GFCI lifespan only 10 years?

[newbury]

If the OP thinks that 10 years is bad wait till he buys the new outlets. UL has changed how they work now they are self testing. They are self testing and like anything new won't last a year till they break. Like the first AFI breakers until they got to the third version they were junk.
I've tried my GFI tester in the new gfi's and it won't trip I'm told they don't make a tester yet. " The inspectors are going to love it.."

New Standard for GFCI | UL 943 GFCI Standard | by Legrand

From that link:

Self-test GFCI Technology – conducts an automatic test every three seconds, ensuring it's always.

EVERY THREE SECONDS!!

 

[teejk]

From that link:

EVERY THREE SECONDS!!

How many years (months) are you going to get out of that? I laugh when I see people smuggling toilets into the US from Canada (as goofy as Canada is I guess you can still buy a 3.2 gal flush toilet instead of our mandated 1.6 or less models that require 2 or more flushes or a "power-assist" that has wearable parts...great system until it goes bad and you don't have a toilet). We have had home plumbing and electrical systems in our houses for several decades and everything worked just fine.

 

[jdzaya]

I'm with teejk. By the way, are you the same "teejk' that posts on a news site here in WI? I like reading you're comments. If not, then never mind. The last electrical code class I was in was 2005. At the time they were proposing all kitchen outlets be GFI protected. I see the need for countertop outlets to be GFIs but who want's their refrigerator or basement freezer to be protected by such a finicky device that only takes a storm or an absent minded house cleaner to accidentally trip it?

 

[teejk]

You from central Wisconsin so perhaps WSAx...that be me and I'm humbled by your appreciation (I am only an expert in my own opinions). Anyway, we built a house in Jackson Co in 2010. My son and I did most of the electric (with a licensed guy guiding us). GFCI's are now required in any kitchen outlet (I think we have 4 separate circuits in the kitchen because the electrician ran into a jack-*** inspector in a different county that said no more than 2 outlets per circuit...whereas my inspector said 2 dedicated circuits in the kitchen). But anyway we have 4, each occupying that precious space in the panel. GFCI's can be "daisy-chained" so you get downstream protection on a standard outlet. Bad part is that if the GFCI goes bad you lose anything downstream from there. As I recall the refrigerator is on a separate "non-GFCI" circuit (another space in that precious panel) as is the freezer. I think that is current code. GFCI's required anywhere somebody might be standing in water is the best I can figure. I grew up in a house with 60a service and a large kitchen with only the 2 prong outlets...nobody died...

 

[jdzaya]

Yes teejk, those are the call letters. I don't want to distract from this thread but thanks for your knowledge and wit:thumbsup: As far as the GFCIs go, the code class I was attending( 2005 )stated the dedicated recepticals for Refrigerators were also to be GFCI protected. My thought regarding GFCIs is, not for my Fridge or Freezer.

 

[clemsonfor]

The code may have been written by highly educated people who have little or no relevant field experience, but it's also enforced by an army of inspection personnel who have much less intelligence and far fewer qualifications. Honestly, how many times have the words "man that inspector really knows his stuff" ever been uttered on a job site.

All kidding aside, if you confirm the correct load/line wiring and test the GFCI outlets to make sure they work then why replace them?

insurance? But i am sure most insurance compaies would still pay out unless that was a clause in them. Cause they dont make you make everything else up to code in a current olderhome.

 

[clemsonfor]

Maybe I'm a bit jaded over the years, but I view the GFCI changeout issue the same as kids car seats. I got "educated" this weekend by my daughter-in-law that my grandchild's car seat was going to expire in 2 months and I had better buy a new one! Is this stuff for real? How does a car seat expire? Or why does a refrigerator now only have a live expectancy of less than 12 years?

i thought this was crazy too. But they cant insure where a seat was and how it was stored. If the thing sat in a car for its life or the attic that plastic gets brittle and possibly would fail in a crash. Why chance it. Now that i have my own son, we spent close to $300 on a Britax seat off amazon. Sure we could basically buy a plactic shell that says it meets crash test standards but looks no where near as strong as ours for like $50, but why for $200 or so chance that your child may be injured in a crash. Its very little money when you consider thier life. I have no problem tossing them.

 

[LD1]

How many years (months) are you going to get out of that? I laugh when I see people smuggling toilets into the US from Canada (as goofy as Canada is I guess you can still buy a 3.2 gal flush toilet instead of our mandated 1.6 or less models that require 2 or more flushes or a "power-assist" that has wearable parts...great system until it goes bad and you don't have a toilet). We have had home plumbing and electrical systems in our houses for several decades and everything worked just fine.

Not to hijack, but funny you mention that. Really wonder if we are saving any water when it takes multiple flushes to get the job done. Same thing with shower heads. Takes twice as long to get wet, twice as long to rinse the soap out of my hair......twice as long in the shower. Am I really saving any water?

 

[newbury]

Not to hijack, but funny you mention that. Really wonder if we are saving any water when it takes multiple flushes to get the job done. Same thing with shower heads. Takes twice as long to get wet, twice as long to rinse the soap out of my hair......twice as long in the shower. Am I really saving any water?

Are you bragging your a big $%^&?
Are you a four flusher?

I HATE having to flush multiple times, and stand around to let the first refill.

 

[oldballs]

This thread is starting make an "Outhouse" look good.:laughing: