Wiring a GFI receptacle

[homeowners]

 Need to know a bit more  about your setup: are you trying to protect the light and fan by installing them downstream from the GFCI? Or let GFCI outlet protect its sockets and install the light and the fan normally? Since all the devices are in the same box, you should be able to connect them properly. It might have been an issue if there were cables to other boxes with too few conductors involved, but not when everything is in the same box. What did you do that didn't work, and what does that mean exactly - the light or fan just didn't function or you tried to test the GFCI feature from the light socket and GFCI didn't trip? Can you elaborate? 

[Jim]

My first experience with this site was great. Now I need more help. I need to wire a GFI receptacle a, light switch and a bath vent fan switch, all from the same (3 gang) box. Can you help? I cannot get it to work with a GFI, however, a regular receptacle works just fine.

Jim

[Anonymous]

The line to the GFCI has other (normal wall) outlets on it. I only want to protect against shock from bath sink  close to the GCFI. I do not want to protect Vent fan or Light. I replaced GCFI with a regular wall outlet and it works fine. What am I doing wrong?

Jim

[homeowners]

 Since they are in the same box, you are going to need to protect all other outlets in that box. And that's fine - a GFCI outlet can do that as long as the LINE cable, i.e. the one that supplies electricity either from the panel or from the adjacent non-protected devices (upstream), enters the LINE side of the GFCI outlet first and then all other outlets are connected to the GFCI's LOAD terminals (downstream). See the diagram from an instruction sheet for Leviton's very common S7599 GFCI outlet attached below.  If you wire your outlets in the same way, it will take care of the outlet protection. Note that you have to remove a yellow sticker to reveal the LOAD side contacts. I don't know if you use Leviton, but you may have to do the same.

You could install your light and the fan (turns on/of together with the light, correct?)  on the LOAD side of the GFCI and it will work, however fan motors are known to trip GFCI protection. They can be installed without GFCI unless it's specifically called for (i.e. fan directly above bathtub), and I would do just that. So, you may want to re-work your 3-gang wall box and if cable lengths allow, switch the devices around so that the LINE cable first enters the light/fan switch first and then goes into the GFCI outlet which, in turn, feeds and protects the other outlet.

You still keep me in suspense regarding what you meant by "not working" :) Was there no light and fan was not turning or was there GFCI protection tripped? Something else perhaps? Did you remember to twist and nut together all ground conductors from all the cables?

I'd be delighted if you post an update on your situation,

<strong>Keep it safe and disconnect the circuit at the breaker panel before opening any devices!</strong>

Cheers!