[rogerwh]

I installed some basement outlets, more than twenty years ago. Just recently I installed a outside outlet, on that same circuit. I realize they all need to be on a GFCI circuit so I went to Home Depot and purchased the Square D, GFCI breaker below. The installation seems to be pretty straight forward and all the of the outlets are grounded, all the way back to the breaker box. When I called the electrician to get the breaker installed, he said there may be some problems we will run into. So my question is, what kind of problems is he expecting?

Installation instructions.

https://images.thdstatic.com/catalog/pdfImages/a7/a795fd91-1f0f-4237-b957-65beea05cc4f.pdf

 

[Steve2444]

I couldn't imagine what the "problems" would be, but I'm not an electrician.
Can you not change out the breaker?

As an aside for when the pros get here, if this is all on one circuit, can't just the first box(outlet) in the line have Gfci ?
Wouldn't that cover everything down stream?

 

[jbfan]

The only issues I could think of would be mis wired receptacles or ground/neutrals touching which would trip the breaker.

 

[dcwired]

#1 thought is are you sure you got the correct style square D breaker? Is your panel style QO, not Homeline? You do have a QO breaker if that is your panel style.
Are there any 3 way switches on this circuit? If so, the lights may be using a neutral from another circuit. You know if so since you said that you installed it.
If the receptacles are daisy chained, a single GFCI receptacle would be easier and 1/2 to he cost.

 

[rogerwh]

I couldn't imagine what the "problems" would be, but I'm not an electrician.
Can you not change out the breaker?

As an aside for when the pros get here, if this is all on one circuit, can't just the first box(outlet) in the line have Gfci ?
Wouldn't that cover everything down stream?

Yes I have installed many regular/no GFCI breakers. But I have not installed a GFCI breaker and that is why I consulted an electrician. If you checked the instructions, switching the two is not that simple. The circuit neutral must run through the breaker
There is no first outlet. I wire the circuit to a junction box, then divided the circuit to different areas of the basement. That is why I thought the GFCI breaker would be the way to go.

 

[Steve2444]

Yes I have installed many regular/none GFCI breakers. But I have not installed a GFCI breaker and that is why I consulted an electrician. If you checked the instructions, switching the two is not that simple. The circuit neutral must run through the breaker
There is no first outlet. I wire the circuit to a junction box, then divided the circuit to different areas of the basement. That is why I thought the GFCI breaker would be the way to go.

I was not trying to be sarcastic, I was just asking. Of course if you don't feel confident as a diy thats fine.
Yes I did check the instructions, seems simple to me though.

 

[rogerwh]

#1 thought is are you sure you got the correct style square D breaker? Is your panel style QO, not Homeline? You do have a QO breaker if that is your panel style.
Are there any 3 way switches on this circuit? If so, the lights may be using a neutral from another circuit. You know if so since you said that you installed it.
If the receptacles are daisy chained, a single GFCI receptacle would be easier and 1/2 to he cost.

This is a ID tag on the door. Will a QO door be on a Homeline box?

The QO on the tag is why I got the QO breaker. That could be what the electrician is thinking.
The only switch in the circuit is to a ceiling fan, it's not a 3-way.

 

[dcwired]

I feel you can install it. Take the circuit neutral off of the neutral bar and install both the hot and neutral in the appropriate spots on the breaker. Take the white wire on the breaker and put it on the neutral bar. This will only work if the circuit neutral is not shared with another circuit.

 

[dcwired]

I am sure you have the correct breaker.

 

[rogerwh]

I was not trying to be sarcastic, I was just asking. Of course if you don't feel confident as a diy thats fine.
Yes I did check the instructions, seems simple to me though.

It seemed simple to me too, until the electrician talked about possible problems.

 

[Steve2444]

It seemed simple to me too, until the electrician talked about possible problems.

He doesn't get paid unless he gets hired.
I suspect a bit of making a potential customer worry about "not" hiring him.

This is what this dyi forum is here for after all.

 

[rogerwh]

I am sure you have the correct breaker.

Looking at the tag on the door, could you link me to the correct 20 amp breaker I should have?

 

[dcwired]

The only different types of QO is with a pigtail wire or not (plug-in neutral). With pigtail like you pictured as having purchased works on either type panel. Plug-in neutral panels are apx. in the last 8 years and have a full length neutral bar against the breakers.

 

[dcwired]

Change my terminology to plug-on neutral.
BTW, the catalogue # on the cover is the cover #, not the panel #.

 

[rogerwh]

The only different types of QO is with a pigtail wire or not (plug-in neutral). With pigtail like you pictured as having purchased works on either type panel. Plug-in neutral panels are apx. in the last 8 years and have a full length neutral bar against the breakers.

I check the QO and Homeline box dimensions and found the two boxes are a big difference. I believe it’s very reasonable to believe the QO cover is on a QO box.

 

[GCTony]

Just my two cents but I don't think anyone, especially professionals should encourage someone to do something they don't have much confidence in doing such as changing a breaker in an energized panel.

 

[Steve2444]

Just my two cents but I don't think anyone, especially professionals should encourage someone to do something they don't have much confidence in doing such as changing a breaker in an energized panel.

Then de-energize it. It's called a main breaker.

 

[GCTony]

Then de-energize it. It's called a main breaker.

Unless there's a disconnect or you pull the meter, it's still and energized panel. However that isn't the point. The OP said he didn't feel comfortable installing the GFCI breaker but some keep encouraging him to do it. The breaker is easy (neutral to the lug on the breaker and neutral pigtail to the neutral bar) but understandably he's worried about something else that could be/go wrong.

Lots of people here at DYI Talk are doing some "sketchy" electrical work, get themselves into a little trouble and asking for help, which is great but at what point does a professional realize the person asking for help really has no business messing with something, where they really don't understand the basics and even knowing when the advise may not be good advise. Again, just sharing my opinion.

 

[rogerwh]

I thank everyone for their opinion and like I said in another post, I know what is involved in replacing the breaker. The instructions are very simple to understand and I’m sure I could replace the break. The question is in the OP, what did the electrician mean, there could be a problem after the install? The thread has given me a few things to check, but no real problems that would come up after the installation.
I always turn off the main breaker, any time I work within the breaker panel. Turning off the main breaker, is the best advice in the thread and should be the first thing everyone does.
Thanks again.

 

[Domo]

I think the biggest problem the "electrician" can see is you not believing his excuse to move a few breakers, balance the power distribution in your house and pay for his kids education.

If you have room in your breaker box the installation should be pretty easy; Turn off main power - pull the original breaker, run the wires according to the new breaker's instructions and button everything back up.