Matt42
Member
Registered: 01/23/05
Posts: 328
Loc: Maricopa County, AZ
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Is anybody making GFI outlets in the US or Canada any more? I need to replace an old one in my bathroom, and at the same time add a new duplex outlet. I have tried Lowes, H-D and Ace, and all they have are made in China. If I'm in a pinch, I will sometimes grimace and buy Chinese electrical stuff if it's UL listed. But no way will I ever buy GFI or overcurrent device made in China.
Any thoughts?
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A $5 smoke alarm saved my family.
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crokett
On his own list now
Registered: 11/03/04
Posts: 7995
Loc: Central NC
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Yeah - what's wrong with the ones made in China? I have a GFCI that I bought at Lowes and while I haven't checked I guess it came from China. In any case, I know it works properly having had a leaking external box on the circuit it is protecting.
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I think raising kids is as close as we humans can come to experiencing what God feels toward us and how much further he sees than we do. - Phydeaux 12/15/2009
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TerryO
Member
Registered: 01/04/06
Posts: 177
Loc: Winnipeg Canada
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Good luck finding that! Don't you know everything is made in China now! The workers make 50 cents a day and all live in shacks with five generations in one room.
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Yes dear wife, I do love you as much as my tools. Lets go to the tool store so I can show you how much! 
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EatenByLimestone
and still hungry
Registered: 01/25/04
Posts: 10399
Loc: Schenectady, NY
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Maybe you could put a GFI breaker in instead of an outlet? I don't know if they make those here either.
Matt
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If trees could scream, would we be so cavalier about cutting them down? We might, if they screamed all the time, for no good reason.
-Jack Handy
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Bob10
Sir Member
Registered: 04/03/07
Posts: 11710
Loc: San Francisco Bay Area
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The GFI outlet is a safer way to go even if your electrical panel is next to the bath. You want the power to stop as soon as possible.
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Know what, Bob? You win. CharlieD, 4/21/2008
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Splinter Puller
Member
Registered: 09/17/03
Posts: 11910
Loc: Sioux Falls, SD
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Bob10 said:
The GFI outlet is a safer way to go even if your electrical panel is next to the bath. You want the power to stop as soon as possible.
 Did you read that somewhere official or did you just pull it out of your hat?
If the GFCI breaker is 20 feet further away then a GFCI outlet and considering that electricity travels 186,000 miles per second or roughly 982 million feet per second that extra 20 feet adds a delay of 1/50,000,000th of a second. 
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blindrid
Member
Registered: 11/07/03
Posts: 2992
Loc: Castle Rock CO
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Splinter, I was wondering the same thing but was too lazy to do the math.  .
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Matt42
Member
Registered: 01/23/05
Posts: 328
Loc: Maricopa County, AZ
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crokett said:
Yeah - what's wrong with the ones made in China? I have a GFCI that I bought at Lowes and while I haven't checked I guess it came from China. In any case, I know it works properly having had a leaking external box on the circuit it is protecting.
Actually, I am getting really tired of buying Chinese goods that are of unpredictable quality, even when of the same brand and model number. When UL listed, I wonder if the samples given to UL and then the assembly line spot-check items are rigged somehow. Lastly, there is no price break for the consumer for the item when the Chinese product may have a labour cost of (I guess) $1/hour and the North American product may have (I again guess) a labour cost of $12/hour. In other words, the product made in North America may cost $5, but when made in China also costs $5. If the production costs are the same, why bother offshoring the manufacturing? Somebody is making a buncha money.
I understand that this rant may border on belonging in the basement, but I really prefer to buy North American for predictable quality. I'll even go with NAFTA products first.
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A $5 smoke alarm saved my family.
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canarywood1
Member
Registered: 01/27/08
Posts: 50
Loc: Sarasota Fl.
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"Somebody is making a buncha money."
You just answered your question.
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Bob10
Sir Member
Registered: 04/03/07
Posts: 11710
Loc: San Francisco Bay Area
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Inspector told me that, actually more than one has told me that. Never really had any reason to doubt them and arguing with one has never served me well. I installed the GFI's in the kitchen under the sink so the plugs above the counter would all look the same. Then again I didn't ask for approval and if I get hurt in my house I won't sue myself. The rentals OTOH get done like the inspector wants to reduce my chance of being sued.
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Know what, Bob? You win. CharlieD, 4/21/2008
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