On Sun, 14 Mar 2010 13:26:04 -0400, wrote:

On Sun, 14 Mar 2010 08:50:02 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

On Mar 14, 11:33*am, "The Henchman" wrote:
We have a 1969 Fuse box, using 12 gauge copper wire, 100 amp service.

Long story short We were told by our home insurance and home inspection
people that in Ontario (Canada), there are no concerns with inspected copper
wired fuse boxes until they reach 50 years. *So we are not rushing to
replace this box. *However I wanted to install GFI receptacles for outside,
kitchen, and two bathrooms. *There are none in place now. *We also have a

I don't know how this helps you, but those are the exact places I have
that are on a single GFI circuit breaker (because of the water, of
course). It was planned this way, so I believe they are the only
things on that breaker.

In your case the bathrooms I suppose might be on the same fuse as the
room next to them. You can make a pretty good map/list/diagram if you
try.

gf's suggestion of a separate breaker box next to the fuse box would
work well for these too if the four receptacles you want to protect
are either on the same circuit, or on different circuits that don't
total more than a GFI breaker is designed to protect. I learned here
that you don't want a GFI breaker for a refrigerator or freezer
circuit, because it it trips you may ruin all that food. So if the
kitchen receptacle is on the same circuit as the fridge, that wouldn't
work.

I've only had the outside outlet trip, and I never could figure out
why. The house was only 5 years old when this started. Eventually I
just replaced the breaker and that solved the problem. The new
breaker has worked for 25 years. I'm sure receptacles last a long
time too, and they are cheaper than breakers but you need more than
one, as many as four. OTOH, it's a one-time expense on a safety
issue.

More below.

240 volt outside outlet to run a pool motor.

Can GFI work on fuse boxes/panels?

Yes, but they obviously can't be the type that combine a circuit
breaker and GFCI into one in the panel. The seperate type, eg a GFCI
outlet, which can also protect any other loads downstream, is fine.


*if so, does that GFI outlet, when
tripped, mean replacing the fuse? *

No, just the GFCI needs to be reset.

Do all the GFI's have to be on the same
circuit?

No, you can have as many independent ones as you need.


Anyone have any advice on this matter?

The only thing I haven't seen is a 240V outlet that includes GFCI
protection, but seem like they should exist.

There are basically 2 ways to accomplish this. Both involve a breaker
in a separate box. You could mount a box next to your current fuse
panel with the GFCI in it or , better, just put a disconnect box next
to the pool pump with a GFCI breaker in it.

I know of no 240v GFCI receptacle combinations like the ones you have
for 15 and 20a 120v circuits.

Trader is right that this is the preferred method of providing GFCI
protection on 120v circuits. Not only does it get the GFCI device
close to the load (easier to find and reset if it trips) it is also
cheaper than a breaker. This is a fairly easy retrofit too since all
you have to do is replace the first receptacle in the circuit you want
to protect and feed the down stream receptacles from the LOAD
terminals of the GFCI device.

People always say this, but it assumes either the person knows which
the first receptacle in the circuit is, or that he can figure it out
without TOO much effort and won't get confused doing so.

I have no idea which is the first receptacle anywhere on my second
floor, or on the first floor above the finished ceiling half of the
basement, or in the finished part of the basement. Or anywhere else
for that matter but where I can see the wiring I could figure it out.

To figure it out, aiui, I would have to guess which one, take off the
cover remove the receptacle, remove two of the likely 4 wires, and
then check which other receptacles are now dead. If I found one that
wasn't dead in the same room, I would have to do to that one what I
just did to the other one. If the same circuit fed more than one
room, or might, or a room was split into more than one circuit, it
would be even either more tedious or more complicated.