Is it okay to have only one GFCI outlet per circuit?

Question

I'm in a 1990 house that has two GFCI outlets on two circuits. One (for two bathrooms) is a GFCI + three standard outlets. The other (kitchen) is similar. To clarify, if the GFCI is popped, the other outlets are inactive.

Is this the way it should be? Something just seems dangerous about having a standard outlet within a couple feet of a sink. My basic concern is, if a mixer connected to a standard outlet gets dropped in the sink, does the GFCI earlier in the circuit protect it?

Would it be better to change them all, or could that be harmful?

Thanks much.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

The GFCI outlet is protecting the downstream outlets the same as itself.  There would be not be an advantage to rewiring and changing all the outlets to GFCI outlets.

Ground fault interrupters operate by detecting an imbalance of the hot wire current and the neutral current.  In other words if there is current going out on the hot wire that does not come back on the neutral conductor the interrupter shuts down the circuit.  The test button causes this imbalance to activate the trip mechanism to insure that it works.

Mr. Ree · Answer

gfci's are designed to protect all receptacles downstream from them, thats why when it trips all outlets after it do not work.

Anonymous · Answer

It is working the way it should,anthing wired downstream of the gfi will be tripped .

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Is it okay to have only one GFCI outlet per circuit?

3 Answers