Cost to run grounding to an outlet?

[B747Man]

Hello, so please forgive if this question is not allowed or belongs in another forum. Anyway, I live in an older house that was built in the 1950s and even though I have the three-hole outlets, my surge protector shows 2 of them as being ungrounded. The thing is I want to be able to run a portable AC on that outlet and want to make sure it's safe. I am having an electrician come to some other work and was hoping it might not cost that much more to make the outlet grounded while they are here. It's a small house and the outlet would be on the same wall as the panel which is at most around 10 feet away. There is an attic as well as a crawlspace underneath the house.

Do you have a general estimate of what it might cost to at least run new wires that have ground to that outlet? As far as I know the the current wiring is early Romex or early NM without the ground which means the other outlets probably aren't grounded either. If it helps I live in Southern California.

Also, would the price be that much different if they put the outlet on its own circuit since they would need to run new wires anyway? That way it will be the only thing running on the circuit.

Thanks

 

[LarryFine]

Welcome to the forum.

I recommend having a new circuit run for the A/C receptacle.

 

[ptonsparky]

Inform your chosen electrician before they show up and ask them to give an estimate. We have no idea what he is charging or how much work your simple 'while you're here' project involves. Or what code cycle you're under.

I agree. New circuit.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

New circuit and in California I suspect it will cost a few hundred being that he is coming there anyway. Of course, I don't know the market out there

 

[LarryFine]

I usually recommend a new circuit because, as the OP himself noted, the labor is almost the same a adding just an EGC, you're not adding the new load to existing wiring, and the new load will perform better.

 

[david]

Hello, so please forgive if this question is not allowed or belongs in

Also, would the price be that much different if they put the outlet on its own circuit since they would need to run new wires anyway? That way it will be the only thing running on the circuit.

Thanks

That might depend on your panel having spare breaker spaces or not. There are extra cost these days when you Consider arc fault requirements and things like that.

Sounds like you have not used these electricians in the past and we don't know the scope of all the work being done.

We also do not know as already mentioned the site conditions.

Here in PA electricians are not required to be licensed so the cheapest price is not always a good thing

 

[B747Man]

Welcome to the forum.

I recommend having a new circuit run for the A/C receptacle.

Thanks, I know this would be best which is why I might do it anyway. But as it stands there is actually not a whole lot else running on the circuit. Besides a computer and mostly just a fan or 2 and maybe a couple of phone/laptop chargers which aren't always being used.

 

[B747Man]

That might depend on your panel having spare breaker spaces or not. There are extra cost these days when you Consider arc fault requirements and things like that.

Sounds like you have not used these electricians in the past and we don't know the scope of all the work being done.

We also do not know as already mentioned the site conditions.

Here in PA electricians are not required to be licensed so the cheapest price is not always a good thing

Thanks. I'm not sure if the panel has any extra breakers so would have to check, but we did have a new panel put in back in 2020 I think there might be at least room for one if it's not already installed. Would it cost that much more to install a new breaker as long as there is space for it?

 

[B747Man]

I usually recommend a new circuit because, as the OP himself noted, the labor is almost the same a adding just an EGC, you're not adding the new load to existing wiring, and the new load will perform better.

Thanks. there actually not a whole running on that circuit anyway besides a computer and some phone/laptop chargers and a few fans. The main reason I want to separate the circuit is to protect the PC from the spike in power when the AC first kicks on.

 

[ptonsparky]

'Cost much more' is subjective. An AFCI at $100 is more than a standard $20 breaker, but an extra $80 on a $2000 project isn't significant.

 

[LarryFine]

Thanks. there actually not a whole running on that circuit anyway besides a computer and some phone/laptop chargers and a few fans. The main reason I want to separate the circuit is to protect the PC from the spike in power when the AC first kicks on.

I wouldn't wan an A/C and a computer on the same circuit.

 

[B747Man]

I wouldn't wan an A/C and a computer on the same circuit.

Yeah although my computer probably only uses 2-3 amps, I heard it might not be good for the components in the PC. Also, I have seen that you can install a GFCI outlet or breaker in place of the ground according to the code as long you label it no equipment ground, however, I have also read that GFCI will sometimes nuisance trip with high-powered devices like an AC. Do you think this would be an issue if I went that route since it would be much cheaper?

Thanks

 

[ptonsparky]

A GFCI is a good option for minimum expense. You can't more than have some one out to do a better job at a later date.

 

[Little Bill]

Yeah although my computer probably only uses 2-3 amps, I heard it might not be good for the components in the PC. Also, I have seen that you can install a GFCI outlet or breaker in place of the ground according to the code as long you label it no equipment ground, however, I have also read that GFCI will sometimes nuisance trip with high-powered devices like an AC. Do you think this would be an issue if I went that route since it would be much cheaper?

Thanks

The GFCI won't fool the surge protector. It's not providing a ground, it only gives you a safer install in case of a ground fault.

 

[B747Man]

The GFCI won't fool the surge protector. It's not providing a ground, it only gives you a safer install in case of a ground fault.

Thanks, I know GFCI is not the same as ground. But at least there would be some protection there in case of a fault and it would be to code. I'm mainly want to make sure I can run the AC and not have to worry that much. I am sensitive to the heat so if it costs too much to run the ground then at least I could do something and it would meet code.

 

[ptonsparky]

Thanks, I know GFCI is not the same as ground. But at least there would be some protection there in case of a fault and it would be to code. I'm mainly want to make sure I can run the AC and not have to worry that much. I am sensitive to the heat so if it costs too much to run the ground then at least I could do something and it would meet code.

The path for fault current would be through you. The GFCI would limit the current flow to what a normal healthy adult should survive. Healthy or not, it would be felt, strongly.

 

[B747Man]

The path for fault current would be through you. The GFCI would limit the current flow to what a normal healthy adult should survive. Healthy or not, it would be felt, strongly.

Yes, but it would be safer than nothing, and like you said hurt but not kill you. Besides the chassis from the unit seems to be all plastic anyway.

 

[PaulMmn]

Thanks, I know this would be best which is why I might do it anyway. But as it stands there is actually not a whole lot else running on the circuit. Besides a computer and mostly just a fan or 2 and maybe a couple of phone/laptop chargers which aren't always being used.

An A/C with its starts/stops is not the kind of thing computers like to see!
As others have said before.

 

[ptonsparky]

If an AC drops the voltage so badly your computer drops out, you have way more problems than them sharing a circuit.

I would hazard a guess there are at least a couple (million) out there running on those three to two prong adapters.

 

[Jraef]

I think this has run its course of advice giving and probably exceeded what should have been allowed in the first place. You (OP) have an electrician coming out, that's all that needs to be said.

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