ECN Forum Forums Code Related Discussion NEC & other Code issues gfi, gfci, gfpe

Someone told me yesterday that a GFI referred to ground fault protection of equipment, and GFCI referred to household ground fault circuit interrupters... first time I heard that. The acronyms refer to ground fault circuit interrupters = GFCIs, a shortened form of GFCI = ground fault interrupters GFIs, and ground fault circuit protection of equipment = GFPE. Please correct me if I'm stupid

Cindy,

You have it correct.
GFCI [Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter] commonly refers to Ground Fault protection for personell [trip settings 3 to 6 milliamps] and is sometimes referred to simply as GFI [Ground Fault Interrupter].

GFPE [Ground Fault Protection for Equipment] refers to the type of Arc Fault protection used in conjunction with main OCPDs [Over Current Protection Device] on 4 wire Wye systems having a voltage exceeding 150 Volts to ground, up to 600 Volts Line to Line, with service capacity of 1000 amps or higher.
This is used to detect a Line-To-Ground Arc fault, and trip settings are in the range of 1 to 20 amps.

Scott SET

[This message has been edited by Scott35 (edited 10-06-2001).]

Scott,

I believe there is a GFPE that trips in the 20 or 30 m.a. range & is used for heat trace cable. I've also seen other GFPE in the 30 ma range for some wet location equipment. It isn't very common though.

Tom

Tom,

I've heard that too, but not seen it yet.
I've only done 1 Roof and Gutter de-Icing installation and that was fine (so Far) on standard GFCIs. But that was the older style of cable I think.

Bill

Tom,

Thanks for including those guys! I forgot to mention those.

Have heard about the heat strip GFPE devices [trip setting of 30 ma max.], but not ever worked with or seen any yet.

Have seen and worked on a pump controller for a parking lot's sump pump, which used an intregal GFPE and GFCI system.
The GFCI part was a simple device with a trip setting of 3 ma. It was used with the Indicator lights on the control system's panel.
The GFPE system was adjustable trip [10 ma to 1000 ma], using Proxy switch controllers - 1 for the float circuit, 1 for the pump motor.

Had to service this controller, due to Vandalism. Also had to walk through a 3 foot deep parking lot lake before getting to the controller. Fishing "Hipwaders" come in very handy on these lakes!

Got the motor to run manually so the lake could be drained. After said lake was gone, repairs commenced.

Very interresting equipment!

Scott SET

The GFPEs, were supposed to be manufactured for Heat tape/trace cable but as far as I know they never produced any in the receptacle form.
I did find a breaker of that type its made by SQ. D but that is the only one I have ever found.
According to our inspectors, we can use a standard GFCI for that circuit, but the 30 ma trip sounded nice because of nuisance tripping.