Why Design/Builders Specify Ground Fault Circuits

Sometimes it's easier to explain with a tale of woe when someone asks about such specs. I hope you guys, gals and others will throw in your own personal experience that relates to the oft asked client question: "why do we have to use xxxxx?"

Ground Faults are a good thing!

Years ago, I had the great idea of buying elderly homes around Atlanta (not homes for the elderly...homes with age) for fun and profit (HAH!!). This consisted of my taking possession; removing the old and starting in with the basic upkeep to make it ready for sale or rental occupancy.

One elderly gal with stone foundation; ashlar facing and tru-dimension materials got my eye and made the deal. There was not a major renov to take place....just TLC and freshening up the interiors and squaring away some exterior issues.

I remember it well. It was the dog days of Summer in Atlanta. I worked by myself for the most part and enjoyed my own pace. One task that was coming up dealt with replacing the front door. No big whoop...take down old; cinch up to new and trace across the butts to chisel out. That phase went smooooth enough. The next item involved nothing more than ripping across the bottom at a cant to accept the new threshold. Measure, mark..measure again...mark again...measure once more (ADD challenged) and straight edge a mark to saw along.

Plugging in my favorite drop cord was...a chore. All my gear had the ground prong, a luxury that was not part of the original electrical on this property.  My problem was solved with a ground lift that I kept in my toolbox for these kind of occasions. The smart end of the drop cord got my trusty, magnesium metal Skil-Saw wormdrive with the 6.5" blade (sometimes known as the southpaw saw). Taking said saw to the front stoop, I located the likely bench du jour for the job....the ornamental railing around the cap of the stoop!  Perfection!!  Just the right height and plenty stout for the weight with some action going on.  I lifted the door into position and lined up the kerf on the saw plate.  All systems were GO at that point.

I leaned into the line that the saw was chewing up...and again referencing "dog days" my sweaty bod (most especially the part Forrest Gump declared as "the but-tock") made contact with the ornamental iron railing. The other part of me completing the circuit was my left hand on the top saw handle made of pot metal and my right hand grasping the saw handle and trigger.

I never lost conciousness of what was happening.  Howsoever I did lose control of one delicate organ that I should have addressed after my 3rd Pepsi that afternoon.  I remmber seeing my arms convulsing at the elbows while the weight of the door kept me pinned to the railing. I was stuck on the saw switch with a terrible reality spinning in close proximity to my lower anatomy. Fortunately, in less than the length of time it takes to read this sentence....one exerted and semi-controlled flex of the arms tossed that spinning Skilsaw up into the air.

Once I was "unplugged" the only thing I could think of to do was put both arms over my head and hope that the blade guard spring was working because brothers and sisters...I didn't have the opportunity to choose the direction of my toss....I was merely hoping for the best and preparing for the worst. 

Fortunately, the saw went waaaaaay over there (again, I was much younger, stronger and stupider) and landed in the middle of the yard while I stood on the front stoop yelling in my best Monty Pythonesque village idiot fashion with both arms akimbo over my head with evidence of recently relieved bladder. All I needed was the knotted kerchief on my head and I was the drooling, spasming, yammering out loud village idiot...."Oy!! Me sawber da doorber and wetber myselfber."

From that tale...clients find a lot of unusual humor... but also see the necessity for spending the extra bucks to stay current (pun intended) to the NEC and general minimum standards for having ground rod(s) and GFIC.  They're there for a uniform purpose in standards for health and safety of the general public and idiots like me.

I still make mistakes...but, bubbas and bubettes...I've not made that SAME mistake twice.  Life is short enough without ever trying to mimic a two legged fuse again.