Which is better; GFCI outlets, or grounded outlets?

Question

im looking to do some electrical repair to my homes old electrical system and am curious to know the pros and cons of GFCI outlets vs Grounded outlets.

so which is better and why? are there times when using one is a major improvement over another?

Answer 1

GFCI are required for wet locations.They are prone to tripping on surges though.Gnd.ed is ok for most dry areas and much cheaper.

Answer 2

GFCI outlets are required by code in areas that can be exposed to wetness (kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms, and exterior outlets). But, they can trip easily, especially under a heavy surge load (they think the surge is a ground fault). So, when they're not required by code, go with the grounded sockets.

I had a friend over doing some concrete work, where he had to use a heavy-duty worm drive concrete saw to remove part of a slab. He plugged it into the external GFCI outlet and pulled the trigger. The thing ran for less than a second before the high current surge tripped the GFCI.

He tried resetting the outlet, but the green pilot wouldn't come on. Having done this myself before, I knew that there were actually 3 GFCI outlets in that circuit - the exterior one, one near the kitchen sink, and one near a bathroom sink. So, I reset them all and told him to just plug his saw into the grounded outlet inside the house. He had no more problems.

Answer 3

GFCI outlets are for use where there is greater danger of electrical shock.

The code requires them for outdoor outlets, some basement outlets,

outlets in kitchens, toilets, and laundry rooms.

The GFCI circuitry compares the current in the two legs of the circuit, and trips when they are not equal, so that any leakage is prevented.

They are more complex and will be costly.

Grounded outlets simply provide a grounding path for devices with three prong plugs.

As long as your home has a ground system, (metallic boxes and cable sheaths, or Romex with ground wire), standard grounding outlets are fine except in the areas mentioned.

Answer 4

GFI's are required in wet areas and are required to replace plugs without a ground, if you have plugs with no grounds  it is a option to use them instead of rewiring your house, a good option for total safety is a breaker called a AFCI (arc fault breaker) , which does what it says , it detects arcing in a circuit which is one of the main causes of electrical fires in homes it is a very good option to use on older electrical wires and is now required on most new circuits installed.

So the best thing to use is a grounded arc fault protected circuit

Answer 5

GFCI outlets protect you in a wet environment. You should have no more than one GFCI on a standard circuit (if wired correctly they will protect the others in the circuit). If you want 2 or more on the same circuit (so you don't have to run downstairs to reset the thing) wiring is a little different. Not knowing the layout of your house...  

Answer 6

All modern outlets are grounded, including GFCI ones.  GFCI is just a gadget added to the outlet to detect when someone is being electrocuted.  It turns off the electricity in such a tiny fraction of a second, the person who was being electrocuted is not only saved, but doesn't even feel any shock, and doesn't even know they were in danger, except that the outlet stopped working, and needs to be reset.