can you hook up a receptacle without using a white (neutral) wire . I have a switch box that is one wire from a feed at the light . I want to hook up a receptacle outside and jump it from this box. Is that possible? Can I splice the white from the receptacle to the ground wire in the box? thank you.
2007-01-06 08:35:20 · 6 answers · asked by Roger P 1 in Home & Garden ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
No you can't, a neutral is required for the return path of voltage for the circuit to be complete.
2007-01-06 09:20:59 · answer #1 · answered by Ray D 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
No, it is a violation of the national electric code, starting in the year 2003 the code book ended all phase returns on the ground circuit, This is why stove plugs went from a three wire plug to a four wire plug, before the 110 volt items on a stove like the clock and light were being retured on the ground wire. This presents a danger because if the grownd is hot then the medal frame of all appliances using that ground circuit have the potention for a shock hazard if you come between it making a shorter pathway to ground, The ground wire should never be hot. In addition you state in your question this is for an outside receptacle therefor it must also be GFCI protected. Meaning that the line output amperage is measured by the receptacle on the black wire and it compaires it to the return amperage coming back on the white wire or the nutral wire, If there is a difference of more than 8 thousands of amp. then the plug will break the circuit. I would not do it, someone could get hurt.
2007-01-07 08:51:22 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'm not sure what you mean by "one wire from a feed at the light".. but I think you mean that you want to connect to a light switch that only has two wires (black and white) and a ground wire connected to it. If this is the case connecting to the hot side of the switch and ground will work because neutral and ground are connected together at the panel. That said, don't do it. It's a code violation to use the safety ground as a return path. Do it right and cut the wall to get to a complete circuit.
2007-01-08 11:59:52 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
not safe if you use ground as a neutral. run a neutral line from the panel to the receptacle.
2007-01-06 11:22:25 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
A one wire feed sounds nasty and may already be a code violation... Can you just buy one of those receptacles that screw into the light socket?
2007-01-06 08:50:07 · answer #5 · answered by The man in the back 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Sorry, but I'm going to be blunt so you don't try something that could get someone hurt. I can't really understand what you are trying to tell us. Not sure if that is because it is just worded wrong, or you are completely confused about what you are seeing. To be frank, it really sounds like you need some professional help on this because you don't seem to know enough about this subject.
2007-01-06 11:41:39 · answer #6 · answered by DSM Handyman 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋