Outdoor Wiring for a GFCI Outlet
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How to Install Electrical Wiring for a GFCI Outlet in an Outdoor Location: The Most Common Method for Installing Electrical Cable and Wiring for Outdoor GFCI Outlets. © By: Dave Rongey |
Installing the Right Electrical Wiring for a GFCI Outlet
[ad#block]Electrical Question: A leaky fountain fried my GFCI outlet.
- I need to install the new GFCI outlet. Everything is ready to go. The wire that connected the original GFCI outlet has me confused.
- The wire consists of two separate cables molded together. One cable consists of 4 small wires: black, blue, brown, and red.
- The other cable consists of three small wires: black, red, and clear with what appears to be copper inside.
- I have zero clue of how to attach these seven wires to my new standard GFCI outlet (Taymac Non-Metallic GFCI Outlet Box Kit).
- While it did appear that both cables consisting of the seven wires did attach to the original GFCI outlet, the outlet was so fried I have no idea if this absolutely was the case.
- The original outlet and fountain worked perfectly well from 2001 to 2011 until the crack in the fountain drenched and shorted the system.
This electrical question came from: Lloyd, from Goose Pimple Junction, Virginia.
See more about Home Wiring for Virginia
Dave’s Reply:
Thanks for your electrical question Lloyd.
How to Install Electrical Wiring for a GFCI Outlet
Install the Correct Electrical Cable for GFCI Outlets
- The photos that I received revealed an unfortunate problem. The wiring that was installed was not an approved electrical cable, so the wiring to the location of the GFCI had to be replaced.
- The valuable lesson here is to make sure that the electrical cable or conduit and wiring that is being installed is according to code which will ensure that the project is done right and prevent any problems in the future.
The Most Common Method for Installing Electrical Cable and Wiring for Outdoor GFCI Outlets
- Electrical Wiring for a Outside GFCI Outlets
- Type UF Direct Burial Cable: The depth of the trench will depend on where the GFCI is located. A trench 24 inches deep is required for Type UF cable when the GFCI is located in the outdoor access location.
- PVC Electrical Conduit: Trench depth of 18 inches is required for PVC conduit which provides Type THWN electrical wiring to the GFCI outlet location.
GFCI Wiring
This list of articles will help you learn about the features and benefits provided by GFI and GFCI Receptacles and how they are wired.
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Be Careful and Be Safe - Never Work on Energized Circuits!
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