Old 2 conductor wiring

[Highlow]

Question about 2 prong receptacles. Just had inspection done. Old house has some wiring without ground. 3 prong receptacles were installed but inspector wants to install 2 prong back. What is the code on that matter? Can you have 3 prong with 2 wires. Or maybe I need to install GFCI as a solution? I don't think installing 2 prong is the solution and advantage to new home owners?

 

[slick 50]

you must use a GFI at first receptacle and load the others that are down stream

 

[Highlow]

GFCI breaker

GFCI breaker

Some of the boxes are too shallow. Can I use GFCI breaker?

 

[ultramegabob]

Some of the boxes are too shallow. Can I use GFCI breaker?

yes.......

 

[infinity]

What's the wiring method?

 

[benaround]

Highlow,

The one thing that you can't do is make the customer think they have a 3 wire outlet

when they only have a 2 wire outlet.

 

[al hildenbrand]

What is the code on that matter?

Read 406.3. There's a lot there.

The grounding type receptacle, when installed on wires that don't provide an equipment ground, gives an illusion of safety. From a legal standpoint, if something goes wrong that should have shorted to ground and tripped the breaker, and it didn't 'cause no equipment ground is present, and a mishap occurs, then there's a problem.

 

[hillbilly1]

Read 406.3. There's a lot there.

The grounding type receptacle, when installed on wires that don't provide an equipment ground, gives an illusion of safety. From a legal standpoint, if something goes wrong that should have shorted to ground and tripped the breaker, and it didn't 'cause no equipment ground is present, and a mishap occurs, then there's a problem.

Thats why code requires the "No equipment ground" sticker

 

[dcspector]

Thats why code requires the "No equipment ground" sticker

Those are peeled off purty darn quick after we leave. Just educate the HO.

 

[ItsHot]

Make the total rewire sell !

 

[infinity]

Make the total rewire sell !

Around here many of the older homes with 2-prong receptacles are wired in AC cable so a total rewire is unnecessary. That's why I asked about the wiring method. All they need to do is install self grounding 3-prong receptacles.

 

[K8MHZ]

You will notice that 2 hole receptacles are still available because of the existence of 2 wire cable. Putting a grounding receptacle on a non grounding cable is no different than using the cheapie adapter things except that with the adapters it is clear that there is no grounding conductor.

 

[ItsHot]

metallic sheathing

metallic sheathing

Around here many of the older homes with 2-prong receptacles are wired in AC cable so a total rewire is unnecessary. That's why I asked about the wiring method. All they need to do is install self grounding 3-prong receptacles.

Because the metallic sheathing quaulifies as the ground?

 

[K8MHZ]

Because the metallic sheathing quaulifies as the ground?

Does it?

Does anyone know for sure that the sheathing was listed for use at the time of installation, installed properly and has not been compromised in any fashion since the time of installation?

Now any metallic flexible cable must have a 'drain wire' for it to qualify as a grounding method. To me, that indicates that some problems arose along the way by allowing the use of flex alone for grounding.

Also, and this is important, surge arrestors won't work without a grounding conductor to shunt the surges to, even if they are fed with a GFCI that allows the use of the third conductor.

 

[ItsHot]

rewire

rewire

Yet another reason to do a rewire!

 

[Speedskater]

Just where is the "No equipment ground" sticker supposed to be placed?
Most of the flat surface area on GFCI receptacle is already in use.

 

[Speedskater]

Some of the boxes are too shallow. Can I use GFCI breaker?

If it's an old house with Knob & Tube wiring, the Neutral wires and the Hot wires may not have a one to one relationship. So a GFCI breaker may not be a happy puppy.

 

[LarryFine]

Also, and this is important, surge arrestors won't work without a grounding conductor to shunt the surges to, even if they are fed with a GFCI that allows the use of the third conductor.

Not necessarily. Surge protection limits voltage between any two conductors, and doesn't 'send the surge into the ground.'

Most surge protectors clamp surge voltage from H-N, H-G, and N-G. The hot-to-ground clamping works even with no EGC.

 

[e57]

Whats so wrong with 2-prong outlets? In a residential situation there are relatively few items that even have a ground prong..... Computer, some kitchen equipment... :roll: Leviton has some decora 2-prongs.... Except Kit's and baths, as well as outside or the computer equipment - whats the point?

 

[hillbilly1]

Those are peeled off purty darn quick after we leave. Just educate the HO.

Yeah, it's just a CYA, I had one inspection jurisdiction that would not allow a house to piped and wired with EMT, he said that the wiring could be changed after the inspection:roll: