When discussing AFCI and GFCI and the reasons for not installing them I hear a lot of
“WHAT IFâ€
“WHAT IF†the GFCI trips and the meat defrost?
“WHAT IF†we go on vacation and the device trips?
“WHAT IF†a solar flare hits earth and shut down all the grids?
“WHAT IF†a storm knocks out the power grid?
“WHAT IF†we forgot to pay our bill and the power gets shut off?
“WHAT IF†all the current leaks out and floods the basement with electrons?
“WHAT IF†a bull frog carried a 38 would snakes mess with him?
I got one I would like to throw out there. “WHAT IF†we installed a compliant installation and quit this what ifing? The world would be a safer place don’t you think.
My 20 year old chest type freezer in the basement is plugged into a GFCI and guess what, it has never tripped. My refrigerator is plugged into a receptacle that is GFCI protected and guess what, it has never tripped. My Koi pond has two pumps that circulate the water that are plugged into GFCI and once again they have never tripped.
Some good advice when asking an inspector what they want to see when doing an inspection. Whatever they say get it in writing or you can bet your bottom dollar they will say they didn’t say anything.
The NEC is very clear that when one waivers from the mandated rules that “special permission†is required and it is only special permission when it is in writing.
Special Permission. The written consent of the authority having jurisdiction.
As an electrical inspector I will only answer if something is in compliance with the NEC. I will not give special permission for anything that is not in compliance. If the question is formed in a manner that would require me to design the installation my only answer is, “do it in a code compliant manner.â€
I will never put myself into a situation where the contractor can say, “that is how he said for me to do it†simply because of the liability involved and I know of no seasoned inspector that would do anything different.
An example would be a contractor asking if a wet bar refrigerator would require a GFCI that is within 6 feet of the sink. Answer- Yes
Another way that this question could be asked would be, would it be alright to not GFCI protect the refrigerator if it is in the cabinet and blocking the receptacle. Answer- install the device in a code compliant manner and when I did the inspection and it was not compliant then we get a reinspection fee.
