we're remodeling our bathroom and were simply looking to switch out 20 year old light almond outlets and light switches for white. While I thought this would be easy I've run into a problem with the outlet by the sink. I'm no electrician, but I do have a physics degree so I can understand diagrams and the basic way electricity works yet now I can fully appreciate how difficult it can be.
The box used to be a 15 amp 120V 60Hz GFCI and a 15 amp 125V non GFCI outlet. From the store I bought two 20 amp 125v 60Hz GFCI outlets, and I have two 15 amp 125V non GFCI outlets hoping this would be all I needed to get this puzzle figured out (and I heard you needed 20 amp for the bathroom for hairdryers and
such).
Coming into the box (It seems very old, it is metal while the others were more of a blue plastic) are 1 white, 1 black and 1 red wire, then a ground wire. I've tried to connect just the black and white to the line in the GFCI, then I tried red to hot and that didn't work either. I was hoping to get the GFCI to work itself before trying any LOAD options for the second outlet. Which, according to code does it have to be another GFCI, or just connected through the GFCI so it offered protection for both? I'd eventually like to have two connections from this box like there were before, but I also want to keep things within code (I'm not sure it was before) so while it may take some dry wall fun, I could convert it to a single box if allowed/only way it will work.
Also from reading some problems, others have had a problem with the breaker being the wrong type? I looked at the switch and it has a 15 on it (since other switches have 20s on them, I'm assuming this is for the amps) so is it against code to just purchase 15 amp GCFI rather than having to do some wiring I haven't the slightest idea how to do, or is the 20 amp simply recommended? I don't remember ever having a problem with it before.
Best Answer
Let's see if we can answer this in pictures. For one feed from the breaker panel, to have each of the outlets on their own GFCI, you want this:
For one feed from the breaker panel to have one GFCI protecting downstream outlets, you want this:
However, you say that you have a red and a black wire in the box, and this complicates things. You might have a MWBC (multi-wire branch circuit) feeding the outlets, with the red hot on one outlet and the black hot on the other:
Or, you could have something else in this outlet, in which case (espcially if you don't feel confident) you really need to contact an electrician to get it sorted out.