*Indicates a trademark of the General Electric Company and/or its affiliates.
Information provided is subject to change without notice. Please verify all details with GE. All values
are design or typical values when measured under laboratory conditions, and GE makes no warranty
or guarantee, express or implied, that such performance will be obtained under end-use conditions.
©2015, General Electric Company and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
7.15 DEQ-230
GE
Industrial Solutions
41 Woodford Avenue
Plainville, CT 06062
www.geindustrial.com
8. How does the GFCI circuit breaker with automatic self-test indicate a functional failure?
If the GFCI circuit breaker fails the automatic and periodic self-test, the LED light will illuminate and it will trip. If the
LED light illuminates again when resetting the circuit breaker, this confirms a self-test failure. The GFCI circuit breaker
will need to be replaced to prevent further tripping and to restore the GFCI protection. (Note: On 40-60amp GFCIs there
is no LED and the circuit breaker will simply not reset. This can be verified by disconnecting the load wires and
attempting to reset.)
9. When a GFCI circuit breaker trips, how can the user differentiate between a trip caused by a ground fault
versus a trip caused by a GFCI functionality failure?
An illuminated LED light indicates that the trip is the result of a self-test failure and the GFCI protection functionality is
compromised. When this happens, the circuit breaker should be replaced. If the LED light is not illuminated, the trip is
the result of a ground fault and the circuit breaker can be reset. If it continues to trip after reset, an electrician should be
consulted to troubleshoot and investigate the issue. (Note: On 40-60amp GFCIs there is no LED and the circuit breaker
will simply not reset. This can be verified by disconnecting the load wires and attempting to reset.)
10. Will the new GFCI circuit breaker with automatic self-test still have manual push-to-test (PTT) functionality?
Yes. In addition to the automatic self-test functionality, the manual PTT button and its manual functionality will remain
on the new GFCI circuit breakers.
11. What circuits are required to have GFCI protection?
The National Electrical Code requires Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) protection of receptacles located outdoors
and in kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms, garages and spa areas. This applies to new construction as well as existing
homes. Please refer to the National Electric Code and the local authority with jurisdiction for complete requirements.
12. What is a ground fault? Why are they dangerous?
Under normal conditions, the electrical current traveling to an electrical appliance is identical to the current traveling
from that appliance. However, an imbalance in that flow indicates a current leak — also referred to as a “ground fault,”
because the leaking current is escaping to the ground.
If the leaking current is traveling through a person, there is a risk of injury that may result in burns, a severe shock or
electrocution. For example, if a hair dryer drops into a sink full of water, some of the electrical current leaks out of the
appliance and into the water. This current leak may not be large enough to trip a non-ground fault circuit interrupter, but
could be enough to cause a fatal injury to someone who comes in contact with the water.
13. How is a GFCI circuit breaker different than a standard circuit breaker?
Standard circuit breakers only guard against over-loads and short circuits. They are not designed to protect a person
from electrical shocks. GFCI circuit breakers provide protection against overloads, short circuits and ground faults. They
detect very low levels of electrical current leakage (ground faults), and act quickly to shut off power in order to help
reduce the risk of serious shock.
14. What is the lead-time for the new GFCI self-test circuit breakers?
GFCI self-test circuit breakers will be phased in as standard manual-test GFCI circuit breakers are depleted. There will be
no change in lead times.
For more information:
www.geindustrial.com