI to protect anything after the GFCI on the same circuit.You must determine which wires are the line wires before proceeding.I have heard that not wiring the new generation of GFCIs properly will destroy it,don't if its true.

 

Actually, the newer GFCI receptacles are pretty cool. Although they cost twice as much as the GFCI receptacles of old, they automatically detect when you have reversed line and load (no, it won't destroy it if you do it wrong).

As ampz says, one black/white pair will attach to the line-hot and line-white screws, and the other black/white pair will attach to the load-hot and load-white screws. This will also protect whatever is downstream from it (whatever that is).

GFCI receptacles usually come with a full sheet of tiny print telling you everything you need to know about installing them. I recommend that you read it all.

By the way, have you tested these receptacles with an $8 receptacle tester to see if they are already GFCI protected. It's possible that you're wasting your time and money.

 

Responding to John's information about the $8 testor, I haven't tried that yet, but when I connected the wires to the new GSFI, there was no power coming through. However, it triggered a GFCI located in the garage which controls switches and other lights.

After resetting the garage GFCI, the lights came back on but still no power in the unit I was attempting to install.

I triggered the new unit but still no power...and a repeat of the no lights, etc. happened again.

Is it possible that the units I am attempting to replace are controlled by the garage GFCI and new units are not necessary?

Thanks
Tony

 

If you tripped a GFCI in the garage while testing, then yes this circuit is on that circuit, and more specifically on the load side of the circuit.

However, if I were you I would rewire in the garage so that the re is nothing on the load side of the GFCI and then install GFCIs in each bathroom.

It is much more convenient to have the GFCI reset located at the oint of use than to have to go back to the panel, or to the garage, or to the basement, or outside to reset a GFCI trip.

make sure that you have connected the incoming wires to the line side of the GFCI and that nothing is on the load side of the GFCI. Also make sure that you get the hot wire to the hot terminal, and the neutral wire to the neutral terminal.