Just got a call from the actual seller from the same home. I recommended GFCI for an outside recepticle and an electrician told him no need because it was grandfathered in and not the rule at the time of install. I told him I am okay with that but I am still recommending GFCI as safety is key to my reports as I actually care for my clients best interest. Right or Wrong…Play stands! Any thoughts?
By the way he started asking me a ton of questions about my inspection service which who knows he may now call on me.
Me too it is a safety item Decks also if incorrect ( example climbing hazard ).
Some kid breaks a elbow they where warned .
I call it CRA ( Cover Roys a$$) they all laugh but do not forget.
…Cookie
Recommendations are just that.
It’s up to the buyer to make it an issue for negotiation or not.
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I recently had GFCI plugs added to my house where there in no grounding and the inspector said that it wouldn’t trip when tested with a testor and it needed to because it’s a faulty plug if I don’t. I just bought brand new plugs . I’m reading if there’s an open ground that it won’t trip when using the tester but he won’t pass it if it doesn’t trip even though it shows an open ground. I don’t know what to do because an electrician has been out here several times to try and fix the problem and he said there is nothing more he can do but they still won’t pass the inspection. I’m not sure how to get it fixed. These plugs were recently grounded but are still showing open ground since why we added GFCI outlets. Thanks for any feed back
So you have GFCI receptacles installed because your branch circuit wiring does not contain an equipment grounding conductor? According to the NEC that is a code permitted solution to no EGC circuits. The GFCI receptacle should trip when the TEST button is depressed which means that it is working. A GFCI device does not need to be grounded to work. It will not trip if someone is using a plugin style tester, only the test button can prove that it is functional.
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I wouldn’t stake my reputation on a plug-in tester. Use the test button on the receptacle. That is what it is there for.
All of my grandfathers are dead. Your client could be too, why would any one question a $15 GFCI. Maybe this electrician needs some Con-Ed on current safety standards.
This may come across as pedantic but you can replicate what the test button on the GFCI receptacle does by using a Wigginton Solenoid Tester. Remove the cover plate and put one probe on the brass colored load terminal on one side of the receptacle and the other probe on the silver colored Line terminal on the other side of the receptacle. A Wigginton Solenoid tester draws about 7 milliamperes. You will be passing those 7 milliamperes of current around the balance detection toroidal coil of the GFCI. That will cause the coil to produce enough current to trip the mechanism. The test button on a GFCI actually does the same thing except the resister that is used as the bypass has been selected to pass 5 milliamperes since 4 milliamperes of leakage is all that a GFCI is supposed to tolerate.
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