Replacing Old 2 Wire Receptacles

steveprichard

I want a thread on replacing a 2 prong ungrounded receptacle.

What's code, what you've done before, and what you've done at your own home.



steve

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Steve

"Keep thee thy airspeed, lest the earth rise up and smite thee!"

steveprichard

I will not put a 'jumper' from ground to neutral when replacing a recepatacle.

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Steve

"Keep thee thy airspeed, lest the earth rise up and smite thee!"

bigjay

Look at 406.3(D) (1) (2) (3) in the 2002 NEC. It basically says you can use a
grounding type receptacle if you install a grounding conductor with the new receptacle. Replace the non grounding type with the same. You can replace a
non grounding type receptacle with a GFCI receptacle and mark it "No Equipment Ground" A non grounding type receptacle(s) shall be permitted to be replaced with grounding type receptacles where supplied through a ground fault circuit interrupter. These receeptacles shall be marked "GFCI Protected"
and "No Equipment Ground" It addresses a little more, this is the short version. As for my old house, It had 2 wire receptacles throughout now they are three wire.

CE1

If it is a 2 wire system I always upgrade the wiring to 2 wire w/ground. One at a time if I have to.


"Kicking and screaming into the 21th century we go"

steveprichard

Thanks guys.
I've got some outside walls with zero attic space, so I think I use GFCI receps upstream for them, and then upgrade others where possible.

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Steve

"Keep thee thy airspeed, lest the earth rise up and smite thee!"

bigjay

Just a footnote to my first post. There is a bad side to using the ungrounded
GFCI receptacle. There are cord and plug connected items that must be grounded in residential occupancies and are listed in Section 250.114(3).
They include refrigerators,freezers, air conditioners,clothes dryers, dihwashers,waste disposers,information technology equipment, sump pumps,
aquarium equipment,hand held tools,motor operated tools, hedge clippers,lawn mowers,snow blowers,wet scrubbers and portable hand lamps.
Long story short a GFCI is not a substitute for grounding, it operates only on line to ground faults. It will not prevent shock only reduce the duration.

49FRANKS

Look At Your Cords! How Many Have Grounds Short Of Electronic Componets
RIGHT AS RAIN ON EVERY THING ELSE IS MY OPINION

sparkysteve

I usually go with a GFCI Breaker to save time by not looking for the homerun to sort out line and load.

RobertWilber

I vote with 49franks
If your wiring isn't damaged and you don't NEED a ground for a particular piece of equipment, why bother?
I usually recommend just running a new circuit to point-task loads if you really need a ground, unless the homeowner is undertaking a general remodeling project.

sparkysteve

Install GFCI breakers on the circuits you upgrade to 3-prongs.

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Steve

Master Electrician/Self-Proclaimed Handy-Man

darren

So I understand the fact that you can use a GFCI in place of a two prong plug. Now if I were to put a GFI on one and then connect the rest to the load side(like you would do if you jumped two bathrooms together) would this be considered right as well

Speedy Petey

Yes. Everything down stream of the GFI must be labeled "GFI Protected" and "No Equipment Ground".
The stickers are included with the GFI.

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