TopFeatured.com

I have a few outdoor GFCI receptacles. (They are on different circuits.) I probably use these receptacles for 2 hours in a given year. In other words, I rarely use these receptacles.

Keep in mind that, because of the harsh conditions of the elements, outdoor GFCI receptacles lose their GFCI abilities much sooner than their indoor counterparts.

Each GFCI receptacle has a “TEST” button that one can use (in conjunction with the “RESET” button) to ensure that the GFCI circuitry inside of the receptacle is still functional.

Should I press the “TEST” button on the outdoor GFCI receptacles, in order to effectively “turn them off”, when they are not in use? Specifically, will I prolong the life of the GFCI circuitry by doing this?

If not, isn’t it generally safer to “turn off” an outdoor GFCI outlet when it is not in use (which is over 99% of the time), especially considering things like humidity?

I don’t mind having to press the RESET button (to restore power to the receptacle) the one or two times a year that I need to use the receptacle…