GFI USB outlet?

[mjeff87]

Here's me....venturing into the electrical forum....I'm a total fish out of water in here

Anyway, I thought I could tackle a simple little project. We have a 15A receptacle next to our stove that we use to charge devices via USB (phones, iPad, etc.), and are using a janky plug-in dual USB outlet thingy. I "thought" I could just replace the recep with one that has built in USB ports, but the problem is the outlet is a GFI. I can't find a USB port outlet that's GFI. Does one even exist? Would I burn my house down and kill my wife and cats if I swapped in a non-GFI outlet there?
TIA,
Jeff (who knows very little about 'lectric.....)

 

[exranger06]

I don't think such a thing exists. GFCI doesn't prevent fires, it protects people from getting electrocuted. It's required on all kitchen countertop outlets, among other places. You can always install a non-GFCI outlet with USB and replace whatever circuit breaker that feeds it with a GFCI breaker.

 

[EOC_Jason]

^^^ That's probably what you will have to do... GFCI electronics + USB electronics would be too much to pack into a single outlet...

GFCI breaker's aren't that expensive.

 

[mjeff87]

Thanks. I thought GFI had to be installed within so many feet of a sink, not all countertop outlets. This one is nowhere near a wet location.

We did have our whole service panel replaced a few years ago when we added a backup generator (the deal came with a whole new panel with integrated switch gear), and I *think* all the breakers inside are AFCI breakers. I'll have to check to make sure they all are. If that circuit is protected by an AFCI breaker, would I be ok (code and safety-wise)?

edit: there are 3 other countertop outlets also, which are GFI also. Wouldn't one outlet in the circuit protect all? Sorry for the noob questions.

 

[Norcal]

Thanks. I thought GFI had to be installed within so many feet of a sink, not all countertop outlets. This one is nowhere near a wet location.

We did have our whole service panel replaced a few years ago when we added a backup generator (the deal came with a whole new panel with integrated switch gear), and I *think* all the breakers inside are AFCI breakers. I'll have to check to make sure they all are. If that circuit is protected by an AFCI breaker, would I be ok (code and safety-wise)?

edit: there are 3 other countertop outlets also, which are GFI also. Wouldn't one outlet in the circuit protect all? Sorry for the noob questions.

GFCI & AFCI's are two different breeds so a combo AFCI/ GFCI breaker would be in order, you have more then one circuit in the kitchen so have more GFCI's were needed.

 

[Git]

edit: there are 3 other countertop outlets also, which are GFI also. Wouldn't one outlet in the circuit protect all? Sorry for the noob questions.

It depends on how the GFCI outlet is wired. It can protect any other outlet 'downstream' of that outlet or just the one outlet

You can get a simple tester like this one for around $8 and see


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000RUL2UU/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[exranger06]

Thanks. I thought GFI had to be installed within so many feet of a sink, not all countertop outlets. This one is nowhere near a wet location.

GFCI is required within 6 ft of a sink, AND all countertop outlets need to be GFCI (regardless of how far away from the sink they are)

We did have our whole service panel replaced a few years ago when we added a backup generator (the deal came with a whole new panel with integrated switch gear), and I *think* all the breakers inside are AFCI breakers. I'll have to check to make sure they all are. If that circuit is protected by an AFCI breaker, would I be ok (code and safety-wise)?

AFCI and GFCI are two different things. Some locations require only AFCI, some locations require only GFCI, some locations require both. This is one location that requires both. You can replace your AFCI breaker with a combination AFCI/GFCI breaker.

edit: there are 3 other countertop outlets also, which are GFI also. Wouldn't one outlet in the circuit protect all? Sorry for the noob questions.

It depends on how the circuit(s) are wired. If there is a GFCI outlet upstream if this one, then yes it would already be protected by that. Some of those outlets are almost definitely on a separate circuit, so you need to check to see if there's a GFCI upstream on the same circuit.

 

[mjeff87]

So, replace the recep with a non-GFI outlet with USB ports, then I can swap the breaker for an AFCI/GFCI one. Got it.

Thanks all, merry Christmas

 

[tyme2par4]

If your other counter top outlets are already GFI outlets, then I believe you can just replace the one you want with a USB outlet, as long as it is USB only. Like this one:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Leviton...er-Combo-Outlet-White-R02-USB4P-0BW/204659600

If the one you want to change isn't the first outlet on the string, then you could just rewire a GFI upstream to have the outgoing power tied to the load terminals of the outlet. Then that outlet would protect everything down stream.
Replacing the breaker is the sure fire solution, but if we had every detail, there are others.

 

[PWC Repair]

I'm just thinking as I read this. This is a big problem with America, big brother is trying to make everything idiot proof. We don't need this, we need to thin out the gene pool, natural selection. I don't have a GFI outlet in my whole house. Hasn't ever been one in it since it was built in 1958. I don't even remotely have a fear that anybody is going to get electrocuted.

 

[tthornto]

If every outlet in the kitchen is a GFI outlet then there was some DIY electrical work done in that kitchen. Rather than checking to see witch outlet was the first on the circuit and installing a single GFI there they installed GFI's at every outlet. Its cheaper to buy more GFI outlets at $10 each than to pay and electrician to determine where to place 1 or 2 outlets that could also protect all of the others after them in the circuit.


As far as USB plugs go, the House I recently bought has USB outlets in the kitchen living room and bedroom and we rarely use them because they don't support fast charging. If I plug my phone into the USB outlet it will take 10x longer to get the same charge as if I used the wall wart that came with the phone. If you are going to go to the trouble of installing USB outlets be sure to get ones that support the latest fast charging standards, and also be prepared to have that standard be obsolete in 5-10 years.

 

[EOC_Jason]

You mean I shouldn't be standing in a puddle of water barefoot while operating an electric device that has improper grounding?!?!?!

I'm just thinking as I read this. This is a big problem with America, big brother is trying to make everything idiot proof. We don't need this, we need to thin out the gene pool, natural selection. I don't have a GFI outlet in my whole house. Hasn't ever been one in it since it was built in 1958. I don't even remotely have a fear that anybody is going to get electrocuted.

 

[Muzzy]

If every outlet in the kitchen is a GFI outlet then there was some DIY electrical work done in that kitchen. Rather than checking to see witch outlet was the first on the circuit and installing a single GFI there they installed GFI's at every outlet. Its cheaper to buy more GFI outlets at $10 each than to pay and electrician to determine where to place 1 or 2 outlets that could also protect all of the others after them in the circuit.

Not at all. My parents' kitchen was done by a licensed electrician working through a GC. He put GFCIs at every outlet so that there was no possible confusion as to meeting the local code requirements. $10 an outlet is dirt cheap compared to the cost of a call back.

 

[KenC]

What I did: removed the outlet, loosened the clamps, pried the box away from the stud just enough to get a hacksaw blade in to cut the nails that held it on, pulled it out, slid in an old work two gang box. installed the GFCI and a new USB charging outlet, fed from the GFCI. Fixed to issues as I now have extra 120 outlet, that every kitchen needs AND a place to charge my phone.