I have a question concerning GFI outlets. I attempted to replace an outdoor outlet with a GFI outlet. The house was built in the late 60s and used the brown plastic boxes. After wiring the outlet and having difficulty inserting the GFI outlet back into the box, I found that the GFI is one and a quarter inches deep. The box only has one inch of clearance from the top of the box to the cable clamp. The power cables come in at the bottom from the narrow side of the box.
I then looked into replacing the circuit breaker with a GFI breaker and found the neutral lead of the wiring for the outdoor outlet in the Square D bax has been cut short at the top and will not reach the GFI breaker whne installed.
Since the exterior of the house has aluminum siding and the box cannot be replaced are there any other options available other than using an extension cord with a GFI?
Replies
"the neutral lead of the wiring for the outdoor outlet in the Square D bax has been cut short at the top and will not reach the GFI breaker whne installed. "
In some places you can splice wires inh the main panel, in others you can't.
If you can't in your jurisdiction, put a box for that circuit just outside the main panel and splice in the needed length.
Splicing more wire to the neutral in the panel in one option. Other options would be to add another receptacle on that circuit upstream of the exterior receptacle and put the GFCI there, with the exterior receptacle wired on the load side of the GFCI; another would be to add a weatherproof box extension to the existing exterior receptacle which would then give you enouogh room to add the GFCI.
Thanks for your response. For splicing more wire to the neutral, does a crimp splice connector satisfy code?
Walter
Two options come to mind, in addition to the other suggestions you've gotten.
Pull a little extra wire down into the breaker box, if possible. This may or may not work, depending on whether you have romex or conduit, and how it was wired.
The other option would be to replace the exterior box. don't know why you say it "cannot be replaced". It CAN be replaced, but it may not be easy.
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