An Eagle (Cooper) brand GFCI receptacle mounted outdoors severely overheated. A hole was melted through through the plastic. The inside of the phenolic mounting box and wiring are charred.

The analysis of the damaged GFCI that was sent to Cooper by another person said that the cause of the problem was moisture. I believe this to be the causee of my problem also.

Is this problem specific to Eagle Brand (Cooper), or are all GFCI receptacles subject to moisture problems? Although it would be agaist code, I am consdering abandoning the GFCI receptacles on the exterior of my home and making up a potable GFCI receptacle box that I can use outdoors with extension cords.

Does anyone know of a brand of GFCI receptacle that is not suspectible to moisture failures?

Manufactures need to complete a risk assessment on their product covering all conceivable situations and deliver a safe and reliable product to the end user. Do we have to wait for a serious accident to find defects?

In our inspection jurisdiction, we have for years recommended that the electricians place the GFCI device indoors and use the feed through feature to protect the outdoor receptacles. In this industry where speed is of the essence, it is rare that the cover has a bead of silicone on the top edge to keep water out. Even with the GFCI device indoors, water getting into the exterior box leads to many call backs and irritated customers. One other concern with the TR devices that needs to be addressed is the difficulty encountered when inserting the cord. Not only are they often "childproof", inadvertently "grandmother proof". Have others noticed this problem? Keep up the good work Mike.

The problem with installing the GFCI indoors where you don't have the moisture problem is the nuisance tripping and having to constantly reset it. The problem with installing them outdoors is the inevitable failure of the device. Of the two, installing the GFCI indoors is probably the better option.

I am a building inspector in Louisiana, another high humidity region. I recommend that GFCI Protection for exterior outlets be accomplished with a GFCI breaker rather than use of receptacles. I have seen many outlets fail rapidly in humidity.

I agree with placing the GFCI receptacle indoors and using the feed-thru feature and have moved the outdoor GFCI devices to an indoor location. I've not found a way to gasket the plate and box on an outdoor box in a brick wall or wood siding location. It's really great when the siding laps where the receptacle box is roughed; the box and cover just can't be sealed properly. My curiosity was pricked by the rusty screw terminal. I've been operating under the concept that the terminals and screw are non-ferrous. ????

Have found over the years that Cooper doesn't have the best products, especially the GFCI's. But, to be fair, not many outlets are going to fare well if subjected to too much moisture. I, to, will try to keep my groundfault protection indoors if possible. I have found that the new style outdoor box, like the Arlington Dri-box, is much better at keeping outlets dry and use them when ever possible.

It is difficult to believe that Eagle never counted on these devices being installed in damp and wet locations, hence the need for them in the first place. It also seems to me that having to install them inside to feed outside receptacles defeats their purpose. It would make more sense just water proof the device! Or just not make them anymore. I use this type of device because the cost of the breaker is still prohibitive, but since safety is supposed to be the main issue I guess I'll go back to using the breakers.

Norman Slover

I've worked in semi-conductor and PCB manufacturing facilities and where there was a problem with a device that was known to be prone to moisture, the boards would be dipped to comformal coat the boards and the other solution to the problem would be to make a package that was hermetically sealed. I see no reason why a manufacturer could not make a moisture proof embodiment for the product. If this is not possible, then the appropriate response should be adequate labeling on the product packaging indicating that the product should not be used in areas that are prone to moisture.

Rick

There are special treatments to "tropicalize" a circuit board with contaminents is no a problem. Our local electronic supplier carries the solution.

Why don't they make them water proof?

[i]Maybe it would be a good practice to install the GFCI device on the inside of the building and use the feed through feature to protect the outlets on the exterior of the building? [/i]

They do make GFI breakers you know.

I generally install the GFI on the inside and use the feed through feature to protect the rcpt on the outside. Started doing that many years ago when I noticed customers destroying their GFI's by spraying hornet killer sprays into the "code keeper" enclosures.

I am on my fourth case of GFCI receptacle failures in which the GFCI was burned similar in appearance to the one in the picture. 3 of these receptacles were indoors, 2 away from moisture, one above a sink (but never used), one outdoor. Each of these GFCI receptacles was stamped "made in china" regardless of the brand or make. Tell me this problem with moisture is an issue with these as well. I am having a hard time believing that moisture is an issue with a bad product. Just because someone says they have the problem solved does not mean the problem goes away. Toyota also said they have the brake problems fixed, do you believe them as wlell?

What will the new 'WR' listed GFCI receptacles provide for protection from this failure ? I would expect at least that a conformal coating would be applied to all circuit boards / components in such rated devices.

I don't think I've seen an analysis of where these failures have occured; were they installed outdoors in vinyl siding, stone or other such irregular surfaces where sealing is a problem when a 50 cent plastic box was used instead of an FS box being properly fitted and installed ?

My home (in Florida) has a GFCI breaker in the panel for the exterior receptacle circuit. This would eliminate the problem of moisture intrusion in the GFCI device that Anthony experienced.

We use alot of electronic controls in some very harsh conditions. The PC boards are coated with either an epoxy coating or lately, a type of clear elastic to keep the moisture off off the components. Maybe they ought to consider this approach and rate them for outdoor use.

I have yet to see a gasket for an outside receptacle last more than a year here in SW Florida.

Do the new WR (weather resistant) rated GFCI receptacles address/correct this problem?

I agree strongly that GFCI devices be kept on the inside in a dry location. My experiance has taught me in a number of cases that you cannot keep moisture away from devices in an outdoor location.

Water always wins.

There are several ways to ruggidize devices when located in environments such as excessive moisture, high humidity, etc.. However, it appears to me that the industry, in trying to contain costs and remain price competitive has opted not to ensure the products can be operated in a safe manner. I agree that no general use WP cover or box is going to keep out 100% of the moisture. Rather than risk potential damage, perhaps the best solution is a code requirement to ensure the type of problem originally noted, is addressed.

I hadn't thought about it before, but the suggestion of possibly using the feed through feature of the GFCI receptacles to place the protecting receptacle inside and the needing - protection receptacle outside, but without the electronics was the best suggestion going. My contractor did just that on my house, and I've never had a problem, of course.

I have had the same problem here in nebraska with the GFCI's from Cooper. The only solution I found was like they recommended, to install the GFCI inside. The problem is with homeowners not knowing where to go to reset the GFCI, most people dont have the patience to go search around for this.

In regards to faulty GFI, one possible solution would be to have the electronics of the GFI encapsulated as they do with electronic circuit boards to prevent any contamination.

That would have been my suggestion as well... put a feed through from the GFCI on the interior of the structure, to a regular outlet on the exterior of the building

Pot it- encapsulate it in epoxy or similar. It's done all the time.

GFI receptacles mounted outside have a short life. Whenever I replace failed ones or install new I always look for a solution that eliminates exterior mounted GFIs. GFI breakers or bringing out the load side of the GFI. Maybe a more expensive weatherized GFI would be another option.

It would also be helpful if the industry were to make a GFCI made for high humidity. This would include a circuit board that is potted so moisture can not infiltrate the electronics. The feed through option is nice but you still have the problem with the moisture affecting the external outlet even if it is gasketed with a waterproof cover.

COndisering these are required to be used in wet areas it is a shame that a simple encapusalation is not used to protect the PCB from moisture. This technique has been around for years and used extensively in the instrumentation field. To bad to get a product that is suppose to do what it says - you have to protect it from what it is suppose to be able to be used in. Where is the sense here?

At my former position as Design and Production Engineer for an international boat manufacturer, we tested and used products designed for marine anti-corrosion and water repellent protection. Due to this exact potential problem, we applied a spray product on all accessible electrical connections, electronic boards, and terminals. Radios too. We installed only GFCI receptacles that were 'marinized' by factory application of such a protectant on the electronic board. And we paid for the privilege.

I still field-apply a spray from CorrosionX on anything at home wherever accessible; including soaking accesible portions of GFCI's. It's a dialectric and safe on boards, lighting controls, timers, sprinkler controllers, anything you can get it onto is protected from moisture-produced current leakage, tracking, etc. Would be a nice added feature if available pre-applied at the factory at home supply stores and for electricians as an upgraded Spec-Grade model.

I would say Anthony is on target with his comment. Specifically, I think of bathrooms, in which GFCI protection is required, subject to high humidity which could condense within a GFCI device. It would seem to me that manufacturers would have foreseen the possibility (eventuality?) and protected sensitive parts from moisture damage from the get-go. I wonder why Eagle failed to consider this issue in the design.

I work at a plant that the Corporate Mandate is to follow the guidlines of the NEEC and use the GFCI'S anytime that we need to replace a outlet. However we are in a total washdown area and with the best of covers and Gaskets installed we still have a moisture problem We do not use High pressure but our water pressure is about 60 PSI and even with that we still get mositure on the insdie of the outlet boxes. Yes part of it can be Humidty but there might even be cracks in the mortore or in the block walls. So how would one get things pefectly mositure proof? I agree GFCI's should be used however lets make them a little better to help some of the issues. It is not like we don't pay a premium for the item anyways.