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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 ...
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.
Plus the average GFCI receptacle costs about an hour's wages - or less. One GFCI receptacle can be used to protect a number of donwstream receptacles, if you're building a summer cottage or a doghouse or something and want to save $8 or so. And if you need to protect a permanently-wired apparatus, you can of course buy a GFCI circuit breaker.
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.)
This is called a "false" or "bootleg" ground and is a serious safety hazard [10]: 49 often undetected by common receptacle testers. [1]: 48–49 Replacing the obsolete receptacle with a GFCI receptacle is the safest alternative, other than installing a new cable from the main circuit breaker panel.
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.