Is it possible to obtain one of these now? I don't see them in the stores. Actually there is nothing wrong with the one that I have, it's just that I'd like to add one or two receptacles to mine, but I was just wondering why I don't see them in the stores now.
GFIC protection is required in bathrooms. These things are not considered safe. To sell them would entail a lot of potential product liability issues.
For the safety of your family you should consider getting this upgraded.
Colbyt
So you feed the whole thing off the load side of a GFCI outlet, or (if you're going on to too many other outlets*) a GFCI breaker. BFD.
But I can't think of any particular reason why you'd want to add recepticals to an existing vanity-fixture, rather than just adding a normal duplex box at each end of the counter. The latter way, all the electric crap that you leave plugged in all the time can be shoved off to the ends of the counter, rather than cluttering up the middle.
--Goedjn
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That's in incredible load of bunk! Installed to code, there is absolutely NOTHING wrong and no increased liablity at all. And if not installed to code, then the liability is nil; nothing to do with anything since it's the homeowner's responsibility.
Last time I was in my local True Value, I saw several with receptables: from one on one end to one at each end, even one big expensive one with three receptacles; there would have been
4, but one was used for the switch.Please get your facts straight.
Pop
You probably don't see them for sale anymore because when you use them you get in effect an "old fashioned" two blade socket without a ground pin hole. The potential liability for a manufacturer probably discourages them from making the limited number which could be sold these days.
Also things have changed a lot since the days when electricity was used in homes almost solely to provide lighting, and homes were built with few if any wall recepticals, hence the usefullness of those adaptors.
I think I've got a couple in my "hell box" but haven't had any application for them in years.
Follow the other guy's warnings, if the fixture is not protected by a GFI device, you'd be well advised to make it so.
Happy Holidays,
Jeff
Looks like maybe I misunderstood your OP. I took it to mean you were looking for those things about the size and shape of an old glass fuse which screwed into a lightbulb socket and turned it into a two blade plug receptical.
Sounds to me now like you want a light fixture with regular grounding recepticals mounted right on it.
Jeff
Jeff
I don't buy electrical supplies at True Value.
None of the stores that I shop at in this area carry them.
You would need to GFIC the circuit to be safe.
And even then when you plug that 1600 watt hair dryer in you run the risk of frying those #16 wires that are inside the fixture.
Code enforcement won't allow them in rental property in this area. Period.
Colbyt
It is a grounded receptacle in the light fixture! I just want more. It's the only place where I can add them without tearing up my walls. Plus my bathroom is tiny so space is a problem. If I could add a GFCI to the light ficture, I would, but they are huge and there is no room for that (unless I can stuff it in the wall behind the light fixture, but then there is no test and reset switch).
Scott -
Assuming you could get them (and you can, I'm sure HD carries them) - where would you mount it? Were you thinking of cutting a notch out of the light fixture? If that's the case, why not just get a GFI power strip, plug your appliances into it, and then plug it into the light fixture when needed?
Also - keep in mind that just because your light fixture has a grounded outlet - that doesn't necessarily mean that the ground terminal is actually hooked to anything....... if your house is over 35 years old or so, I'd say it probably isn't.
Basically, you've got 2 options:
1) Hack something together and hope for the best. 2) Pay the $$ to do the job right (have a new outlet added and home run to the electrical panel).I know, I know - money is tight. But when you are lying in helpless convulsions on the bathroom floor as 120V has it's way with you, or perhaps your house catches fire due to faulty wiring - you will really wish that you had spent the $$. Well, maybe for a few moments anyway.
Not trying to be an ass - but this is a basic lesson that many people died learning.
GFCI: There are "portable" GFCIs available: You plug them into an outlet, and the plug whatever you want protected into it. They only have one receptacle but have the usual test/reset switches. About $7 last I noticed at True Value.
MORE OUTLETS: Think about a power strip. Find a place to mount a power strip and plug in up to 6 more things in it. Most power strips have a switch to turn them off, and a ten amp breaker.
Put a portable GFCI on the existing light fixture, plug the power strip into it. Now anything plugged into the power strip is protected, plus you've got up to 6 more outlets available. It won't help the existing fixture, but, even if it's not grounded at the third pin (and neither will the power strip be in that case), the GFCI will still protect the power strip outlets. Code usually says an extension cord is only to be used for thirty days max, but when I had my inspection done about two years ago, no mentio of any problems with the power strips in my computer room or out in my shop except to count the number of total receptacles.
HTH,
Pop
"And even then when you plug that 1600 watt hair dryer in you run the risk of frying those #16 wires that are inside the fixture."
Which is why I'm going to replace the wires with something better. Now can we get back on topic? I don't need GFCI's in a 1950 home anyway (got them in places where they were easy to install, but one doesn't have to retrofit every time the electrical code shanges).
"I know, I know - money is tight. But when you are lying in helpless convulsions on the bathroom floor as 120V has it's way with you, or perhaps your house catches fire due to faulty wiring - you will really wish that you had spent the $$. Well, maybe for a few moments anyway."
Umm, I used to design and build power plants as en electrical engineer for a living. Before that I was an electronics technician for years. I doubt that I could hire a contracter that is smarter or that will do a better job than me (or one that speaks English). Now exactly what are your qualifications?
"Also - keep in mind that just because your light fixture has a grounded outlet - that doesn't necessarily mean that the ground terminal is actually hooked to anything....... if your house is over 35 years old or so, I'd say it probably isn't" All of my ground terminals work, I have checked them.
At the risk of having missed something on this thread, is there a reason you couldn't install a GFCI breaker in the main panel - for the circuit feeding that fixture?
Assuming of course that the place isn't so old it's still got a "fuse box".
I'm no big fan of panel mounted GFCIs myself, it can be too damned hard to track down where along the road some slight electrical leakage is causing nuisance tripping, as in damp weather.
As built, our house had one GFCI breaker in the panel which serviced three bathrooms' recipticals and an exterior plug receptical, plus two small bathroom vent fans. The vent fan motors would sometimes leak enough after a steamy shower to trip the breaker, and I got pissed at having to run down two flights of stairs bare assed and dripping to reset the breaker.
I prefer to use GFCI outlets wherever there is a possibility that a person could get in trouble, which is what I've done inside and out throughout our house.
Jeff
If you're that good, then putting a normal GFCI Duplex outlet in the wall on it's own circut shouldn't be beyond you.
"At the risk of having missed something on this thread, is there a reason you couldn't install a GFCI breaker in the main panel - for the circuit feeding that fixture?"
One 15A feeder for the whole upper floor of the house. Think 1950. I don't want a GFCI for a whole floor in the house and don't have the spare room in my electrical panel for something that big. I did put one in for the kitchen so I do know about how much space they take up. Besides that, you don't need GFCI for a house built in 1950. Code doesn't require a retrofit. We are getting way off topic here.
"If you're that good, then putting a normal GFCI Duplex outlet in the wall on it's own circut shouldn't be beyond you."
I'm not interested in doing that unless I'm tearing up my walls for something else anyway. Why would I want to do that when I can add them to my might fixture (which is in a more convenient location anyway). My house is less than 14' wide, minus the stairs and hallway and you get the idea about how long my bathroom is. Now can we get back on topic as to why no receptacles in light fixtures?
You do NOT know what the hell you are doing. You don't have to tear up a wall to add a receptacle. Any electrician can do it without opening the wall, except obviously he needs the hole that the old work box fits in.
Wow.
Reading through all the replies, and most especially scott's, I've concluded:
Scott is an electrical engineer who lives in a 14 foot wide house built in 1950.
Hey scott, did you design Chernobyl? Cool design, man.
Now, back on topic - as you wish:
Go to home depot, buy about 25 of the snap in type outlets, just like the one on your fixture. Cut 25 holes in your fixture, and snap them all in. Make sure you get the wiring right!!!!
Better yet, wad them all up into a ball, and shove em up your ass. If you don't want people's advice - don't ask for it, fuckwad.
Because you decline to go the places that have them.
--Goedjn
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