multi-wire circuit on 2-pole gfi breaker

[garrett]

I am working on an existing kitchen that was wired with 3-wire branch circuits. Question is can I install wiremold 1 circuit strips for each of the two kitchen circuits and wire them to a 2-pole GFI BREAKER even though they share a netural. Do you forsee any problem with this installation.

Thank You In Advance for your Imput You have been very helful in the past.

Garrett

[Jerry Peck - Codeman]

Garrett,

Yes, there is a GFCI breaker you can use for a multiwire circuit (which is what you have), here is one of them (there are likely other manufacturers too): (place cursor over link, right click, select 'Open in New Window', the link will open in a new window) http://www.sea.siemens.com/us/internet- ... N-0908.pdf

However ... the cost of breakers is rather high, and then when the breaker trips you have to go to the panel to reset it. For the average kitchen with the average number of receptacles which would need GFCI protection, you would likely spend much less to just install a GFCI receptacle at each receptacle location and wire them as by-pass (not feed-through) so that no GFCI receptacle protects any other receptacle, each only protects itself.

Not only is the cost likely less, but you now have the convenience of having the GFCI reset button right there at the receptacle.

My kitchen does not have multiwire circuit, nonetheless, though, I installed a GFCI receptacle at each receptacle location for the convenience factor alone. There are 8 GFCI receptacles in our kitchen (more than what is normal minimum code as I added some when I remodeled the kitchen), and at about $15 to $20 each that would be $120 to $160 for the GFCI receptacles - and the reset is right there at each receptacle. The breaker you are thinking of using is probably $125 to $150 itself - and you end up with the reset back at the panel.

Just another option to consider - convenience does not cost much in this case.