Hair dryers have been coming with built-in GFCI for a least the last ten
years, This is primarily to protect the manufacturer from product liability
claims in case someone drops a hairdryer is a sink or a tub filled with water.
On my construction sites, every plug and every power tool is protected by
industrial grade GFCI extension cords and outlets
>
You can also get circuit breakers that are GFI'd, they will
>handle all outlets on that line. This may be the cheapest way to GFI a
>darkroom as the breaker can simply be pulled out and replaced with a GFI
>breaker.
A GFCI breaker is a great idea for a darkroom, my darkroom is on a GFCI
circuit, the only problem is the motor in the air compressor, when cycling
to recharge the tank, trips the breaker about once every six months.
But, a GFCI breaker costs about 10 times a regular breaker and MUST (unless
you really know what you are doing, ie understand the NEC, National Electric
Code) be installed by an electrician who does.
>There was a comment here that it is hard to kill oneself on 120 volts. This
>is a very optimistic statement. If everyone who has been killed by 120
>volts household current was to rise form the dead it would look like The
>Second Coming.
I agree completely...all it takes is 100ma (milliamps) or the power at 110
volts to run a 10 watt night light or one of those small safelights across
the heart to stop it for GOOD...
Howard Etkind
8851 Green Valley Ct
West Chester, Ohio 45069-6832
etkindh@email.uc.edu