Is it difficult to switch a 2-way plug to grounded 3-way?

Answer 1

attached the third prong to a ground (green wire). It's on a romex cable.

Other wise, you can thread a copper wire to a known ground like a plumbing pipe or another 3 prong.

Get an electrician to help please. Amateur wiring is dangerous.

Answer 2

The terminology in the question has made some people answer this wrong, but some have suggested bad things also.

I assume you want to switch a 2 wire receptacle to a 3 wire grounded receptacle. This requires connection to a proper ground wire. If you have a ground in your box, this is pretty simple, but I would expect most cases where there are non-grounded outlets that there is no ground wire already present. If this is the case, I strongly recommend getting an electrician. Putting in a grounded receptacle without properly connecting the ground is dangerous. At least with the 2 wire receptacle you know you have no safety ground.

The adapters that provide a 3 wire outlet by connecting the ground to the screw of the cover plate do no good at all.

Cutting off the ground prong on a cord is extremely stupid. If you want to risk not having a ground, use the cheater adapter. Cutting off the prong makes that device unsafe forever for anyone that uses it.

Answer 3

no you should just buy an adaptor. They are only a few dollars at the hardware store. You shouldn't mess with any wiring unless you really know what you are doing...or you don't value whatever you are switching. If you really want to...maybe you can practice on something worthless first??


Or wait...do you mean like an outlet in the wall??

No...that's not hard my dad has switched them out before. Just make SURE everything is shut off because he shocked himself lol he was okay though.

Answer 4

i am a license electrician do not listen to these armatures all you need to do is connect a green # 12 wire from your outlet at the point where there is a green screw on your outlet to the metal box that's inside the wall that houses your outlet u do this by screwing it into the box with a a #8 self tapping screw if there is no metal box just a plain old plastic box u need to run a ground a ground to the electrical panel DO NOT GET YOUR GROUND FROM A WATTER PIPE THERE MIGHT BE A POSSIBILITY OF GETTING A SHOCK WHEN U TOUCH YOUR FAUCETS YOU CAN GET THE UNBALANCE OF ELECTRICAL CURRENT PASS THROUGH THE GROUND WIRE IF IT IS NOT PROPERLY INSTALLED WHEN IN DOUBT PLEASE CALL A LICENSE ELECTRICIAN

Answer 5

no, its difficult to switch a 3 way to a 2 way but if you want to do that take a pir of wire cutters or something that could cut through stron metal and clip the 3rd prong and insert it in a 2 way plug

Answer 6

No! its hooked up the same way as a two way except you need to conect the ground wire ( small solid copper wire ) to the switch..If for some reason your homes not got a ground wire then one must be run and I sugest you call an elect....Very easy but PLEASE TURN OFF THE BRAKERS FIRST (SHOCK)... GOOD LUCK ROB

Answer 7

The real question is why would you want/need to do this?

the third prong connects (usually) the chassis of the device to earth to prevent danger of electrical shock. If in fact you are referring to the female JACK on the other hand I think you need a qualified electrician.

plug=male
jack=female

Answer 8

You need an adaptor that you can buy for very little money at the hardware store. If that's not what you're talking about, you need to call an electrician.

Answer 9

Yes you will need a ground wire if there is not one there now.

Answer 10

If you are asking this question, I recommend that you do not attempt changing your wiring. You can really hurt yourself by improperly grounding something.