Outdoor receptacles must have which protection?

• A. GFCI protection
• B. AFCI protection
• C. Both
• D. Neither

Answer: (A)

Outdoor receptacles face moisture and higher shock risk, so the protection used must quickly cut off power if a ground fault occurs. GFCI protection does exactly that: it watches the current in the hot and neutral conductors and trips the circuit rapidly if any leakage to ground is detected, which can happen when someone is touching a live conductor in a damp outdoor setting. This rapid shutoff greatly reduces the chance of a dangerous shock, which is why outdoor outlets are required to be GFCI protected.

AFCI protection, which protects against dangerous arc faults that can start fires, is important in many circuits, but it is not the mandated protection for outdoor receptacles in this context. To meet the requirement, use a GFCI outlet or feed the receptacle from a GFCI-protected circuit, and ensure the outdoor box and cover are weatherproof.