Stay Safe with Proper Ground Indication Ground Continuity Monitoring (GCM) Straight Blade Plugs & Connectors
Ground Continuity Monitoring Safety is probably the largest single factor driving changes in the electrical industry today. The increased presence of organizations such as OSHA® and the NFPA®, along with issues like rising insurance costs and the renegotiation of labor contracts, has business owners scrutinizing their safety programs more than ever before. Of all the potential safety hazards, the proper grounding of electrical equipment always seems to be near the top of the list.
Upstream Monitoring GCM technology allows the plug or connector to look upstream, or toward the panel. As seen in (Fig.A), a break in ground continuity or reversed polarity from the receptacle back to the panel will be indicated by a Red LED on the plug body immediately upon insertion. Conversely, the Green LED is illumi- (Fig.A) nated in (Fig.B) because the problem lies downstream of the GCM plug, in the cord itself. Therefore, the plug sees no problem.
LED Indication Every GCM plug and connector is equipped with two (2) sets of red and green LEDs to help indicate multiple potentially hazardous wiring conditions. The LEDs have been oriented approximately 180° apart so they’re visible from any angle. A combination of one, both, or no lighted LEDs at all will indicate any one of the seven (7) different wiring conditions listed below. ** These devices have been listed by UL as a circuit test suitable for determining ground continuity and power status only.
Additional Features In addition to the obvious safety benefit of the GCM Plugs & Connectors, other enhancements help speed installation. Applications A GCM product would be used in any application that would require a plug or connector. Here are just a few examples. Single-plane wiring on all 15 and 20 amp Straight Blade products minimizes installation time by placing all three terminal screws on the same plane, facing the same direction.
Legrand, North America 60 Woodlawn Street West Hartford, CT 06110 1.877.BY.LEGRAND (295.3472) www.legrand.us 570 Applewood Crescent Vaughan, Ontario L4K 4B4 905.738.9195 www.legrand.ca Pass & Seymour 50 Boyd Avenue Syracuse, NY 13221 315.468.
