ok.....I have experience with electrical work....but it was mainly in a commercial environment....so troubleshooting/"upgrading" older residential stuff is not really my gig.....so here is a question I have for you....


Existing Condition: 2-prong receptacle
Need: 3-prong receptacle


I have not checked to see if the box is grounded....but if it is...I assume that I can go ahead and connect a 3-prong into the box and ground it to the box with a jumper wire....

....if the box is not grounded....I assume that the only option is to install a GFCI and use its internal "switch" to protect against any ground faults....(labeling the outlet as such per NEC)....

....If I have to go the GFCI route....I assume that I should not have many worries about plugging in appliances (freezer) into this setup.....

I do not want to incur a cost of "re-wireing" the place...so let me know if any of you have gone this GFCI route....

 

Or just get a 2 to 3 prong adapter and plug in....
Or rip the round prong off the plug...

Saftey ground.... eh... by the time it hits the safety ground the unit is probably already fried anyway. Seriously.

But a GFI will help incase of a short circuit. Saves the house wiring and maybe the house anyway incase the breaker doesn't trip if the applicance shorts out.

 

Where it counts is at the elec panel; if it's not grounded, then your house isn't grounded. The GFCI plugs that are in the bath/kitchen would probably be grounded to the plumbing. Unless thier is metal conduit/flex conduit around the romex/wiring, that acts as a ground.

Just adding the GFCI/jump wire to box won't do anything. Your best bet is what PSS said, rip off the round prong on your plug.

 

Yeah, rip those seatbelts out of your truck while your at it too. Get the help of someone that will keep you from burning down your house or killing someone if it is not your gig.

Reason for not using a GFCI on a fridge/freezer is that any motored device can easily make a harmless ground fault naturally which the GFCI can trip over. Ever empty a heat spoiled freezer?

Adrianspeeder

 

I've got an old house, too, that was mostly 2-wire stuff when we moved in... much of that was ****-and-tube stuff. We've since gone from 100- to 200-amp service, rewired about half the house or more, all done by myself and/or a friend. It's not hard to run a length of 3-wire Romex to a single outlet, depending on where it is and whether existing wires are in conduit or in bare wall cavities.

If you don't want to bother with trying to run new wire, one easy way to see if you can get a grounded outlet is to buy a circuit tester (less than ten bucks; looks kind of like a 3-prong adapter, but it has three LED lights that tell you, depending on the combination that light, whether an outlet is grounded or not, or if the hot and neutral wires are reversed) and a grounded outlet. Install the outlet, grounding the outlet to the box, then test. If it shows up as correctly grounded and wired, you're golden. If it doesn't show up as grounded, you'll need to come up with a Plan B. Most local electrical codes don't allow grounding to water pipes (and it's really not a great idea), but it can be done.

GFI outlets may protect against electrocution, but they aren't the same as a grounded outlet, esp. in providing protection for equipment plugged into the circuit.

What is the reason for the need to ground?

 

Indeed, per the NEC, you can protect the down-stream plugs, and label them as such, but GFCIs and electric motors don't play well together. They sometimes generate a small arc at start-up which trips the GFI. Not a good idea for the fridge IMHO.

If it was mine, I'd find a way to run grounds. I had a buddy that did it by prying off the baseboards, running a dedicated ground from box to box (it's easy to fish the wire up the wall 18" from behind the baseboard) and grounding it to the main panel (and the rod outside) and then replaced the plugs using the new ground. Not sure if it's code, but it works.

-Joe

 

Bill,

I was in the same situation as you (older home).

I rewired where I could but when I couldnt I was lucky.

Turns out that the cabling was the old armored style...I grounded to that and then made sure that at the box the armored was grounded. Worked great. I didnt want to put GFI in every room...

 

DO NOT CUT THE GROUND PIN!!!!!!!


If you are running a motor, you NEED a proper grounded outlet. Spend the time/money and run a proper2 wire plus ground cable to the outlet.

Anything less and you are risking fire. This is also ground for insurance denial in the event of a fire.

 

As I stated in my initial posting....I have done electrical work before....I know how ignorant and dangerous this would be.....no need to preach to me.....I was just ignoring those previous suggestions.....


My question is more geared towards running the fridge and a chest freezer....seeing as how both have compressors (motors).....

This is an apartment and the landloard does not want to incur the cost of running the proper upgrades.....

...I understand that it is something that if a fire would occur....that the insurance company most likely WOULD NOT honor a claim.....if I make the proper adjustments in my apartment....the adjustments more than likely would not be made in the other apartments....thus still leaving the "insurance problem".....

...I am just wondering what others have experienced using a fridge/freezer that was either:

1) pluged into a 2-prong adapter via a 3_to_2-prong adapter
2) switching the 2-prong out for a "stand-alone" GFCI
3) replacing the 2-prong with a 3-prong w/ground jumper if box is "grounded"

Grounding to "utilities" is not an option.....I believe some codes allow it in certain circumstances....but I feel that there is NO circumstance in which this practice would be safe....so I would never go this route....

 

An apartment? Heck plug it in and have the landlord sign off on it....knowing the risks...

it would be cheaper to just fix it.

 

I understand that.....but I don't want to ruin MY chest freezer....so.....what do ya'll think about the possible issues that might arise with using a chest freezer with no ground.....

 

Your not willing to cut the prong but your willing to use a 3 to 2 adapter?
The adapter does not connect that prong to anything. It is a dead end.

I think everyone has the wrong idea of this ground wire and it's use.
If it's not there the motor is still gounded thru the neutral. (right slot)
This second ground is commonly called "the safety ground". It simply is attached to the housing of appliances with a metal case.

The idea behind grounding is to protect the people who use metal-encased appliances from electric shock. The casing is connected directly to the ground prong. That's it! The motor is not connected to this prong in any way shape or form. It simply offers electricity a path of least resistance over the human body if the case becomes charged do to a short.

Howstuff works.com

So as you can see there is no risk of fire, nor lack of insurance not paying for a fire by not having it. If it catches on fire then it is simply because the breaker did not do it's job. It's going to burn even with the safety ground attached if the breaker does not trip. The only risk is that some one could get shocked if the body of the appliance becomes juiced do to a short and the breaker does not trip.

Now everyone can feel nice and safe knowing this info when they reach down to turn off thier computers, go to open the fridge door, plug in thier toaster, use thier microwave, etc etc etc all common metal cased appliances. I hope it's grounded.