GFCI receptacle upgrade with red wire
#1
02-09-15, 07:01 AM
GFCI receptacle upgrade with red wire
Hi everyone,
I hope someone here will be able to help me.
I am selling my condo and I need to have my kitchen up to code on GCFI, I was able to upgrade 3 out of 4 outlet pretty easily but the last one is giving me a hard time.
As far as I know there are 2 different circuits in the box, on the left feed in the box, I have a Black and White and the right I have Black, White and Red. Plus the ground.
I was able to have 1 circuit working on GFCI but not the 2 at the same time.
The Red was originally pig tailed in the box.
You can see the pictures, the outlet is the old one.
Hope someone can advise me on what goes where to be GCFI and have both circuits ok.
Thanks in advance
Niko
I hope someone here will be able to help me.
I am selling my condo and I need to have my kitchen up to code on GCFI, I was able to upgrade 3 out of 4 outlet pretty easily but the last one is giving me a hard time.
As far as I know there are 2 different circuits in the box, on the left feed in the box, I have a Black and White and the right I have Black, White and Red. Plus the ground.
I was able to have 1 circuit working on GFCI but not the 2 at the same time.
The Red was originally pig tailed in the box.
You can see the pictures, the outlet is the old one.
Hope someone can advise me on what goes where to be GCFI and have both circuits ok.
Thanks in advance
Niko
#2
02-09-15, 07:13 AM
Do you know the red wire is another circuit leg? Does it measure 240V between red and black? I'll assume it does since that is fairly common in older kitchens.
A GFCI receptacle is only compatible with a single circuit. That leaves a couple options -- abandon the other leg of the circuit (might be against code); replace the double-pole standard breaker with a double-pole GFCI breaker; or cut this box out, replace it with a 2 gang box and install two GFCI receptacles instead of one. It looks like you might have a 1900 box in there which wouldn't even require removing the box, just breaking out a little plaster around it to put on a different mud ring. The breaker replacement is probably the easiest but likely most expensive.
A GFCI receptacle is only compatible with a single circuit. That leaves a couple options -- abandon the other leg of the circuit (might be against code); replace the double-pole standard breaker with a double-pole GFCI breaker; or cut this box out, replace it with a 2 gang box and install two GFCI receptacles instead of one. It looks like you might have a 1900 box in there which wouldn't even require removing the box, just breaking out a little plaster around it to put on a different mud ring. The breaker replacement is probably the easiest but likely most expensive.
#3
02-09-15, 07:35 AM
Forum Topic Moderator
The other option is to see which box is fed by the red wire downstream and install another gfi there so that both the black and red circuits are protected.
PS, the box should have a box extender installed. Something like a BE-1 would work.
PS, the box should have a box extender installed. Something like a BE-1 would work.
#4
02-09-15, 08:03 AM
yes, Red is another leg. If I don t use it, my other counter top outlets are not working.
I have to check on the right side if it s a 1900 box but I don't think so.
If I go with another GFCI receptacles, I use the 2 B&W on the 1st one and the Red and a split of one white on the second ?
This is were I am confused, it looks like to me that I am missing a wire.
I have to check on the right side if it s a 1900 box but I don't think so.
If I go with another GFCI receptacles, I use the 2 B&W on the 1st one and the Red and a split of one white on the second ?
This is were I am confused, it looks like to me that I am missing a wire.
#5
02-09-15, 08:34 AM
Group Moderator
Now I'm a little confused.
You have a two wire cable and a three wire cable.
Does power come in on the three wire cable or two wire cable ?
You have a two wire cable and a three wire cable.
Does power come in on the three wire cable or two wire cable ?
#6
02-09-15, 09:17 AM
both,
originally and I should have take a picture, the red was tighten up (pig tail) in the back of the box with I believe a black wire but not 100% sure. now if I do that it blows my condo breaker. I guess the 220v doesn t hold even if it did in the past.
originally and I should have take a picture, the red was tighten up (pig tail) in the back of the box with I believe a black wire but not 100% sure. now if I do that it blows my condo breaker. I guess the 220v doesn t hold even if it did in the past.
#7
02-09-15, 09:26 AM
Group Moderator
It's very possible a red and black were connected together in the back of the box. We need to know that power does enter that box on the three wire cable. There's no guessing here.
#8
02-09-15, 09:31 AM
Forum Topic Moderator
The red will splice to a black to feed the other receptacle circuit. The black in the cable with the red will feed the first circuit. The white will splice along with a pigtail to the gfi.
The above assumes the power is in the three wire cable.
The above assumes the power is in the three wire cable.
