Portable GFCI

GFCI stands for Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter. Usually used as electrical outlets or circuit breakers, these receptacles provide power to your devices with added protection from faults. GFCI automatically cut off electricity supply in the event of electrical leaking to prevent faults or shorts from happening.

A portable GFCI is a temporary receptacle that provides general purpose ground fault protection when access to permanent outlets may not be possible. These units act as middlemen between the electrical source and the device or tool you want to use. HomElectrical offers a great selection of portable GFCI products from trusted brands like Ericson and Eaton Wiring that provide reliable protection when it really counts.

A ground fault happens when electricity leaks out from its source location and directly to ground, which may occur from a damaged appliance or improper/damaged wiring, among other things. Preventing ground faults from happening is incredibly important because it can prevent dangerous electrical shock to you or others and prevent your equipment from becoming significantly damaged or destroyed. In fact, anyone who is standing around a ground fault is in danger of being directly affected by it. Ericson offers a 50-ft portable GFCI with outlet box that works to prevent ground faults in both 2-wire and 3-wire circuits!

Nuisance tripping is when circuit breakers unnecessarily trip when there isn’t a fault occurring. This interrupts power supply to the load end or the device/application you want to direct power to. Nuisance tripping is bad for several reasons, one being severe power imbalance. Total power outages of entire towns can occur because of a power imbalance through cascading chain reactions of circuits tripping. HomElectrical offers several products to prevent nuisance tripping, such as Ericson’s 1800W IND Portable GFCI, providing both resistance to corrosive environments and to nuisance tripping.

Yes. Portable GFCI’s, like standard GFCI receptacles, can instantly detect and prevent ground faults right as they are about to occur. However, as safe as they are, they should only be used as temporary solutions for ground fault protection. Portable/temporary GFCIs should be tested before every use to make sure they are still working properly. You can do this by pressing the TEST button, and if the RESET button pops out, then your portable GFCI is still in working order. If not, it might be time to replace it. Fortunately, HomElectrical offers a great variety of portable GFCIs, such as Eaton Wiring’s 20A GFCI 2 ft 12/3 Cord, offering a voltage rating of 240V for 3 outlets and 2 feet of length.