How to replace a 2 prong outlet with a 3 prong gfci outlet this project greatly improves the safety of an ungrounded electrical. The diagram below shows a typical nongrounding 2prong receptacle replaced with a gfci. The 2 black were on one brass term, the 2red on another brass term, and the 2 white on one silver term. Adding in a ground wire to upgrade to a 3 prong outlet. Installing a gfci outlet doesnt have to be confusing. I have also been told that a gfci circuit breaker can be installed, which is probably less expensive. I wanted to switch out all the 2 prong outlets for 3 so i checked the wiring behind those outlets hoping to find a ground. The answer to this question depends on the electrical codes in effect at the site. It is in series with this ans has 3 wires of the same colors. How to replace a two prong electrical outlet with a three. Replacing 2 prong receptacle with 3 prong no ground wire i was wondering if someone can tell me how exactly i go about doing this safely. Replacing the 2 prong outlet will use the ground prong for your protection in the event of a malfunction with an electrical appliance. In the united states, the national electrical code 406.
Are 2 prong outlets that are downstream of a gfci outlet. Jul 24, 2017 the answer to this question depends on the electrical codes in effect at the site. Technically, if you want to protect all the outlets on a circuit, you only need to replace the first outlet in that circuit with a gfci outlet. I understand the line and load principle and the black wire to brass screw and white wire to silver screw. I wanted to put a small ac in my sons room to keep it cool for him but his room has 0 grounded outlets. Never replace a twopronged outlet with a threepronged outlet while the circuit is hot. Answered by a verified electrician we use cookies to give you the best possible experience on our website.
If your home has multiple two prong outlets, 2 upgrade options include. Turn off the power at the main circuit panel and remove the old outlet. Jun 05, 2014 replacing a 2 prong outlet with a gfci outlet. Restore power and carefully touch the black probe to the metal box or bare copper ground wire. Nov 02, 2010 im not an electrician either, but i believe that if no other grounding method exists you would be up to minimum code if you install gfi protection in your situation it may be more cost effective to replace your circuit breakers with gfi breakers rather than install gfi outlets, replace the 2prong outlets with 3prong outlets and mark. Questions about using gfci outlets to replace 2 prong outlets. You can consult with our inoffice electricians in mesa arizona free of charge. Install a standard threeprong outlet and add gfci protection. Yet it is possible to retrofit a new three prong or gfci receptacle into the same outlet box without any rewiring, as long as the box itself is grounded. However, the code allows the installation of any of the following installations when replacing a 2wire nongroundingtype receptacle where no ground exists in the outlet box 2107d3, figure 910. Converting a 2prong outlet to 3prong gfci rather than a standard 3prong can decrease these risks, protecting against shockinjury, however a 3prong gfci will not provide the necessary ground protection that prevent sensitive electronics from becoming fried with voltage fluctuations that commonly occur within your home.
Replacing ungrounded outlets with a gfi ask the electrician. Gfci, or ground fault circuit interrupter, outlets are. How to swap a twoprong for a threeprong outlet apartment. Replacing a 2prong outlet with a3 prong grounded gfi outlet. Groundfault circuit interrupters gfci work by looking for imbalances between the ungrounded hot, and grounded neutral conductors. With that said, theres no harm in replacing every single outlet with a gfci outlet, so when that outlet trips, only that one outlet will go down without affecting any of the other outlets. Normal electrical flow happens when the current comes through the hot wire, provides power to. You unplug it and notice a twoprong plug, with both prongs the same size. Replacing 2prong receptacle with 3prong no ground wire. Disconnect the wires by clipping them close to the outlet.
When replacing a 2wire outlet with a gfci outlet the outlet must be labeled indicating that there is no ground available. The diagram below shows a typical nongrounding 2 prong receptacle replaced with a gfci. Replacing two pronged outlet with gfci not grounded. However, if an outlet further down the circuit gets tripped, all of the previous outlets in that circuit will trip as well, forcing you to find the gfci outlet thats first in the circuit and reset it. Replacing ungrounded 2prong outlets with a gfci outlet an old style nongrounded outlet may be replaced with a gfci outlet and the ground fault protection circuitry and capabilities will still work. You can replace almost any electrical outlet with a gfci outlet. How to upgrade a two wire outlet to a safe 3 wire outlet for less than ten dollars replacing a 2 prong outlet with a 3 prong gfci outlet greatly improves the safety of an ungrounded electrical system 1530 minutes it will probably take almost as. How to change 2 prong outlets instructional video youtube. How to replace a dead gfci outlet all about the house. How a gfi outlet may be installed in place of an ungrounded outlet. Replacing a 2 prong outlet with a3 prong grounded gfi outlet. Oaonan gfci replacement plug assembly 2 prongs with ground fault circuit interrupter safety rcd protection for pool pump, power pressure washer, air conditioner, hair dryer and so on 15amp 2 wires. If the outlet is installed in a metal box, and that metal box has metal conduit all the way back to the panel, this will probably be easy to do.
Well show you how to replace a standard duplex receptacle with a gfci and wire it to protect other outlets. How to replace a 2prong outlet with a three prong gfci. How can i make a 2 prong outlet safe for my computer. How to upgrade a two wire outlet to a safe 3 wire outlet for less than ten dollars. If you are unsure of how to run a new ground, have a licensed electrician perform the job. Apr 28, 2017 outlet tester grounding wire needle nose pliers with rubber or nonmetal grip new wall outlet.
Most of the plug ins in the house are not three pronged outlets. Replacing a 2prong outlet with a gfci outlet is acceptable. Does replacing a two prong, ungrounded, 110v outlet with a. This guide will teach you how to safely install a gfci ground fault circuit interrupter outlet. Wellong gfci plug replacement 2 prong electrical cord end male gfi waterproof circuit breaker 15 amp.
Jun 22, 2010 however, the code allows the installation of any of the following installations when replacing a 2 wire nongroundingtype receptacle where no ground exists in the outlet box 2107d3, figure 910. If installing a gfci on an ungrounded circuit, refer to the manufacturers instructions. Adding a ground wire must be done by a professional, and each twoprong outlet needs to be updated. Oct 31, 2016 technically, if you want to protect all the outlets on a circuit, you only need to replace the first outlet in that circuit with a gfci outlet. Remove the 2 mounting screws that are securing the existing electrical outlet and pull it all the way out of the box. So weve recently moved to into an old 1930 tudor home and its really lacking 3 prong grounded outlets and central ac.
This means if you must replace a faulty two prong receptacle, you arent breaking any codes if you choose not to upgrade. The practice of putting a threeprong grounded receptacle on a two wire ungrounded circuit has never been allowed. Now, with the power to my gfci outlet turned off at the electrical service panel i unscrew the gfi from the outlet box out by the pool and gently pull it forward, taking care not to touch the screws on the side of the outlet which will be hot electrically live if the breaker at the service panel hasnt been turned off. Oaonan gfci replacement plug assembly 2prongs with ground. You can simply replace the 2prong receptacle with another 2prong receptacle. Replacing 2prong outlets with 3prong outlets sign in to follow this. But, what can you do about old 2 wire nongroundingtype receptacles, where no ground exists in the outlet box.
If the homeowner knows that the outlet in the entryway will only be used for that 2 prong lamp and nothing else, then keeping the 2 prong outlet there, or replacing a weak older one with a new 2 prong outlet may be the most economical alternative. How to change a 2 prong electrical outlet to a 3 prong. A standard household outlet features two, threeprong plugin slots, while a gfci outlet features the same plugin configuration plus two buttons on its face. It was in 1984 that a new provision was provided to put 3 prong outlets on ungrounded system if gfci ground fault circuit interrupter receptacle was used. If replacing an existing gfci, label the black and white wires on the line and load terminals. Removing and replacing regular outlet with gfci outlet. Adding in a ground wire to upgrade to a 3prong outlet. I wanted to put a small ac in my sons room to keep it cool. Changing from 2prong to 3 taking your standard 2prong outlets into the 3prong variety is a common project. Extend the old wiring out from within the wall so you can easily access it. Can you replace a gfi outlet with a standard outlet answers.
Remove the cover plate screw and cover, then remove the two screws holding. Learn how to replace a twoprong outlet with a threeprong outlet without the. Oldfashioned two prong receptacles connected to two wire cables dont have the ground wires that protect people and electrical devices in case of a fault. To ground a receptacle, run the properly sized wire back to fuse box and connect it to the ground terminal.
The gfi outlet was there for a reason, such as a bathroom or other location around water where there is more risk of a shock being harmful or lethal. If your home has multiple twoprong outlets, 2 upgrade options include. There is a mixture of gfci and 2 prong outlets all over the house. This is the black wire that will connect to the line brass screw terminal.
Some older outlet boxes are too illfitting, so a new gfci might need to be. Place the red probe to each black wire until the tester lights up. I have the spurry gfi tester and it shows open ground as expected but does not trip the gfci when testing. The national electrical code allows you to replace an existing two prong outlet with another one like it when no grounding wire is present in the circuit powering that outlet. Elegrp g1215pa2 auto reset gfci replacement plug assembly 15 amp 2 wires 2prongs nema 115p nongrounding for power pressure washer, pool. How electricians replace twoprong outlets with three. Then connect the loose end of each pigtail to the appropriate outlet screw. How to install gfci receptacle outlets the family handyman. How and why to replace your outlets with gfci outlets. Converting a 2 prong outlet to 3 prong gfci rather than a standard 3 prong can decrease these risks, protecting against shockinjury, however a 3 prong gfci will not provide the necessary ground protection that prevent sensitive electronics from becoming fried with voltage fluctuations that commonly occur within your home. This old house has 2 prong outlets and we need to change them all out to 3 prong outlets. How do i test my wiring to see if it is capable of handling a three prong outlet.
A gfci is the only way to convert a twoprong outlet to a threeprong outlet by code. Oaonan gfci replacement plug assembly 2prongs with ground fault circuit interrupter safety rcd protection for pool pump, power pressure washer, air conditioner, hair dryer and so on 15amp 2wires. I rewired the outlet, and got the little red light on the outlet. Obviously id have to get a 2 to 3 prong adapter as well. Teher is another outlet to the right side of the sink also. Dec 26, 2009 retailer near me is having a pretty good sale on 2 prong, 14 gauge outdoor extension cords. You can replace the 2prong receptacle with a groundfault circuit interrupting device.
I dont have time right now to run new 12 2 wire and hook up the ground, but this will get me by for now. Installing gfci outlets in all wet or damp locations like kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms and basements are a must to meet the national electrical code. Nov 24, 2008 is it against nec code to replace a 2 prong outlet with a 3 prong outlet and disregard grounding the outlet. Replacing ungrounded 2prong outlets with a gfci outlet. An old style nongrounded outlet may be replaced with a gfci outlet and the ground fault protection circuitry and capabilities will still work.
Its important to know the difference between line vs load gfci. Oct 19, 2006 i didnt read the article all the way through, and i have just now come across the part about replacing two prong outlets. Unless your system is in conduit, there is no viable way of adding a legal ground conductor without a complete rewire since an unbundled ground conductor must be a minimum size 6 awg. But before i pick up a couple, i was hoping you smartypants might be able to help me out with some safety questions. Replacing a 2 prong outlet with a3 prong grounded gfi. If it is something you use all the time, then yes, i would change the two prong plugin to a three prong. This tutorial will walk you through how to improve the electrical safety in your home by easily replacing a 2 prong outlet with a new safe gfci. Can i change a 2 prong electrical outlet to three prong. Jan 17, 2009 the best way to upgrade a two prong outlet is to install a three prong outlet that has a continuous electrical path back to the panel. I was thinking that all three prong outlets are gfci, but it looks like they arent.
Retailer near me is having a pretty good sale on 2prong, 14 gauge outdoor extension cords. May i add if youre replacing 2 prong with 3 prong outlets use the gfis in the kithen and bathroom because if you sell the house they most probably will make you change it before its sold. One of those wires can be any color except white, green or bare. I want to replace my current outdoor outlet receptacle with a gfci receptacle. One of the white is thinner and one is thicker, same for the black.
Does replacing a two prong, ungrounded, 110v outlet with a gfi outlet meet nec and new york state electrical answered by a verified home improvement expert we use cookies to give you the best possible experience on our website. A gfci ground fault circuit interrupter is a special type of outlet that detects dangerous ground faults and immediately turns off the power to stop shocks. Turn off the circuit and tested with a circuit tester to ensure there is zero electricity being directed to the outlets. If i place a gfci as the first outlet in a series of ungrounded 2 prong outlets, and connect the wires going to the other outlets to the load terminals of the gfci, will it protect the entire ser. If your electrician must ground your fuse box or upgrade your panel, price of the project will increase.
If youre feeling handy, you can replace a 2 prong outlet with ground fault circuit interrupter gfi receptacles. Replacing a 2 prong outlet with a gfci outlet youtube. Is it safe to power a computer through an ungrounded, gfci. Illegal plumbing products 1, impact driver 1, infrared camera 6.
However, the grounding receptacle must be gfciprotected. Nov 24, 2017 we just use an adapterlaptop computer needs a three prong for example. How to convert a circuit of 2 prong receptacles to gfci. Aside from the regular american voltage groundless outlets around the place, the apartments have special 220v outlets near the ceiling in each room for ac, these have a ground on the outlet.
How electricians replace a twoprong outlet with a three. I just moved into an older home where many of the outlets are 2prong only. Wiring outlets and gfi receptacles electrical question. Turn off power to the outlet being replaced at the service panel. Troubleshooting dead outlets and what to do when gfci wont. If your home is not grounded and you need a threeprong outlet for a. First you need to test and see if you have a proper ground. What gfci outlets do is reduce the danger of deadly shock from faulty plugin cords and devices. Ive read that i can hook up a gfci adapter to the outlet and it will work by killing the power to the device if there is a surge of electricity. But its certainly more cost effective to only replace a few outlets in your house, since gfci outlets are a bit more expensive than traditional receptacles. Available today, friday, february 14th, 2020, from 8.
Just watched your video on converting the old 2 prong receptacles hot and neutral wires only to gfi receptacles with no ground. Upgrading a 2 prong outlet with a new gfci the spruce. Correctly wired gfcis will also protect other outlets on the same circuit. Gfcis should be tested monthly to ensure they are providing protection.
Prepare the wires so they can be reconnected to the new gfci outlet. In other words, if the circuit wiring into the junction boxes in which you ask about converting from 2prong to 3prong receptacles does not include a ground wire, do not install 3prong outlets and do not rely on just grounding the box to a new 3prong receptacles ground screw. Gfci converts twoprong outlet to threeprong one home. Is it possible to get a gfci adapter for a two pronged outlet. Learn how to replace a 2prong outlet with a 3prong outlet in 11 easy steps from a licensed electrician from mr.
These work by immediately cutting the power if they detect a sudden change in current. If either test fails, you must replace the gfci in order to be protected. Remote control reuse robots sensors software soldering speakers tools usb wearables websites wireless. Questions about using gfci outlets to replace 2 prong. For example, if your laptop power brick has a 3prong plug, chances are pretty. An ungrounded threeprong outlet increases the potential for shocks. Upgrading a 2 prong outlet with a new gfci upgrade a 2 prong outlet to gfci outlet. Pull out the old outlet, being very careful not to crack the old wiring. Learn how to replace a 2prong outlet with a 3 prong outlet in 11 easy steps from a licensed electrician from. Feb 06, 2020 i just moved into an older home where many of the outlets are 2prong only. Replacing 2 prong receptacle with 3 prong is wrong unless you properly ground it. Safely upgrade old 2 prong outlets to 3 prong outlets. Locally made taiwanese brand drier and washing machine have two prong cords.
In many older homes in the united states, the outlets are of the twoprong variety. Jul 17, 2017 let me try to explain in a 120v household circuit for an outlet, there are 2 or 3 wires. How do i replace a two prong no ground outlet with a gfci. Safety question about 23prong power cords and gfci outlets. How electricians replace a 2prong outlet with a three prong gfci. Dec 18, 2011 there are only four legal ways of replacing 2 prong outlets with 3 prong outlets. Closeup photos show how to install a gfci without getting line and load connections confused. What i found was 2 sets of black wires, 2 sets of white and 2 sets of bare copper. I have a two prong outlet i need to hook my computer up to. The proper way to do what the op is looking for is to replace the standard breaker with a gfci breaker, or to replace the first outlet in every circuit with a gfci outlet connecting other outlets downstream to the load side of the receptacle.
My brother in law says that replacing the outlet with a 2wire gfi outlet would meet electrical code and does not require the ground wire. How to replace a 2prong with a 3prong gfci outlet mr. If the outlet youre replacing is wired like the one shown in the photo above, with pairs of hot and neutral wires wires under all four screws, connect the pairs of likecolored wires along with a third 6in. If the indicator light does not go out and come back on, or if the gfci cannot be reset, it must be replaced. Replacing 2prong outlets with 3prong outlets do it. Is it against nec code to replace a 2 prong outlet with a 3. A grounding conductor is not required for a gfci device to detect groundfaults. When replacing a 2wire outlet with a gfci outlet the outlet must be labeled indicating that there. I suspect you could use the product you linked, with a 3to 2 prong adapter. Disconnect the attached wires on the existing electrical outlet from the terminal screws. Let me try to explain in a 120v household circuit for an outlet, there are 2 or 3 wires. Nov 06, 2017 have to update my old house wiring to 3 prong outlets.
395 416 527 1592 249 1265 12 133 463 182 1329 765 983 382 179 821 418 14 1230 983 325 1472 22 843 1406 322 876 510 1178 1276 1305 146 1202 1337 1431 1345