I am an engineer and have done a fair amount of new wiring myself, I'm looking for help from professional. Is there a way to change from old two prong outlets to three prong (grounded) outlets? I'm trying to not rip out the walls and run new wiring. I've checked just grounding to the neutral (which I know is theoretically the same thing) and my tester reports bad ground. Unless someone knows an easier way I'll have to drill through the floor and connect to a copper water pipe. I'm trying to avoid this because were talking about 20 outlets or so.
Thanks
2006-10-17 07:52:35 · 0 answers · asked by BOB W 3 in Home & Garden ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
You can install a GFCI IN the panel to feed the outlet circuits. You do not have to have a ground for the GFCI to work. You must then label all outlets "No ground conductor". You can install a GFCI in each of the beginning of each receptacle circuit and Label all outlets "No ground conductor" this will be a little tricky trying to find first recp. in ckt. You can run a single green wire from all the receptacles to a water pipe or something that is bonded to the panel service ground. Or you can install polarized two prong receptacles. My preference would be to if possible to change the service box out to a breaker box (if not already done) install GFCIs in Panel for all outlet circuits then reroute wires to panel.
2006-10-17 09:10:28 · answer #1 · answered by RoeB 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
What do you mean "checked just grounding to the neutral" and it reported a bad ground. Connecting the ground prong on an outlet to the neutral will make a tester show a good ground. This is commonly called a bootleg ground and is not a good idea. This connects the neutral to the case of any grounded appliance, which can be a hazard. Having a grounded fuse box (which should be true for almost all houses, code required since before 1920 sometime) has nothing to do with grounded outlets. It is unfortunate that the equipment ground uses the term ground---the earth has nothing to do with it! The advice in another answer to use a ground rod is wrong and dangerous.
Now, the correct process: IF you have a ground wire, or AC cable for example that provides a ground, then you can get a ground in your outlet without running a wire. Otherwise the only way to do it is to run a wire back to the service (a few other places I won't get into will work also--but never a ground rod). A GFCI can be used by code as others have said, if marked no equipment ground, but this is not as safe. A GFCI does not prevent shocks, it just shuts it off before it is fatal (for most people). And a GFCI can fail, leaving you with no protection.
2006-10-17 10:06:06 · answer #2 · answered by An electrical engineer 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
You can end up with some very serious problems by not wiring a sub panel properly.If you have a twenty and thirty ckt there will be a difference of 10 amps.If the sub panel is bonded to the neutral from the main panel, the sub panel box can be electrically live and be a very dangerous shock hazard, even if the sub is just a 120 volt system and u r pulling say 25 amps with the neutral tied to the sub panel box then yes the sub box can/will be live to ground. That is why the code says the neutral MUST be insulated/isolated from the ground or metal enclosure of the sub panel the sub panel box
2016-03-19 01:10:36 · answer #3 · answered by Katherine 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The quickest, easiest, and maybe even the cheapest is to use a GFI. This is the only way to do this without haveing to run wire back to the panel.
If you don't want to use GFI you will have to run a new wire back to the panel or run a single ground wire from each receptical.
2006-10-17 08:50:57 · answer #4 · answered by Darren 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
If your fuse box is grounded - all you have to do is replace the 2 prong outlets with the 3 prong grounded outlets and you have your grounded outlet without any fuss.
Engineer's motto - keep it simple. My father and I have replaced many 2 prong outlets with 3 prong outlets without any issues whatsoever. Make sure you disconnect power to avoid any surprises and make sure you know which wire is hot and which wire is neutral (in this case - becomes ground). My father's house was built in the 1920's while I had a house which was built in the early 60's.
2006-10-17 08:28:31 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋
drive a copper rod about 4 feet into the ground then hook a # 6 wire to it and to the circuit box that has a place for the ground.
2006-10-17 08:18:22 · answer #6 · answered by aussie 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
if they ran bx or 12/2 rx w/ grd you can use a rod in ground to the panel by cide you should rip it out my house is over 100 with old knob and tube and it it some work
2006-10-17 09:10:59 · answer #7 · answered by high1315 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋