when to use holes, or screws GFI

[vageta]

I'm going through my house and replacing outlets. Then I notice a kind I've never seen. It has holes in the back not screws on the side. Does it matter if I put in the gfi that I'm used to? Is one better than the other?

 

[Speleo]

I'm going through my house and replacing outlets. Then I notice a kind I've never seen. It has holes in the back not screws on the side. Does it matter if I put in the gfi that I'm used to? Is one better than the other?

What is a GFI. ???

 

[dovetail]

The holes in the back are for back wiring and work fine in most scenarios. The biggest issue you will have is the 15amp gfci outlets only accept 14 guage wire in the "holes". If you have 12 gauge wire (20 amp circuit) you will need to use 20 amp receptacles to back wire. Also make sure to use the appropriate terminal sides. The load side is unprotected (usually the upper terminals but there will be a piece of yellow tape over them either way telling you it is unprotected) and are for feeding lines that do not require gfci protection.