Ground Fault on a Residence

[sclarkson4]

Is it acceptable, on an older home that has 2 wire, ungrounded circuits to add a GFCI receptacle and in the main panel?
Wouldn't this make the owner inclined to believe it was a protected circuit?
Is there a code number for this?

 

[GoldDigger]

Is it acceptable, on an older home that has 2 wire, ungrounded circuits to add a GFCI receptacle and in the main panel?
Wouldn't this make the owner inclined to believe it was a protected circuit?
Is there a code number for this?

The NEC allows a two wire receptacle to be replaced with either a 3 wire GFCI receptacle or a standard 3 wire receptacle fed from an upstream GFCI as long as proper labels are attached to all of the receptacles which show both the GFCI protected status and the fact that no equipment ground is present even though the receptacle is three wire.
Whether the labels stay there and whether the owner knows what the labels means, the result is still safer than a two wire receptacle, especially if a two to three wire adapter is used with no place to connect the ground lug to.

406.4(D) in the 2011 code.

 

[sclarkson4]

So I'm Clear

So I'm Clear

Is it allowed to put a GFCI outlet on a kitchen outlet that is not grounded, only 2 wires?
Don't you need to replace the circuit line with one that has the ground?

 

[Dennis Alwon]

Is it allowed to put a GFCI outlet on a kitchen outlet that is not grounded, only 2 wires?
Don't you need to replace the circuit line with one that has the ground?

It is compliant to install a gfci on a 2 wire circuit. The circuit will give protection but you will not have an equipment grounding conductor.

 

[GoldDigger]

Is it allowed to put a GFCI outlet on a kitchen outlet that is not grounded, only 2 wires?
Don't you need to replace the circuit line with one that has the ground?

A GFCI receptacle operates by sensing the difference between the current on the hot lead and the neutral lead. It does not require a ground connection to do that.

Also, the test button on the receptacle works by diverting a small amount of current around the differential sensor and so does not require a ground either.
But if an owner, home inspector or other person tries to test the receptacle with a plug in tester, which works by sending some current from the hot lead to the EGC (ground wire), it will not trip.
That is a limitation of the tester, not an indication that the GFCI is not working. This problem comes up from time to time and the UL is very clear that the only test that means anything is the test button on the receptacle itself.