GFCI Help

[fishfreak1242]

This may seem kinda stupid, but I just got a GFCI (its one the five plug outlets) in the mail yesterday and I dont know how to plug it into the wall. There is this little plastic pin thing sticking out of the back preventing me from plugging it into the wall outlet. So if anyone can help me out with this, that would be great. Thanks

 

[spanko]

Need pics and or brand so that we can see what you are talking about.
By the way, if it were me I would return it and get one that replaces the wall plug.

 

[fishfreak1242]

Its the shockbuster 5 plug outlet.

 

[fishfreak1242]

Originally Posted by spanko
http:///forum/post/2576689
Need pics and or brand so that we can see what you are talking about.
By the way, if it were me I would return it and get one that replaces the wall plug.
Where can I get the ones that replace the wall outlet?

 

[scopus tang]

Any hardware store, but doing this requires a little knowledge of electricity, and unless you know what you are doing, generally requires hiring an electrician.

 

[fishfreak1242]

Originally Posted by Scopus Tang
http:///forum/post/2576714
Any hardware store, but doing this requires a little knowledge of electricity, and unless you know what you are doing, generally requires hiring an electrician.
Yeh, I dont really kno much about electrical stuff and I dont think that im going to mess with the outlet. Is there anything easier that I can do?

 

[olingerjccj]

Is your wall a 2 prong. if so you can buy a adapter that takes 3 prong to 2. there like a 1.00

 

[scopus tang]

Any chance you can post a pic of your GFCI plug like spanko suggested? Can't imagine what type of plastic piece is preventing you from plugging it in

. Is the piece removable?

 

[spanko]

This is not a hard thing to do but if you are not comfortable don't attempt it. Find a friend or family member familiar with the process and ask them to help.

 

[fishfreak1242]

Originally Posted by Scopus Tang
http:///forum/post/2576742
Any chance you can post a pic of your GFCI plug like spanko suggested? Can't imagine what type of plastic piece is preventing you from plugging it in

. Is the piece removable?
The piece is connected to the plug. I dont think that I can take is off without destroying the plug itself. Heres a link to where I bought it. http://www.**************.com/produc...2&pcatid=14702
its the 5 outlet one.

 

[scopus tang]

Huh! Obviously, the five outlet one should just plug into the wall outlet ~ can't figure out the plastic piece. Is the outlet set too far back into the wall, or does the plastic piece actually stick out as far as the metal prongs of the plug?

 

[fishfreak1242]

Originally Posted by Scopus Tang
http:///forum/post/2576982
Huh! Obviously, the five outlet one should just plug into the wall outlet ~ can't figure out the plastic piece. Is the outlet set too far back into the wall, or does the plastic piece actually stick out as far as the metal prongs of the plug?
The is right at the wall. The plastic piece sticks out as far as the prongs do. Its only a 2 outlet in the wall.

 

[scopus tang]

Boy, you've got me stumped. Is the plastic piece maybe designed to fit into grounding hole of the second plug so that it can only be plugged into the upper plug? Can't imagine they would do that with plastic, but thats the only thing that comes to mind. Does the box or the directions tell you anything about the plastic piece?

 

[prime311]

Ok maybe the answer this question is way too easy but the description:
"This easy-to-use Plug-In GFCI Adapter fits any standard 3-wire outlet"
So if you have the 3rd wire(which is the ground) and this is what you're referring to as the 'plastic piece' and you're outlet is only a 2 wire then you at the least need a grounded to ungrounded plug adapter and I'm not sure the GFCI will function properly without the ground anyway.

 

[notsonoob]

That would be an affirmative, however, all the GFCI is searching for is a direct short to ground, which is also your neutral wire, which is also grounded.
If you have a two prong plug, which would tell me that you should have a new grounded outlet installed especially around a fish tank.
But if you want that info why didn't you just google it?
Overview
Protects from electrical shocks
Plug into any 3-prong dual outlet
Converts electric outlet into safety outlets
Essential Info
Protect your electronics from destructive power surges! By plugging your expensive components into the Shock Buster 5-Outlet GFCI, you'll be protecting them from the electrical shocks that could damage them irreparably. Best of all, you'll actually get more outlet space: It may plug into two outlets, but the Shock Buster 5-Outlet GFCI can handle five separate components at once.
What's Included
Outlet
Instructions
More Info
No installation is necessary; just plug the Shock Buster ground fault circuit interrupter into any 3-prong dual outlet. The electronic sensing device built into the Shock Buster instantly detects leakage currents as low as 4mA and in a fraction of a second turns the power off to prevent injury and to avoid electrocution.
Additional features include test and reset buttons.
If you need some assistance I can help you.

 

[scopus tang]

Ok assuming that the issue is a standard ungrounded outlet ~ if he's going to have a grounded outlet put in, then he just as well put in a GFCI outlet, and skip the whole plug-in thing anyway. I believe that GFCI will function without a ground cause a buddy just had to have every outlet in his home replaced with GFCI outlets in order to bring it up to code, because it was an old house with no common ground, but I could be wrong

? But someone please tell me why the H--L they would make a ground out of plastic?! That doesn't make any sense to me at all.

 

[gmann1139]

Originally Posted by olingerjccj
http:///forum/post/2576734
Is your wall a 2 prong. if so you can buy a adapter that takes 3 prong to 2. there like a 1.00
And completely defeat the purpose of a GFCI.
My guess is that the outlet wants you to plug it into the top of a double outlet, and then the plastic piece goes into the ground of the bottom outlet.
I have HD part number 187860 (just search on it). Does it look similar to that?

 

[metweezer]

I don't understand this

If the piece of plastic which you describe prevents you from inserting it into your outlet and can't be removed it is not the ground prong. They are not made of plastic but the same metal as the plug itself. I understand that you have 2 outlets, one on top of the other. Does each outlet have a recepticle for a 3 prong plug? If so then I think the plastic piece can be removed from your GFCI powerstrip.

 

[notsonoob]

ALL RIGHT!
I found the picture of the back.
It is the second grounding plug for the bottom outlet. It isn't used put used to fit the adapter into the double outlet.
You need to put it into a three pronged grounded outlet. As I'm smaking my head I just now remember putting one in a couple of months ago.
IF you do not have that grounding plug, you will need to anyway to protect yourself as the ground is there for protections of a short.
The GFCI outlet searches a short to neutral, not ground, but the ground is there for added protection as your ground is usually attached to the bottom of the outlet (and if the box is metal, to the box, then to the panel.
You could probably get away with cutting it off as it is only there to stabalize and hold the outlet in place.

 

[notsonoob]

This will probably eventually be disabled, but here is a good link to show a picture.
http://www.smarthome.com/4277.html