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I want to replace the outside receptacles around my house. These outlets are originally Weather Resistant with a cover ( Not GFCI). In the upstream of this circuit, there is a GFCI outlet, which is inside the garage.

My Question is,

  1. Should I replace all outside receptacles with weather resistant outlets by keeping GFCI at the upstream ( in the Garage)?

  2. Or Should I replace all outside receptacles with Weather resistant GFCI outlets. If yes, Is it OK to keep the GFCI at the upstream (inside the garage)?

Thank You!

Obi
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2 Answers2

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Definitely option 1 - keep the GFCI upstream.

You do need to make sure the upstream GFCI is wired properly. You can do that by installing the replacement receptacles and make sure they work. Then press TEST on the upstream GFCI. If you lose power on the outside receptacles and get power back with RESET then all is good. If you don't lose power with TEST then either the GFCI is faulty or, far more likely, the wiring at the GFCI/receptacle is incorrect. If there is a problem, take pictures of the wiring at the GFCI/receptacle and start a new question for troubleshooting.

There are two reasons to keep things as is (except upgrading to new weather resistant receptacles):

  • GFCI has sensitive electronics which don't handle extreme weather very well. Even if the weather resistant receptacles do a perfect job of keeping water out, the temperature changes will be more of a problem outside than in the garage. So the GFCI inside the garage will last longer than outside.
  • Double GFCI does not improve safety. Plus, unless rewired as single GFCI (by rewiring the feed from the GFCI/receptacle in the garage to the outside), there can be confusing/troublesome situations any time there is a GFCI trip on the outside receptacle.
manassehkatz-Moving 2 Codidact
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Usually one GFCI protection device per circuit. Saves running around resetting/finding them all.

Weather does stuff that GFCIs don't like. Moisture/humidly, heat/cold, sun. They last two or three times as long inside than out.

crip659
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