wiring new GFCI breaker question

dgates12

Hello DIY -

I am adding in a new 20amp circuit to my panel. This is for my garage and I will be using a GFCI breaker. My question is about wiring the breaker as the instructions are not very clear.

What I believe needs to be done; Is this correct?

• I'll run 12/2 romex for this line to the panel
• White and Neutral from the line attaches to the Neutral Bus Bar
• Black (hot) wire attaches to the GFCI breaker
• Curly white wire from GFCI breaker installs to the Neutral Bar

There is a second spot on the GFCI for another wire, what goes here? Do I pigtail the white from the line then attach to the bus bar?

Thanks everyone!

jbfan

The white from the 12/2 wires into the breaker, the curly white from the breaker wires to the neutral bar, and the black from the 12/2 wires to the breaker.

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codeone

NO.
Your white wire on your 12/2 attaches to the other spot on your GFCI breaker.
The white wire from the breaker attaches to your neutral bar.
The white wire from your 12/2 is your neutral wire (grounded Conductor) the bare wire is your equipment grounding conductor.
Are you in a main panel or a sub panel?

dgates12

Thanks JB.

Why couldn't the darn instructions that were packaged inside have been that simple?!?

dgates12

It's the main panel Codeone.

Thanks for the reply.

codeone

I should have looked at your pic closer would have known. In the main the grounding conductor and the grounded conductor(neutral) are tied together, in a sub panel they are seperate.

dgates12

Uh-oh Codeone, you may have lost me on that one. It sounds like your answer varies from what JBfan replied earlier or am I spacing out here?

1. 12/2 ground {copper wire} --> to neutral bar (check)
2. 12/2 hot {black wire} --> to GFCI breaker (check)
3. Curly wire from GFCI breaker --> to neutral bar (check)
4. 12/2 neutral (white wire} --> to GFCI breaker or pigtailed to neutral bar (umm??)

codeone

No JBfan is right the 12-2 white wire goes to the other slot on the breaker.


The White wire on the 12-2 is a grounded conductor or better known as a neutral. It does carry current.

The ground wire only goes to the neutral bar in a main panel.
If this was a sub panel the ground would go to the ground bar not the neutral bar.

The difference is grounded conductor= neutral.
The ground conductor is for equipment grounding and never carries current under normal conditions.

The grounded conductor (neutral) almost always carries current.
Therefore neutral is not a good name for the conductor but hte most common used.

dgates12

Gotcha...thanks!