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Finding first receptacle in a room

3K views 20 replies 14 participants last post by  A Little Short 
#1 ·
Anyone got any shortcuts to finding the first receptacle in a room to put in a GFCI and feed downstream from there?
 
#9 ·
That's usually where I look, but this house has been added on to, sub panels installed, walls moved, on and on....
I just did a walk through today and am going tomorrow to do the work. Also, making it more difficult, it's a two story with a basement. All the panels are in the basement, but there is no rhyme nor reason to how it's wired.
 
#8 ·
Just my opinion: I never liked the "first receptacle" idea. After you're long gone, that GFCI is gonna trip and the homeowner is almost certainly gonna have to call an electrician to figure out why all the receptacles suddenly don't work.

A GFCI breaker is best, but a labeled deadfront GFCI next to the panel at least gives them a fighting chance of finding it.

-John
 
#16 · (Edited)
Screwdriver and logic.


A GFCI breaker is best, but a labeled deadfront GFCI next to the panel at least gives them a fighting chance of finding it.
Or label the panel "GFCI located in west bedroom" I remember spending about an hour searching for an open circuit and finally found a CFGI recep behind a hanging mirror in a tiny powder room.



The breaker or GFCI receps at the panel are indeed the best option most of the time. The feeds will often go into switch boxes or thru ceiling boxes and split all over the place.
 
#17 ·
The breaker or GFCI receps at the panel are indeed the best option
most of the time (for the electrician who has to fix something).
But doesn't that completely defeat the whole point of having a GFI receptacle?

On those rare events when the GFI trips...
NOT having to go outside or down in the basement to reset (something)
so your daughter can keep drying her hair or for the coffee to finish brewing
is a convenience few homeowners will want to give up.
 
#21 ·
Sould Have Bought a Lottery Ticket

I was very lucky and found the first receptacle in every area. Don't think I could be that lucky again. I even saved a bunch of time when I found another panel that had 2 GFCI breakers that controlled 2 of the baths and outside. These 2 circuits, along with the rest of the areas were scattered all over the place. This was a 3700 s ft house that must have had the Three Stooges wire it.:jester:
I ended up putting 5 GFCI receptacles in to cover the requirements.
I definitely do need a good tracer though.
 
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