Installing Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter or GFCI in Toronto

What is a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter or GFCI? Shock or electrocution often occurs when electrical current travels through the victim's body to ground, grounding wire, or grounded structure. GFCI is an electrical device made to detect and protect people from electric shocks and electrocutions due to these ground faults A GFCI monitors electricity flowing in a circuit sensing any loss of current. If electricity flows via human body to the ground, current leaving the hot wire differs from that returning to the neutral wire. The GFCI detects that and shuts the power to that circuit. Instant interruption of the power prevents a serious injury or a lethal electrocution from happening. One may receive a shock but not a serious burn or injury. How AFCI or Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter is different from GFCI? An AFCI should not be confused with the GFCI AFCI is a device intended to prevent fires caused by arcing faults AFCI detects arcing (and sparking) in the electrical circuit and trips opening the circuit. AFCI is not designed as a shock preventer and will not detect the same faults as GFCI AFCI protects the house against electrical fires by detecting the arcing faults but can NOT detect some hot to neutral problems AFCI usually protects receptacles located in bedrooms GFCI protects people from electric shocks And GFCI is NOT designed to detect arcing Ground faults occur when current leaks from a circuit, for example via the human body, to the ground. Namely, if one touches both a hot wire and a grounded conductor such a water pipe. Or when an individual stands on a wet ground and gets in contact with a hot wire or an energized surface. The person could be injured, shocked, or electrocuted GFCI protects receptacles located in bathrooms, kitchens, crawl spaces, unfinished basements, wet locations, garages, outdoors, and at some other places such as near swimming pools We install, change and inspect both AFCIs & GFCIs in Toronto Toronto Electricians troubleshoot: GFCI outlet does not reset GFI receptacle plug keeps shutting down GFI receptacle or circuit breaker keeps tripping GFI receptacle circuit breaker gives smoke, smells burning GFI circuit breaker or outlet will not trip when test button is pushed If the TEST button does not shut the GFCI power off, stop using it and contact us torontoelectricrepairs@gmail.com