Electrical Outlets and Receptacles

 

Electrical Outlets and Receptacles

Electrical outlets are the place where you are most likely to interact with your home’s electrical system on a daily basis.

Polarized & Grounded Outlets: 1920s – Present

Since 1920, most homes have been outfitted with polarized outlets that feature two vertical slots of different sizes. These outlets are designed so that the slot for the neutral wire is wider than the slot for the hot wire, making it difficult to insert an electrical plug the wrong way. When used with a polarized plug, these outlets provide protection by keeping electrical current directed.

Grounded outlets have a round hole for the grounding conductor in addition to the two vertical slots. The circle slot is connected to a ground wire. Grounded outlets are required to be installed in all modern homes today. If your home does not have grounded outlets, then your electrical system is likely missing critical safety features. Consult an electrician about updating your home.

Tamper Resistant Receptacles (TRRs)

Each year, approximately 2,400 children suffer severe shock and burns when they stick items into the slots of electrical receptacles. It is estimated that there are six to 12 child fatalities a year related to this. Tamper resistant receptacles (TRRs) look like standard wall outlets, but they feature an internal shutter mechanism which prevents children from sticking objects like hairpins, keys, and paperclips into the receptacle.

This spring-loaded shutter system in a TRR outlet only opens when equal pressure is applied simultaneously to both shutters, such as when an electrical plug is inserted. Unlike plastic outlet covers, TRRs provide automatic and continuous protection for children.

While hospitals have required TRRs for decades, the 2008 edition of the National Electrical Code mandated that these specialized outlets be installed in new home construction.

Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs)

Since the 1970s, ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) have saved thousands of lives and have helped cut the number of home electrocutions in half.

GFCIs are electrical safety devices that trip electrical circuits when they detect ground faults or leakage currents. A person who becomes part of a path for leakage current will be severely shocked or electrocuted. These outlets prevent deadly shock by quickly shutting off power to the circuit if the electricity flowing into the circuit differs by even a slight amount from that returning.

A GFCI should be used in any indoor or outdoor area where water may come into contact with electrical products. The 2008 edition of the National Electrical Code currently requires that GFCIs be used in all kitchens, bathrooms, garages, and outdoors. GFCIs should be tested once a month to confirm that they are working properly.