The next best thing to rewiring the house
Ender
Posts: 603
Ok, so my house is an oldie that doesn't seem to have proper grounding because most of the power outlets don't have the ability to plug a grounded plug. However, there ARE outlets with a grounding prong. I believe the previous owner might have just replaced the face plate of the plugs. Is that going to harm anything if I just replace the face plates? I am tired of grabbing power strips and ripping off the grounding prong so be able to plug in grounded plugs.
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Post edited by Ender on
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Have you opened up the boxes and seen if there is a grounding wire or rod in there? Some of the gang boxes of older houses are also grounded too, so you would just need to attach the ground to the box.
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Ok, so my house is an oldie that doesn't seem to have proper grounding because most of the power outlets don't have the ability to plug a grounded plug. However, there ARE outlets with a grounding prong. I believe the previous owner might have just replaced the face plate of the plugs. Is that going to harm anything if I just replace the face plates? I am tired of grabbing power strips and ripping off the grounding prong so be able to plug in grounded plugs.
1)-NEVER REMOVE A GROUND PRONG! Use an adapter if you have too, but don't cut off ground prongs.
2)Measure the voltage from the ground prong to BOTH prongs in the recep, IF you've got 120(or there abouts, depending on your local utility)VAC between the ground prong and the SMALL slot, you are grounded). You should have around 1 volt AC between the LARGE slot and the ground prong. This is because 99% of residential electrical wiring, the neutral and ground are tied together in the panel. The neutral in the panel NEEDS to be tied to a good ground(water main, ground rod, ect.).
3)-You can get the snot zapped out of you in certain instances. If that happens, then yeah, it'll harm you and the equipment in due time.Onkyo TX-SR705 AVR
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I was under my house over the weekend.. and I saw a grounding wire to the sewer line.. does that mean the electrical box is grounded if it goes there? How about the rest of the house?
Like Ender most of my outlets are two prong.. with the exception of a few. like for the home theater.. and i tested it, and it said it was grounded.PolkFest 2012, who's going>?
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My New house was built in 1962.
All the outlets have two connections with no ground connections.
But, the entire house is wired with BX (metal covered two conductor wire) and all the outlet boxes are metal.
I was told by my family electrician that if I just pull out those old receptacles and install new receptacles that I would be good.
You can see inside my circuit breaker box that there is a ground wire going outside and all the BX from the entire house is screwed down to the metal enclosure of the breaker box.
So it must be true. that even though I only have 2 prong outlets that I can upgrade my whole house just by adding new receptacles.
Sal[/
You should screw a ground pigtail to each box and then to each plugs green ground screw, most metal boxs have a threaded hole in the rear for grounding and they sell grounding screws and pigtails at Menards or hd. -
Ok, so my house is an oldie that doesn't seem to have proper grounding because most of the power outlets don't have the ability to plug a grounded plug. However, there ARE outlets with a grounding prong. I believe the previous owner might have just replaced the face plate of the plugs. Is that going to harm anything if I just replace the face plates? I am tired of grabbing power strips and ripping off the grounding prong so be able to plug in grounded plugs.
Go to Home Depot and buy a receptacle tester, it will show whether the outlet is grounded, and also determine if polarity is correct. Cheap insurance that you're wired right !:)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Receptacle_tester -
Thanks for all your input! I will definitely look into the possibility that my house IS grounded and I will see about getting that receptacle tester.SDA 1C, SDA 2A, SDA SRS 2, CMT-340SE, Swan M200MKII, Swan D1080MKII, Behringer MS40
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The other way to go to 3 prong and stay in code is to switch to GFCI breakers and/or outlets.
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The sheathing on MC (aluminum) or BX (steel) has plenty of conductor ability for grounding, just be sure that a good,clean,tight contact is present at both ends! A little deoxit wouldn't hurt either, especially in damp basements.;)
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I hear you, I asked the same question to my family electrician and he said that i only need to do that for isolated ground receptacles.
That the regular $2 receptacles that you buy from Home Depot get grounded as soon as you screw them down into the metal outlet boxes.
I used a small wire for my $90 Power Port Premier Receptacle that I am using for my system.
That will work, here it will not pass inspection without the pigtail, look at the new outlets before you buy some spec grade have a copper or brass grounding strip under one of the box screws for your use.
