GFCI outlet question

[charmed]

In the kitchen, there is a GFCI outlet hooked up. Then to the left there is the wire for the range hood. To the right there is another outlet area. To the right of the sink there is a switch and outlet, and another switch.

It doesn't seem that the outlet and switches to the right of the sink will get power unless the outlet on the left of the sink gets power -- that one gets its feed from the GFCI outlet.

Am I supposed to put in a plain outlet in there, even though it's next to the sink? Or is that supposed to be a GFCI outlet? I'm confused as I have gotten conflicting advice. One person told me that GFCI outlets need to be used in outlets that are 6 feet from water. Another person told me that not all outlets need to be GFCI because one GFCI will protect 2 outlets.

Thanks,

Dawn

[HayZee518]

a standard gfci outlet has screws that feed a downstream outlet(s) - anything downstream of the gfci is protected. any outlet within a 6 foot radius of the sink should be gfci. however if there is a fridge within the six foot radius and isn't readily movable, then a single dedicated circuit for the fridge need not be a gfci.

[manhattan42]

All Kitchen Countertop Receptacles GFCI Protected

The National Electric Code requires all kitchen countertop receptacles to be GFCI protected regardless of how close they are to a sink.

The source of that GFCI protection can be a GFCI circuit breaker in the panel, a single GFCI receptacle that protects all other receptacles downstream, or individual GFCI receptacles.

[pushkins]

and two GFCI's shouldn't be on the same line, they'll trip each other out.

[charmed]

Update

I replaced the second and third GFCI with regular outlets and now they work fine. Also, the light switch above the sink works now too. But, when I turn on the light switch above the counter, it trips the GFCI and everything on the circuit stops working.

Here is the way it goes:

Range hood -- GFCI (power) -- Outlet -- Switch -- Outlet -- Switch

This is all one one line, one thing running to another. So why does the last switch trip the GFCI outlet when it's turned on, but the switch in the middle does not?

Dawn

[HayZee518]

range hood doesn't require a gfci because it is hard wired. outlets adjacent to sink need to be gfci. lights don't require gfci, unless you can touch both the light and faucet at the same time.

[pushkins]

In that last box (switch) what wire configuration do you have, where are the wires going ?

[charmed]

Wires

In the last box what was left unwired was two black wires and a ground. I attached them like any other switch. Is that what you were asking?

Dawn

[pushkins]

Yes that is what I was asking. Where are the two white wires ? one should be coming from the light and one should be coming from the previous outlet (counter top)

[charmed]

To confirm

The two whites are together and the two blacks go to the switch. I am going to the property today and will confirm. It's odd (to me) why the other outlets and switch in the series work and just not this one.

Dawn

[charmed]

Electrician

I spoke to the electrician who said to double-check no wires are touching inside the light as that can trip it.

Dawn

[charmed]

Wires

Wires were touching inside the light; upon disconnecting it and re-hooking it up, I got it to work correctly without tripping the GFCI.

Dawn

[pushkins]

Sometimes the simplest of things are the answer. Congrats on getting it all worked out.