I'd like to change out (2) two prong outlets for three prong in my daughters house. One is under the porch and one in the garage. Whats the correct way to do this, I've watched a few YouTube video's and its crazy.
Changing out two prong outlets
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nh_yota
Well-known member
The only code-compliant solution is to replace them with GFCIs or run new romex from the closest grounded connection upstream.
wyliesdiesels
Well-known member
You cant just change a 2 prong to a 3 prong unless there is properly connected ground wire.
So as said above, replace with GFCI (with "no equipment ground" stickers) or run new circuit.
Which videos did you watch?
So as said above, replace with GFCI (with "no equipment ground" stickers) or run new circuit.
Which videos did you watch?
sberry
Banned
The very best way is to change the wire if it's humanly possible. I am a new wire junkie, doesn't take much for me to put new in.
CJ7VFR
Well-known member
When was the house built?
In my house, which was built in 1955, a lot of the original wiring that is the type that had the black sticky goo on the outside of the sheathing. One thing I have noticed is that whether the wire is 14 AWG or 12 AWG, they all seem to have a 14 AWG ground wire inside the sheathing along with the black and white wire.
In some locations throughout the house they had originally installed the two prong receptacles, and the ground wire was still there, but they had wrapped it either around the sheathing or attached it to one of the metal clamps in the metal wall box.
When we bought the house there were still a few of the two prong receptacles left, and the previous owners had them changed out three prong receptacles wherever the ground wire was long enough to reach the ground screw of the new receptacle.
In two cases the ground wires had been cut off too short when they attached them too the screw on the metal clamps, and a pigtail was used.
Also, any 20 amp circuit that used the black gooy wire had the breaker changed to a 15 amp breaker due to the ground wire being 14 AWG. The places that could not do that, such as all the kitchen circuits and anything else that had to be a 20 amp circuit had the old gooy black wire removed and new 12 AWG romex was put in its place from the all the receptacles to the load center.
See if perhaps your daughters place has the old type of wire that may have a ground wire in there, but it is not being used or not connected to a clamp or screw in the box.
Jim
In my house, which was built in 1955, a lot of the original wiring that is the type that had the black sticky goo on the outside of the sheathing. One thing I have noticed is that whether the wire is 14 AWG or 12 AWG, they all seem to have a 14 AWG ground wire inside the sheathing along with the black and white wire.
In some locations throughout the house they had originally installed the two prong receptacles, and the ground wire was still there, but they had wrapped it either around the sheathing or attached it to one of the metal clamps in the metal wall box.
When we bought the house there were still a few of the two prong receptacles left, and the previous owners had them changed out three prong receptacles wherever the ground wire was long enough to reach the ground screw of the new receptacle.
In two cases the ground wires had been cut off too short when they attached them too the screw on the metal clamps, and a pigtail was used.
Also, any 20 amp circuit that used the black gooy wire had the breaker changed to a 15 amp breaker due to the ground wire being 14 AWG. The places that could not do that, such as all the kitchen circuits and anything else that had to be a 20 amp circuit had the old gooy black wire removed and new 12 AWG romex was put in its place from the all the receptacles to the load center.
See if perhaps your daughters place has the old type of wire that may have a ground wire in there, but it is not being used or not connected to a clamp or screw in the box.
Jim
Stuart in MN
Well-known member
Do you actually have appliances with three prong plugs that need to be plugged in at those locations? Most stuff these days is two prong.
theoldwizard1
Well-known member
My house was built in the mid 50s. It had all 2 prong outlets BUT it had ground wires connect to the back of each metal box.
My daughter's old house was older and only had no ground wires. I swapped in a couple of GFCI (with stickers) because the adapters were causing interference with the furniture.
My daughter's old house was older and only had no ground wires. I swapped in a couple of GFCI (with stickers) because the adapters were causing interference with the furniture.
OP
House was built in the 60's, shop vac is three prong. It has an addition so part of the house has three prong plugs.
cory58
Well-known member
My 1950s house in Hollywood, FL, was CBS construction and all 2-prong outlets. I discovered that all the wiring was run in pipe, which created a ground path back to the panel. Not sure if it was code compliant, but I was able to ground all the new 3-prong sockets by attaching a ground jumper to each box.
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dave89iroc
Well-known member
my house was built in the 50s, had 2 prong outlets, however, there was a ground wire running to every box, I was lucky enough that the ground was still long enough, so I popped the outlets, unscrewed the ground wire from the box, wired in the 3 prong outlets, and all done
As you can see from the variety of suggestions, we can't really give you the correct answer until you pull the outlets and see what you are working with. If everything was run using metal conduit or BX cable, then you can use that as the ground conductor. Or as others have mentioned, sometimes the ground wire is just attached to the metal box, and you can use that.
If there is no ground available, then refer back to nh_yota and Wylie.
If there is no ground available, then refer back to nh_yota and Wylie.
alfredeneuman
Well-known member
My ex-girlfriend's house was built in 1958, and had 2 wire NM. A single #16 ground wire attached to a galvanized water line under the lavatory that in turn connected to all the boxes ln the bathroom, kitchen, and laundry circuits.
The ground would still trip a 20A FPE Stablok breaker.
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teamextreme
Well-known member
I would look closer at your romex for a ground wire, like others have described. Most residential installations started running romex with the ground wire, but still 2-prong outlets, somewhere in the late 50's to early 60's. I believe code changed in '65 to require 3 prong outlets. My house was built in 64 and it has grounded romex and outlets.
my house circa 1950 has a mix of 2 wire & 2 wire with ground, it doesn't have any rhyme or reason to it. sort of like whatever the electrician had . a fair bit has been replaced over the years to permit grounded receptacles
OP
For general receptacles around the house I would just throw in a GFCI with no other changes. It is allowed to install a 3 prong GFCI on a non grounded circuit.
If it is a high load area and the circuit may be overloaded then I would look at pulling new wire.
If it is a high load area and the circuit may be overloaded then I would look at pulling new wire.
MikeF2316
Well-known member
Interesting, my house is 1950, I know this because there was a old lady 2 doors up who'd bought her house with her husband when they were 2 years old, back in 1952. All of my asphalt coated cables are just plain 2 wire. There has been serious electrical additions, like a 200 amp service (none of that in '50) and at one time the house had electric baseboard heat. All the cables with ground wires have the plastic outer sheath. There's very little of the original wiring left in use, although I did find a couple of instances of ground pin receptacles on the old wire with no ground.
teamextreme
Well-known member
sberry
Banned
Many had switchloops and now there should be neutral at every box. Use 3 wire on loops.
CJ7VFR
Well-known member
Oh yeah! In my house, every light switch that is wired alone in the metal box is a switch loop. That saved a lot of wire, time and money back in 1955.
Even the switches where the wire has been upgraded to new Romex from the old gooey tar covered wire are loops. But all of those upgrades happened before the NEC required a neutral at every switch box.
Jim
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nh_yota
Well-known member
Conduit can serve as a grounding method but BX/AC cannot unless it contains a bond wire.