Wire a Bathroom GFCI
The National Electrical Code calls for ground fault circuit interrupt, or GFCI, breakers to be used in bathrooms and kitchens due to the higher levels of moisture and liquid within these rooms. GFCI breakers survey an electrical circuit for a ground fault, more commonly known as a "short," which accompanies the process of electrocution. The shuts off the circuit in an attempt to prevent this process as quickly as possible, thus increasing the safety of electrical use in these rooms.
Instructions
1. Open the main electrical breaker box within the home and turn off the main power switch. This turns off power to the entire home. The main breaker switch is easily identified because it is the largest and often topmost switch within a breaker box.
2. Locate a suitable vacant breaker housing and insert the breaker. These breakers are keyed to allow for insertion in only one orientation. Most commonly, the mounting screw located at one end of the breaker faces away from the center of the breaker box.
3. Wrap the exposed portion of the black circuit wire that connects to the bathroom around the small mounting screw at the end of the GFCI breaker.
4. Tighten the the mounting screw so the wire is held firmly in place.
5. Locate the white "pigtail" wire, colloquially named due to its spiral shape.
6. Locate a vacant mounting screw on the breaker box busbar. The busbar is a thin strip of metal located along either side of the breaker box with several mounting screws attached.
7. Secure the exposed portion of the pigtail wire around a vacant mounting screw, and tighten the wire in place.
8. Turn the GFCI into the "On" position.
9. Turn the "Main" back into the "On" position.
10. Close the breaker box.
Tags: , breaker switch, GFCI breaker, exposed portion, GFCI breakers