Electrical – Does an outdoor hot tub receptacle and breaker both have to be GFCI

electricalhot-tub

I know outdoor receptacles have to be GFCI, however my hot tub manual specifically says the breaker should be GFCI (does not mention the receptacle). I know there is also a GFCI near the hot tub motor as well. If the receptacle is already GFCI, does it make sense to have a GFCI breaker as well, isn't that a waste? I suppose I could only use a GFCI breaker and not a GFCI receptacle outside, but inspectors seem to frown on that and it's a pain to reset all the way in the basement if there's ever an issue. I'm in New York State USA.

Best Answer

GFCI is not a receptacle or breaker. It is a zone of protection provided by the GFCI device. It protects everything down the line from the GFCI device.

Sometimes the GFCI device itself has a couple of convenience outlets that are on the protected side: a GFCI+receptacle combo device. This is what you mean when you casually say "GFCI", because this is the most visible form of GFCI device.

You are also familiar with the GFCI+circuit breaker combo device. This obviously protects loads downline, since it has no convenience outlets of its own, just two "LOAD" terminals. GFCI+breaker combos are $40-ish.

Then there is the GFCI-only (not a combo) device, a "black box" which does only the GFCI function. It has two LINE inputs, two LOAD outputs, and that's all. It typically comes in a rather familiar looking package, hence the slang term "deadfront". Deadfronts are about the price of the cheapest GFCI+receptacles since they don't need child-safe sockets nor outdoor rating, around $15-18.

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Since this is a dedicated circuit for 1 appliance, you also need a single plug. Common and $5 in plain sockets - rare and expensive in GFCIs.

Why do we care where we protect?

  • First, are the wires protected? If the GFCI+receptacle gets wet, or water gets inside the box, water can contact the non-protected wires directly. The GFCI tripping won't help you at that point. Not an issue with GFCI+receptacles upstream.
  • A GFCI outdoors is also ravaged by the elements and will have a much shorter service life, which is a shame because it also must be an "outdoor-rated" GFCI at extra cost.
  • Anti-tamper safety doors over the blades are required, these are much cheaper on plain receptacles than GFCI receptacles.
  • Cost -- GFCI+breaker combo devices are around $40 and you are married to your panel brand*; if your panel is an obsolete like Pushmatic, you're out of luck. Deadfronts cost $15-18 + $5 for a plain breaker. Outdoor rated, anti-tamper GFCI+receptacles cost $25+.

* Siemens makes breakers specifically for Square D QO panels; and UL lists them for QO panels only (they don't fit Siemens panels). However they are not any cheaper than Square D's QO breakers, so these "classified" breakers are a waste of time. So Don't mix and match brands, even if they "seem to" fit.

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