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GFCI & ground rod at pond; GFCI inside double gang box?
I am installing a weatherproof outlet at my pond which is 35 feet from my house. My house was built in 1948 and none of my household circuits are grounded. I will, of course, be installing a GFCI (15A to match circuit) at the pond. FIRST QUESTION: I was going to use an in-use double gang weatherproof box and put the GFCI in line with an additional outlet next to it, so that I would have four (protected) outlets for my pond pumps. I was just reading the instructions for installing the GFCI and it states to have no more than two wires, not counting the ground, inside the box. It shows a diagram of the GFCI in a single-gang box, and then the load line coming off and going to another single gang box. Is this true - can I not put a GFCI and an additional double outlet inside the same box (which would be 4 wires not counting grounds)? SECOND QUESTION: As I said before, my circuits are not grounded. I had planned on driving in a ground rod at the pond and connecting copper wire to the GFCI ground terminal, along with the ground wire from the 12/2 cable I'm running - and also tie into the other double outlet's ground. I read somewhere on a pond forum that one should not connect a ground rod to the GFCI. I have had conflicting info from "sperts" at local hardware stores - they say use a ground rod, but the online pond "sperts" say no. So I'm asking yet another expert to break the tie and hopefully set my mind to rest. I want this to be safe. FYI - This will not be a dedicated circuit - I am tapping into an existing 15A circuit that has very little load (ceiling lights, etc.) - this same circuit is from where I am currently using an extension cord for the pond pumps, and from which another line (romex underground) was in use for 30 years prior to becoming "compromised". (It was here when I moved in....) Thanks much for any help.
I am installing a weatherproof outlet at my pond which is 35 feet from my house. My house was built in 1948 and none of my household circuits are grounded. I will, of course, be installing a GFCI (15A to match circuit) at the pond. FIRST QUESTION: I was going to use an in-use double gang weatherproof box and put the GFCI in line with an additional outlet next to it, so that I would have four (protected) outlets for my pond pumps. I was just reading the instructions for installing the GFCI and it states to have no more than two wires, not counting the ground, inside the box. It shows a diagram of the GFCI in a single-gang box, and then the load line coming off and going to another single gang box. Is this true - can I not put a GFCI and an additional double outlet inside the same box (which would be 4 wires not counting grounds)? SECOND QUESTION: As I said before, my circuits are not grounded. I had planned on driving in a ground rod at the pond and connecting copper wire to the GFCI ground terminal, along with the ground wire from the 12/2 cable I'm running - and also tie into the other double outlet's ground. I read somewhere on a pond forum that one should not connect a ground rod to the GFCI. I have had conflicting info from "sperts" at local hardware stores - they say use a ground rod, but the online pond "sperts" say no. So I'm asking yet another expert to break the tie and hopefully set my mind to rest. I want this to be safe. FYI - This will not be a dedicated circuit - I am tapping into an existing 15A circuit that has very little load (ceiling lights, etc.) - this same circuit is from where I am currently using an extension cord for the pond pumps, and from which another line (romex underground) was in use for 30 years prior to becoming "compromised". (It was here when I moved in....) Thanks much for any help.