Face plate for GFCI in 2 gang box

[Rick Prosser]

I am in the process of wiring up the shop. With a concrete floor, all the outlets need to be GFCI.

I am using 2 gang boxes since you can never have enough outlets , but since I can feed non-GFCI receptacles from a GFCI receptacle, I have a problem with the face plate.

Is there a face plate that has openings for one GFCI and one regular receptacle for a 2 gang box? I would think this would be common, but my local Lowes does not carry one.

Maybe a double GFCI face plate would work?

[Robert Gleason]

Rick

Try a local electrical supply house. You did not mention wether you are looking for a surface mount box or recessed. They will have either. If you call them be sure to specify which your looking for, to see if they have it in stock or they need to order it. May save you an extra trip. If its surface mount it will be call a raised industrial cover.

[Alan Schaffter]

How many additional outlets are you going to feed? There is a limit.

Three things you can do:

1. Use GFCI breakers in your panel and use standard receptacles in all your dual gang boxes, or

2. Use one GFCI and one standard receptacle in the first box and standard receptacles in all other downstream boxes. You can get the needed cover plate at the Borg or Amazon:



3. Use one GFCI and one non-GFCI square-faced "Decora" receptacle in the first dual gang box then standard or Decora receptacles in any additional downstream boxes- depends on how fashion conscious you are . Most decorator or Leviton "Decora" etc. non-GFCI receptacles at the Borg and other stores have the same rectangular shape as a GFCI receptacle and will accept a dual gang GFCI-type cover plate. They are available in both 15A and 20A, and hospital grade.

[Bob Herpolsheimer]

Raco produces one. Stock # is 915C (this is an industrial cover) and should cost around $4.

[Foras Noir]

Check two things with an electrician:

(1) The floor has no bearing on GFI or non-GFI (it is the use classification that determines this issue). You have some incorrect information and need help. An all GFI shop means you will be back here when your motors don't work.

(2) Even where you need and want GFIs, you can use GFI (or newer, better, arc fault interruption) breakers. You will save yourself a lot of trouble. Trust me. You don't want to run around finding which GFI popped.

Basically - get some help. You are on the wrong track and will spend time and money fixing things later.

[David G Baker]

Foras,
I have found that this board has had extremely accurate information when it comes to electrical information, you may have to sift through some of the posts and sometimes the code book may need to be researched and if there is any doubt about the correctness of the advice a licensed electrician should be consulted. I do not agree with your blanket statement.

[Rollie Meyers]

Check two things with an electrician:

(1) The floor has no bearing on GFI or non-GFI (it is the use classification that determines this issue). You have some incorrect information and need help. An all GFI shop means you will be back here when your motors don't work.

(2) Even where you need and want GFIs, you can use GFI (or newer, better, arc fault interruption) breakers. You will save yourself a lot of trouble. Trust me. You don't want to run around finding which GFI popped.

Basically - get some help. You are on the wrong track and will spend time and money fixing things later.

The use if GFI is highly incorrect they are GFCI's, a GFI is a whole different beast which is not used in residential applications. Do not make the mistake of confusing GFCI's & AFCI's they are also 2 different beasts, a GFCI has a 5 milliampere setting & a AFCI in addition to the snake oil arc fault sensing circuitry has 30 Ma GFCI protection, the 2008 NEC has required AFCI's to be used where GFCI's are not required in residential occupancies.

[Callan Campbell]

Check two things with an electrician:

(1) The floor has no bearing on GFI or non-GFI (it is the use classification that determines this issue). You have some incorrect information and need help. An all GFI shop means you will be back here when your motors don't work.

.

Foras, could you clarify what you mean by "when your motors dont work". Is there something to using a GFCI to run ,say, a 1 hp motor that causes trouble? I've run smaller motors than that for more than a decade off of a GFCI recep. in my shop, and now run my new 20" Delta Drill Press with its 1 hp motor off the same outlet since I sold off my smaller Jet DP. You sound like you've run into something from experience.

[Jeremy Brant]

Foras, could you clarify what you mean by "when your motors dont work". Is there something to using a GFCI to run ,say, a 1 hp motor that causes trouble? I've run smaller motors than that for more than a decade off of a GFCI recep. in my shop, and now run my new 20" Delta Drill Press with its 1 hp motor off the same outlet since I sold off my smaller Jet DP. You sound like you've run into something from experience.

I'm not Foras, but the problem some people have with GFCI's and motors is specifically with variable speed motors. Some VS motors will cause intermittent trips with GFCI's. I don't have any VS motors so I can't claim to have had this problem myself. It doesn't happen with any handheld tools that I have (dremel, VS handheld drill, etc).

Also, if your first outlet coming from the circuit panel is GFCI, you can protect all the standard receptacles beyond it and save yourself a healthy chunk of change over using gfci's for every receptacle. I believe commercial code says you can put a max of 10 receptacles on a 15amp circuit and 13 on a 20amp, but as far as I know there isn't a max for residential use.

[David G Baker]

Jeremy,
I think the limit is six standard receptacles beyond the GFCI in a residential setting but it has been a while since I read code on it.

[Eric Gustafson]

I have GFCI outlets in my garage. Rated @ 20 amps. I have had no problem running any motors, varible speed or otherwise.

[Rick Prosser]

Thanks for all the replies. I should be able to round up a few face plates that will fit my situation - just did not find them at Lowes.

"2. Use one GFCI and one standard receptacle in the first box and standard receptacles in all other downstream boxes. You can get the needed cover plate at the Borg or Amazon:"

- That is my plan.

I plan to only have 5-6 (at the most) downstream outlets from the GFCI outlet, so I should not have to worry about hitting the max.

I did not want to go with a GFCI breaker because of cost, and all the branches tied to the breaker go down with a fault - rather than just the line of the GFCI outlet.

While the shop is not residential, I am trying to match most of the residential codes where it makes sense. (For instance, I am not trying to put outlets everywhere that can be reached with a 6 ft cord, but I am running a dedicated GFCI outlet to the bathroom).

"the 2008 NEC has required AFCI's to be used where GFCI's are not required in residential occupancies. "

- my county has not yet adopted the 2008 NEC, but since everything is GFCI, I would not be using the AFCI. (I also have my doubts about the fault sensing)

County inspector requires GFCI on concrete floor. I am also working with an electrician on code questions.

I think that about covers it - thanks!