Why GFCI breaker?

[Tagobolts]

I am adding a sub panel to my brew room. Having an electrician come over to hook up but did all the manual cable pulls, etc. I had a 30A GFCI in my old house but it does not work with my sub panel and having a hard time finding one.

I guess my question is why do I need one? If I have a sub panel with a 30amp breaker would that be sufficient?

 

[Tagobolts]

nvm i think after thinking about it I got it. Since there is no GFCI between the breaker and brew panel it is needed. Not like a receptacle and regular outlets.

 

[doug293cz]

The 30A breaker function is to protect from fires caused by overheated wires which result from the wires carrying more current than the are designed to carry safely.

Unfortunately, a circuit breaker will not protect you from getting electrocuted. It only takes a few 10s of milliamps to kill you, so even a 1 A fuse/breaker provides no protection for you. A GFCI trips at a nominal current of 5 milliamps, and will prevent you from being electrocuted. The GFCI trips when it detects that all current is not flowing in the wires that it should be flowing in, which means it's flowing somewhere else - maybe thru you!

Electrical code requires all circuits with outlets in "potentially wet" areas be protected with GFCIs. Wet areas are kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms, basements, garages, outdoors, etc.

Brew on

 

[sibelman]

To paraphrase an older post on this subject that convinced me to add GFCI: there's bound to be some spills, and there could be beer involved.

 

[MicroMickey]

A GFCI receptacle is far cheaper than a funeral.

 

[Martys1]

Just put a gfci outlet in

 

[sibelman]

Um, Wayfair got that wrong. This is not a GFCI outlet but, rather, an ordinary outlet.

https://www.leviton.com/en/products/5372-s00

 

[sibelman]

@Martys1 , as far as I'm aware, there are two ways to get GFCI on your circuit: an in-line unit, or a GFCI breaker in your electrical panel. The breaker is cheaper, but electrician labor to install a breaker could more than consume the difference in part costs. Also, the in-line unit can move with you if you move.

 

[MikeCo]

Installing a GFCI breaker is not difficult; you don't need an electrician to do it. I bought one from Home Depot for about $80 and installed it.

 

[BAF]

Do they make 240v/30a in-line GFCI protectors? I've only ever seen them for 120v/20a.

Just buy the GFCI breaker. It's probably a waste of money and will never trip, but if it does trip, it may just save your life. Totally worth the $100.

 

[Bobby_M]

View attachment 809962
Just put a gfci outlet in

I would recommend deleting this post. There are no GFCI receptacles above 120v/20a. Certainly not that one.

 

[sibelman]

Do they make 240v/30a in-line GFCI protectors? I've only ever seen them for 120v/20a.

Just buy the GFCI breaker. It's probably a waste of money and will never trip, but if it does trip, it may just save your life. Totally worth the $100.

For examples of GFCI in-line units see 30 Amp Inline GFCI

But I've never seen an in-wall GFCI above 120V 20A.

Or put in a GFCI breaker.

 

[BAF]

For examples of GFCI in-line units see 30 Amp Inline GFCI

But I've never seen an in-wall GFCI above 120V 20A.

Or put in a GFCI breaker.

Ah, I stand corrected then. But those are pretty expensive compared to a GFCI breaker. Plus the in-line units technically don't meet code if your outlet is in a wet area. Very good chance that a room with brew equipment in it can be considered a wet area.