What is a GFCI device or breaker?
GFCI stands for Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter. In layman’s terms, this device protects you from electrical shock. When it senses the slightest increase in resistance resulting from ground fault, (i.e., the use of electrical devices in or near water), it trips off to protect you. Q: What are the Red and Black buttons on my GFCI outlet? A: The black button is a test button and when pressed, should deactivate the outlet and any other outlet fed from it – indicating a properly functioning device. The red button is the re-set button that you depress to reactivate the outlet or outlets in case of deactivation resulting from a fault. Q: What is the difference between a breaker panel and my old fuse panel? A: Both devices, either breaker or fuse, are designed to trip (turn off) in the event of an electrical overload, i.e. 20Amps of electrical load on a 15Amp circuit would cause a trip. The only difference is that a breaker is mechanical and may be reset. Whereas, a fuse is one time only and
