Percival P. Cassidy wrote:
On 11/27/06 01:59 pm Goedjn wrote:

I am planning to put two adjacent outdoor duplex outlets on an Edison
circuit (shared neutral). Obviously they should be GFCI protected,
but I am wondering which is the best way to do this, both from the
NEC point of view and from a convenience point of view.

The three options I see a

1. Two separate GFCI outlets -- the cheapest solution, AFAICS.

2. Two separate GFCI breakers.

3. Ganged GFCI breakers (separate breakers with a handle tie -- if
available for Cutler-Hammer CH)

4. 2-pole GFCI breaker -- probably the most expensive solution.

Have I missed any? Which would be best?


I didn't think you could make a GFCI outlet work
on an edison circut.


Doh! Of course you are correct. What was I thinking!?

OK, scrub #1. What about the others?

Perce

I can't think of any technical reason why a GFCI "outlet" would not work
on a shared neutral circuit.

The detection of a ground fault is done by noting imbalanced currents in
the hot and neutral leads of whatever's plugged into the receptical, and
that takes place entirely withing the receptical. The sensing of a
neutral to ground fault is similarly done within the receptical.

If I'm wrong about that I'd appreciate learning why.

I'd try it and see.... I prefer using GFCI outlets because when they
trip it's pretty certain there IS a true ground fault in whatever is
plugged into them, and not just a little too much condensation inside
some junction box or bathroom exhaust fan.

Jeff

--
Jeffry Wisnia
(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
The speed of light is 1.8*10^12 furlongs per fortnight.