Replacement GFI Amps

[rtamobile]

When we had a pre-purchase RV inspection done the GFI kept tripping. We were told to replace the old GFI with a new 20A GFI outlet, even though the GFI Breaker is only 15Amp. Help me understand that? Should the new GFI be only 15A - the same as the breaker or does it matter?

[JWA]

As GFI's age or are repeatedly tripped they "wear down" and become less able to hold the circuit closed. It would be a best practice to match the GFI's amp rating to the breaker but it would be no issue if its of a lower rating.

HTH

[Scalf77]

If the breaker for the circuit is 15 amps the GFI should be 15 amp.

-greg

[posplayr]

I did not know this
https://www.homelectrical.com/how-lo...ts-last.6.html

[daveb]

Originally Posted by rtamobile

When we had a pre-purchase RV inspection done the GFI kept tripping. We were told to replace the old GFI with a new 20A GFI outlet, even though the GFI Breaker is only 15Amp. Help me understand that? Should the new GFI be only 15A - the same as the breaker or does it matter?

I wouldn't go higher amps unless I knew the wiring and electrical system is rated to handle the higher amps.

[maurshir]

I would suggest the circuit breaker is the over current protection device. The ampere rating of the GFI recep. indicates the current it can safely handle. The GFI recep is a safety device designed to trip when current leakage to ground exceeds some safe/trivial amount, it is not an overcurrent protective device. I agree with the statement that old GFI receps may tend to trip prematurely and should be replaced. While I don't know it to be a fact, it would not surprise me if a 20 amp GFI recep tolerates finitely higher ground fault leakage compared to a 15 amp model.

[BCam]

Industrial and even hospital grade GCFIs are available. I don't know, but I would assume that they're more resistant to premature failure. I also agree that sticking with the same amp rating as your breaker is a good idea.

https://www.homedepot.com/s/industrial%2520gfci?NCNI-5

[wanderers]

A 20amp receptacle can accept a 20amp plug, which could overload the breaker, which is why the National Electrical code says you can't do it. I would stay with the 15 amp receptacle. If the new receptacle keeps tripping then there is probably a small leak of power between the conductors. Some GFIs do get weak and some are probably too sensitive from the start. I wouldn't put a 20amp in, even though I have never used any appliance with a 20a plug, and not many people have, it would still be best to stay with the correct receptacle. Since the receptacle is designed to trip with an imbalance of current on the conductors, increasing the load capacity of the receptacle shouldn't change whether or not you get nuisance tripping.