Grounding a two pronged outlet...

[Anonymous]

It needs to be able to send electrons into the ground (i.e., the earth) through an uninterrupted conducting material (i.e., wire, pipe, conduit, etc).

 

[DOGMAI]

I just did all this. If there is no third (green) wire in the box than there is no ground. If there is a cold water copper pipe neer you can ground to that. If you ground to the earth there needs to be an 8' x 1/2" copper rod 8' into the ground to get a good ground. That rod is about $13 at HD.

Take your outlet out and drill a small hole throught the back of the outlet box and through the wall to the outside. Drive the copper rod into the ground and then run a copper grounding wire through the hole you made and attach it to the copper rod using a grounding clamp. Get a GFCI outlet and install it in place of the old outlet. Hook up the black and the white and then the new green ground to the GFCI and screw it back in. Assumiong you live on the first floor and your outlets are standard height in the appartment, there will only be a small amount of wire visible outside the appartment. Paint it the same color as the exterior and it wont even be noticable. You can do this for under $30 at Home Depot.

Thanks,
Shane

 

[Anonymous]

Replace the plug with a 3-pronged Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter plug (about $10). 95% of electrocution fatalities are caused by ground faults. This little investment could save your life.

BTW as long as your box, and the conduit leading out of it, is metal, you are probably ok. If you open it up and there is a 3rd wire (the ground) you should use that.

You should turn off the electricity at the circuit panel first.

If when you open up the box you don't find 3 wires of the appropriate color, don't put in a GFCI.

And a 2 wire setup is no good for a grounding probe, it will add stray voltage incase you have one.

I'm not an electrician, but I did stay in a Holiday Inn Express once.
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Taoism Forum

 

[Anonymous]

I just did all this. If there is no third (green) wire in the box than there is no ground. If there is a cold water copper pipe neer you can ground to that. If you ground to the earth there needs to be an 8' x 1/2" copper rod 8' into the ground to get a good ground. That rod is about $13 at HD.

Take your outlet out and drill a small hole throught the back of the outlet box and through the wall to the outside. Drive the copper rod into the ground and then run a copper grounding wire through the hole you made and attach it to the copper rod using a grounding clamp. Get a GFCI outlet and install it in place of the old outlet. Hook up the black and the white and then the new green ground to the GFCI and screw it back in. Assumiong you live on the first floor and your outlets are standard height in the appartment, there will only be a small amount of wire visible outside the appartment. Paint it the same color as the exterior and it wont even be noticable. You can do this for under $30 at Home Depot.

Thanks,
Shane

A 2 wire system done right is grounded. It is good enough for MH lights, I would think twice about plugging a plasma TV or computers into one though.
_________________
grand daddy purple seeds

 

[Anonymous]

And the third wire can be bare copper.
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economic recession in us

 

[DOGMAI]

A 2 wire system done right is grounded. It is good enough for MH lights, I would think twice about plugging a plasma TV or computers into one though.

Better safe than sorry.

 

[shr00m]

hes right... although 3 wires is better with the ground a 2 wire system can be grounded, in a properly grounded 2 wire setup neutral is tied to ground at the box..... its how it was done in the olden days... and still this way in older houses...

 

[Anonymous]

Are you dead? I want those sump bucks!

 

[Anonymous]

I'm not dead yet....



I feel happy

 

[shr00m]

most houses here neutral is tied to ground , code didnt change forever here either, up until recently, i run my niiiice tv, 3-4 pcs , lights, no problems...

 

[trido]

NM.

 

[trido]

NM.

WTH shrOOm!!!! I didnt see that you dug this out of the grave. Why?

 

[Anonymous]

I did not die, you greedy son of an octopus. I keep my sump bucks!

The apartment ended up doing it for me, no expenses incurred.

 

[bleedingthought]

Matt Wandell's not dead?!

 

[shr00m]

if only they had outlets that would work underwater