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A residual-current device (RCD), residual-current circuit breaker (RCCB) or ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) [a] is an electrical safety device, more specifically a form of Earth-leakage protection device, that interrupts an electrical circuit when the current passing through a conductor is not equal and opposite in both directions, therefore indicating leakage current to ground or ...
Most GFCI receptacles allow the connection and provide GFCI protection for down-stream connected receptacles. Receptacles protected in this manner or with a GFCI circuit breaker should be labeled "GFCI protected". (Outside North America these are referred to as a "Residual-current device" or RCD.)
In addition, a fault condition to a bootleg ground will not trip a GFCI breaker, nor protect a receptacle that is wired from the load side of a GFCI receptacle. [2] Before 1996, in the United States it was common to ground the frames of large 120/240-volt permanently-connected appliances (such as a clothes dryer or oven) to neutral conductors.
Such devices may be found in the form of either a circuit breaker, known as an earth-leakage circuit breaker (ELCB), or built into a socket (aka receptacle). Voltage-operated ELCBs can still be found in the wild, though these largely fell out of favour after the invention of the current-sensing based RCD (aka GFCI) technology.
A safer and more reliable alternative identified in the US and Canadian electrical codes is to replace the outlet with a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) breaker outlet. [3] Cheater plugs are also used to break ground loops in audio systems. [5] This practice has been condemned as disregarding electrical safety.
AFCI receptacles look similar to GFCI receptacles in that they have a "Test" and "Reset" button on the face of the device for localized testing. This saves a homeowner a trip to the breaker panel, should the device trip. Unlike AFCI breakers, AFCI receptacles can be used on any wiring system, regardless of the panel.