On Fri, 15 May 2020 01:28:17 -0400, wrote:

On Thu, 14 May 2020 20:23:05 -0400, Clare Snyder
wrote:

On Thu, 14 May 2020 18:10:33 -0400, wrote:

On Thu, 14 May 2020 06:09:40 -0700 (PDT), trader_4
wrote:

On Thursday, May 14, 2020 at 2:04:38 AM UTC-4, Deguza wrote:
I have an older home.

I would like to replace some of the two-hole receptacles with three-hole ones.

A friend told me to use GFCI, or better a GFCI receptacle.

(I also see a GFNT1 type. I have no idea what that is...)

What do you think?

Thanks!

Deguza

Depends what you're most worried about and where the receptacle is located.
A GFCI protects against ground faults, which is important since with a two
prong receptacle you have no ground. If there was a short from the hot
wire to the metal case of a toaster or similar, the metal case would become
energized and if you touched it while standing on a wet floor or touching
a grounded appliance or water pipe, you could get shocked. With a GFCI,
it will cut off the power when it detects a fault current of just a few
miliamps, way below a harmful level. A GFCI receptacle will also protect
downstream receptacles that are daisy chained to it, if wired in correcly.

AFCI is to detect and trip on arc faults, an example would be an appliance
cord under a rug that's worn or wires some rodent has chewed, etc.
An AFCI is most useful if it's in the panel, since it would then protect
the whole wiring run on that circuit. At a receptacle, it will only
protect what's plugged in.

For sure if it's a wet location, basement, possibly used for extension
cords run outside, kitchen, bath, etc, I would go with GFCI. I'd go
with that for any location, unless there is reason to believe AFCI would
be more important. For the worry warts, I guess there are ones that will
do both GFCI and AFCI.

The GFNT1 thing, I didn't know about those. Looks like that's the newest
GFCI that now includes automatic, periodic self-test, while the previous
ones had a test button. So, I'd go with those for GFCI, unless they cost
significantly more.



AFCIs also incorporate ground fault protection but at the "equipment
protection" level of 30ma instead of the "Personnel" level 5ma like a
GFCI.
30ma is getting up into the danger level. You are getting into the
"freeze" range where you might not be able to let go.
Code allows a GFCI "outlet" labelled "no equipment ground". It does
NOT allow an GFCI breaker as far as I know - and definitely NOT an
AFCI - when running with no "third wire" ground. Also - from memory,
NO downstream protected outlets from that "no equipment ground" GFCI
outlet.

Maybe in Canada but not the US. As long as the circuit is GFCI
protected and you use the labels, you can replace all receptacles on
that circuit with grounding type receptacles.

406.4(D)(2)(c) A non–grounding-type receptacle(s) shall be permitted
to be replaced with a grounding-type receptacle(s) where
supplied through a ground-fault circuit interrupter. Where
grounding-type receptacles are supplied through the ground fault
circuit interrupter, grounding-type receptacles or their
cover plates shall be marked “GFCI Protected” and “No Equipment
Ground,” visible after installation. An equipment grounding
conductor shall not be connected between the grounding type
receptacles.
OK. So you can use a gfci breaker on a 2 wire non groundedcircuit. I
stand corrected (and it MAY be a difference in code between Canada and
the USA. Can you find where you can use the GFCI device to protect
downstream devices as well? I MAY be wrong there too - I was going
from memory as I said.

AFCI still verbotten - right???