Do I need a GFCI on sump pump in basement?
1 - 14 of 14 Posts
No you do not need a gfci, I would recommend replacing it with a simplex receptacle, on a dedicated circuit!
If his town/manici has adopted 08 code, ill personally run to your house right now and give you a big hug. :wink:
Joined
·
715 Posts
thats quite a marathon!!
Joined
·
474 Posts
Depends on where you live. If your going under the 2011 code yes you do need GFCI protection
lol :thumbsup:
My house was built in 08 with an unfinished basement. the outlets in the open area was a gfi. the outlet for the sump was not.
however when i was finishing my basement as a tem outlet i put the gfi on my sump and it would et it off when in use. i was lucky i cought this because my basket was 3/4 way full.
however when i was finishing my basement as a tem outlet i put the gfi on my sump and it would et it off when in use. i was lucky i cought this because my basket was 3/4 way full.
The GFCI was tripping regularly when the pump operated? Holy crap! That indicates that the pump actually has a ground fault and is leaking current into the water. Modern GFCI's really don't trip without an actual ground fault. The only reason to avoid a GFCI on a sump pump circuit is if you have made a well-considered decision that flooding is more of a hazard than a ground fault. Personally, I would generally favor using a GFCI with some kind of power-off alarm to indicate a trip. If it trips, don't just reset it! There is an electrical problem to be solved.
Submersible pumps do fail, and when they do they leak current into the water. This can be exceedingly dangerous, especially if the pump still operates and gives no indication of a problem. This can electrify the outflow pipes and other metal objects near the sump, as well as the water itself. For me, the insurance of a GFCI on a sump pump is worth the small risk of pump failure. If you're in an area where a sump pump is really critical equipment, you should have a backup pump that doesn't rely on utility power anyway.
I had a similar situation, but had a chest freezer plugged into the same outlet as the sump pump. I needed to plug in the charger for my battery backup (Basement Watchdog) sump pump, so I changed the single gang box into a dual gang box and added a GFCI on the first receptacle. The sump battery charger has a built-in alarm for power interruption so if the GFCI ever trips, the battery sounds the alarm and prevents my freezer from thawing.
The electrical code changed. There used to be an exemption for single receptacles or receptacles in dedicated space behind appliances. This has been removed.
Joined
·
1,324 Posts
Nec 210.8(A)(5)
1 - 14 of 14 Posts
