Buyer information, not installation instructions. Requirements depend on the adopted local code and exact product. Electrical work and site diagnosis should be performed by qualified professionals.
An outdoor outlet specification has two parts: the receptacle and the box-and-cover assembly. A WR marking identifies a weather-resistant receptacle. The enclosure and cover provide the protection needed around the device and plug.
Plan for the outlet while it is in use
Tell the installer whether a plug will remain inserted and describe the exposure to rain or other moisture. That information affects the cover selection. Include enough space for the intended plug and cord, with the cover operating as designed.
Section 406.9 of the 2023 NEC covers receptacles in damp or wet locations. It addresses both the receptacle and its enclosure. The locally adopted edition, amendments and site conditions determine the final requirements. [Source]
Specify the complete combination
GW15 and GW20 are FAHINT’s tamper- and weather-resistant GFCI models, rated 15A and 20A respectively. Use the full model designation when requesting the product documents.
- Receptacle: model, voltage, current rating and plug configuration.
- Required functions: GFCI protection, tamper resistance and weather resistance.
- Enclosure and cover: suitability for the location and intended use with a plug inserted.
- Approval documents: model instructions, certification coverage and the installer’s selected box-and-cover combination.
“Weather-resistant GFCI” describes the device. It does not make a bare outlet waterproof or establish that a wallplate is a weatherproof cover. Have a qualified installer select and install the complete assembly for the site.
The cover is half of the specification
A WR marking on a receptacle describes the device. The requirement in a wet location usually concerns the assembly: the device, the box and a cover rated for use with a plug inserted. A weather-resistant GFCI behind a standard plate in an exposed location is still an exposed connection, whatever the receptacle is marked.
That means the cover is a separate purchase and frequently a separate supplier. We quote GW15 and GW20 with the WR marking and the matching plate; the while-in-use cover comes from a manufacturer whose listing covers it. Two documents, two responsibilities, one installation.
For a sample review this matters. Approving the receptacle alone tells you nothing about whether the cover will close over a plugged cord, and that is the detail inspectors look at. Ask for the cover model beside the device model and check them as a pair on the bench.
An order line that reads "outdoor GFCI, 20A" leaves the cover, the plate and the enclosure to whoever is packing. Written as the device, the plate and the cover model, with the intended use stated, it can be checked before production instead of after installation.
Sources & further reading
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