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Jwhitman · Nov 14, 2008, 07:06 AM

Any idea on how to identify the first outlet on a branch circuit. I need to install a GFGI outlet and in order to protect the rest of the outlets in the branch I need to put the GFGI on the first one. Also is there a minimum size outlet box to use when installing a GFGI outlet?
Thanks,
J:confused:

schwim · Nov 14, 2008, 09:53 AM

Hi there J,

Someone may very well have a zoomier solution, but I would simply shut down the circuit, pull the recepts free from their boxes and alternate which one I disconnect, reactivating the circuit until I find out which one is the first in the chain.

As for the depth of the box, I always go the max allowable by the particular situation, considering you don't have any other junctions in the box in question and you have an actual chain of recepts and not a single junction for all, you're dealing with two runs into the box and a fairly deep recept(GFCI). You can fit that in a standard depth box, but I've always been a fan of extra space for future pulls and I like the room to work.

Thanks,
Json

KISS · Nov 14, 2008, 10:34 AM

You use a little ingenuity and a breaker tracer. Once you know what outlets are affected. Guess how they might be wired. Assume a daisy chain.

Use the binary approach. Disconnect the middle of the string.
Then another middle etc.

More like:
Givens: Outlets served by breaker
Possible path:
Remove and disconnect a hot to eliminate outlets.

donf · Nov 15, 2008, 11:17 AM

Or you can save yourself all of the time diagnosing where the outlet string begins and replace the circuit breaker with a GFCI breaker and be done with it.

Jwhitman · Nov 16, 2008, 05:22 AM

I would replace the breaker and be done with it except it has twin breakers or ganged breakers which ever term you want to use. The single breakers that are GFGI will not fix because the box is full.
Thanks,
J

donf · Nov 17, 2008, 07:34 AM

J,

If your main panel has no additional space and you are already using singles. You might want to consider installing a subpanel and then reducing the load on your main panel. This would also allow you to install a GFCI breaker in the sub panel.