# Do Outdoor Receptacles Have to be GFCI?



## smata67 (Mar 9, 2009)

Is it acceptable to have a non-GFCI receptacle in a weatherproof box located outside if the breaker it connects to is a GFCI breaker, or does the receptacle itself have to be GFCI type?


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## kevinp22 (Sep 23, 2010)

breaker is fine, its actually my preference to have outside receptacles on a gfci breaker or protected by a gfci inside the house. gfci receptacles physically outside seem to wear out faster


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## curiousB (Jan 16, 2012)

kevinp22 said:


> breaker is fine, its actually my preference to have outside receptacles on a gfci breaker or protected by a gfci inside the house. gfci receptacles physically outside seem to wear out faster



I prefer breakers as well. Its gets confusing when there are additional receptacles downstream from a GFCI receptacle. You have to snoop all over the place to find the tripped GFCI. Also I just took three GFCI's out of my brothers new house since they were cascaded after GFCI's upstream of them.

If the GFCI breakers were priced a little lower people might be more inclined to use GFCI breakers instead of GFCI receptacles.


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## stickboy1375 (Apr 28, 2012)

I prefer every outside outlet its own GFCI device, this way its an easy fix/reset for anyone.


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## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

Or you could do it like my in-laws house.....put the GFIC up in the 2-story bathroom and feed the outside receptical from it......


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## kevinp22 (Sep 23, 2010)

ddawg16 said:


> Or you could do it like my in-laws house.....put the GFIC up in the 2-story bathroom and feed the outside receptical from it......


Cute set up - a code violation and inconvenient at the same time :laughing::laughing:


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## stickboy1375 (Apr 28, 2012)

ddawg16 said:


> Or you could do it like my in-laws house.....put the GFIC up in the 2-story bathroom and feed the outside receptical from it......


I like my house, GFCI breaker: feeds every bath and outside receptacle, that was allowable back in the day, and I tend to like it.


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## rjniles (Feb 5, 2007)

kevinp22 said:


> Cute set up - a code violation and inconvenient at the same time :laughing::laughing:


Not a code violation depending on the time it was done. Not sure of the NEC code year but it was compliant in 1978 (and maybe later). But definitely not convenient.


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## smata67 (Mar 9, 2009)

The panel is in the attic and I would need a ladder to get to it, does that change anything? 

What if I sprung for the GFCI outlet (it would be for a 240V service, I've been unable to find one), which would trip first, the GFCI outlet or the GFCI breaker in the panel?


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## Jim Port (Sep 21, 2007)

There are no 240 volt GFI receptacles. GFI protection for 240 volt circuits is provided by a 2 pole GFI breaker.


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## kevinp22 (Sep 23, 2010)

smata67 said:


> The panel is in the attic and I would need a ladder to get to it, does that change anything?
> 
> Wow, a panel you have to get a ladder to access. yikes. that opens a whole can of worms here I bet:huh:
> 
> There are times when gfci breakers and receptacles are best. I have all my outside rec (3) on a gfci 20amp breaker. the kitchen and baths are gfci receptacles as my wife was not going to the panel every time one trips. LOL - i installed them 6 months ago and not a single one has ever tripped.:whistling2:


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

The only time that I would use a breaker, is if it is 1)Easily accessible, or 2) The branch circuit is a retro-fit, and it is hard to run electrical point to point to point, so that you can use one gfci outlet to protect the down line outlets.


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## Jim Port (Sep 21, 2007)

It is easier to use a GFI breaker than to try an fit a GFI receptacle into the old boxes on a two wire system. Also no need to find the first receptacle in the string.


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## electures (Dec 22, 2009)

ddawg16 said:


> Or you could do it like my in-laws house.....put the GFIC up in the 2-story bathroom and feed the outside receptical from it......


Been there. Done that.


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