Electric-Shock-Drowning

quinner wrote: Is there a shelf life for the GFCI breakers or receptacles?

samudj01 wrote: I tested the outlet on my dock with the button and my new plug in tester tool. Nothing.

When the ground fault receptacles first came out, they weren't the best. They were prone to nuisance tripping as well as not tripping. The design has been improved so they are now reliable. The nuisance tripping on the originals was bad enough that many (like myself)would replace them with a standard receptacle!    

Is there a shelf life for the GFCI breakers or receptacles?

^^^^ that's why I'm a proponent of a GFCI breaker. A recptacle only protects what you plug in. There's a time when a GFIC breaker is overkill but on a circuit like you mentioned it's the best route.

If the scenario mentioned in the article was a GFIC receptacle and the box held water like it did, it wouldn't have saved the girl because the circuit itself wasn't protected. But if the entire circuit was on a GFIC breaker it would've tripped at first sign of moisture.

That's the one.

Thanks. I did the test and they do work.

I was looking at my shore power which has GFIC breaker in main panel, GFIC outlet at pole near the water and GFIC on the plug that plugs into the pump for the lift. I realize in this case there is never overkill, but the question I have, is this correct?

Sad. As an electrical contractor there is one thing I will not cut corners on and I go above and beyond the codes requirements and that's GFIC protection. I am GFIC's biggest advocate, it only takes 1/10 of an amp to kill you. GFIC works, it saves lives and the nuisance tripping no longer exists, if they trip, it's doing its job, find the the fault and fix it, I rarely ever get involved with houses but found myself doing two custom lakefront homes this year and if a GFCI receptacle was required I went ahead and put a GFCI breaker on that circuit and protected the entire circuit not just the point of use.

Another thing, aluminum ladders..... No reason for them, throw them away. They create multiple hazards and conducting electricity is the my main concern.

A weatherproof "Bell" box is all but weatherproof. They let water in but they don't let water out. Anybody ever work on a bell box more than 6 months? That bottom screw is always rusted and won't come out. I always drill a small 3/16" hole in the bottom of bell boxes to let the water drain out. I've gone back to boxes I've installed 15+ years ago and hadn't had problems with rust or signs oh high water in them.