Fixing Ungrounded Outlets by Installing GFCI Outlets- Save THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS
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- čas přidán 10. 10. 2020
- 0:01:12 - The Purpose of Grounding
0:03:25 - How to Find the First Outlet in the Chain
0:11:06 - How to Install a GFCI Outlet
This video will show you step-by-step how to replace an ungrounded outlet with a GFCI-protected outlet. Most older homes have two-prong outlets instead of newer, safer three-prong outlets. There are also many older homes where three-prong outlets have been installed in place of the older two-prong outlets. A home’s electrical system in both of these situations is not as safe as newer, modern systems because there is no equipment ground. In this video, I will show you how you can make your home essentially as safe as if it were wired with a three-wire (grounded) system. You can do this at a fraction of the cost of rewiring your home. This video will show you step-by-step how to replace a standard ungrounded outlet with a GFCI-protected outlet. It will also show you how to find the first outlet in a daisy chain so that one GFCI can protect all other outlets downstream.
www.morganinspectionservices....
Incredible video! I am using this right now to correct my home built in 1962. No one tells you how to figure out which socket is the first in the chain, this does, which is invaluable! Thanks so much!
Glad it helped
Really appreciate you taking the time to do a full explanation and wiring example.
You’re welcome. Glad it was helpful.
That label "no equipment ground" also needs to go on your GFCI outlet. You didn't point this out when you tested your outlet, but the ground light on your tester did not light because even though you have GFCI protection, that outlet is still ungrounded. So you are protected from electrocution, but sensitive stuff like computers and other electronics are NOT protected from damage due to no ground.
Installing these GFCIs is a great way to make an old house a lot safer without spending many thousands of dollars to basically rewire the house (and then replace all the sheetrock and/or paneling you had to wreck to rewire). But it is not the same as having all grounded circuits.
The best way in an old house is to install a gfci breaker on your main panel. There expensive but worth it . Ps who uses power tools on outlets.
Thanks,
@@joerostkowski7313 So where do you plug them in, your quantum power back
Are all the outlets in the circuit going to be unprotected from damange to electronics or just the GFCI outlet that he put in the first outlet of the chain?
@@vincentnguyen1603 The GFCI Outlet gives the same protection to every outlet away from the circuit breaker box as it has itself. What GFCI checks is to see that the current coming into it (HOT) is equal to the current leaving (NEUTRAL). So if the HOT is bringing in 10amps, but some outlet further up is dumping some amperage into a toddler (for example), the returning current going to the GFCI NEUTRAL will be less than 10 amps (9.95 amps for instance). Since those are not the same, the GFCI will trip.
This is by far the best DIY video on the topic. Thanx, so much for your knowledge.
You're very welcome!
Thanks, your best one to explain how fix that problem, be trying for 3 days .
Best one on this i've seen so far. thanks!
Glad you liked it!
@@morganinspectionservices3840 444
This video explained the process way better than those highly funded channels like This Old Home. Thank you
Thank you
It really help me a lot, now i know where to install the GFCIs - Thank you
You're welcome.
Thank you so much for this! I purchased my home (built in 1950) last year. While three key outlets for AC and the refrigerator have been rewired with true grounds, there are several 3-prong receptacles in the house that test as not grounded. For the most part just knowing which is which is enough for me, but this is such an easy and inexpensive fix it's now going on my "to do" list!
Well, I am glad I could help a little bit. It is pretty simple, and it will definitely make your home safer. Good luck with this future project.
Be careful i had the same issue in this property (50's-60's concrete building) turned out there was one of the alternate systems which ruined my computer and multiple apple adapters.
My computer died when voltage came through the fake ground in the outlet and found its way to the telegraph pole outside through my computers lan cable. Very fried board. Electrician said it was safe ....safe like this guys thing..wont kill you apparently but will ruin your equipment. Ive found 2 outlets in the whole house that have a true ground and dont return voltage from the negative down the earth cable. Only good for lightbulbs.
Thanks guy,very informative, I'm buying a house that is not grounded, and this helps.
Thank you! This video helped me install my gfci correctly.
Glad it helped!
This was incredibly helpful to me. Thank you!
I’m glad I was able to help.
I saw a video where a guy replaced a 2 prong outlet with a 3 prong outlet, ALL he did was re hook the 2 wires to the new outlet and shoved it back in the box. IS THIS ok or not.
Great job, clearest explanation of GFCI.
Thank you. Glad you enjoyed.
Super helpful, thank you for this!
Thanks for this video. You just saved me a lot of cash. Wonderful work
Glad it was helpful.
Thanks much great teacher , just bought a house and really need to know these things
Thank you and that was very very helpful thank you for sharing with everybody out there 👍👍👍👍👍
You are welcome.
Good video. Thanks.
Very good on explaining . Thank you.
Thank you and you’re welcome.
Great video. I learned a lot.
Glad it was helpful!
This is the most comprehensive video i have seen on this topic.
Thanks. I appreciate the feedback. Hope it helps you.
@@morganinspectionservices3840 so what can i do if the house doesn’t have a ground cable in the walls? How to i protect against surge? If the first in the chain is GFCI’d will it shit off and prevent the others in the chain from power surging?
@@elcubanito001 First of all, I need to say the GFCI‘s are not designed to prevent or protect against electrical surges. The home grounding system is designed to dissipate electrical surges into the ground. GFCI’s are only designed to protect someone from being electrocuted if there is a ground fault due to a fault or damaged piece of equipment. If you properly install a GFCI-protected receptacle as the first receptacle in the “chain,“ it will protect all other receptacles that are supplied from the GFCI-protected receptacle. All of those receptacles will be protected even if there is no ground wire connected to the receptacles. I hope this answers your question.
Excellent video very well explained thanks. 👍
Thank you.
Thank you so much. Now I can fix my own
Glad I could help
Thanks! Great video. Personally, I would also use a Klein screwdriver to assure that the line and load wires are well tightened.
Good job explaining gfcis
You did a good job of keeping it simple for a diy’er. I wish you had gone a little further toward explaining why this is needed. One commenter mentioned that this does not solved the ungrounded aspect, but you correctly replied that it made it much safer. In my practice, lots of people have not figured out the original purpose of GFCI’s and as a result would be lost the first time that GFCI behind the dresser tripped and the iron didn’t work. Landlords can reduce their liability exposure by installing these. With the GFCI, that dirty or damaged appliance may not be grounded, but it won’t continue to run either. Hope someone saw a way to make the kids rooms safer!
I appreciate the feedback. If this video helps to just make one home a little bit safer, it will have been well worth my time.
Thank u. Was wondering how I could. Protect my ungrounded outlets in my 1952 home
Thank you!
Nicely done demo and explanation. I have a few comments. Since you have a metal box, wrap electrical tape around screws, other comments have also mentioned this. You need a "no equipment ground" label on the gfci receptacle also. Most importantly, since this room would like have computers, tv, etc. these shock prevention measures will not protect electronic devices. Surge protectors don't work without ground.
Please use a manual screwdriver for attaching wires to receptacles. There are so few threads, it takes no time to make a tight connection. Btw most often the screws accept flat, philips, and square drive.
Thanks for the feedback. You are correct.
Thank you...nice & simple fix. Now go get the cover...lol. Great job. Thanks again
Thanks for the feedback.
This video you tube save me a lot of money. Thank you.
Great presentation
Thank you!
A very helpful video.
Thank you for the feedback. Glad it was helpful.
Great video Mike!
Thanks
Nice video,thanks
Glad you liked it
Thank you
You're welcome
thank you sir !!
Most welcome!
Nice job.
Thanks!
Thanks.
Thanks for this. FWIW, I always tape the lugs when its all tight. Just paranoid lol.
Great tip!
We have one of these in the bathroom, does that provide ground to everything in there like the vanity lights, plus, everyone of our outlets were replaced with one of these
When inspecting your outlets, always check both receptacles in the duplex. I've had it where the top outlet was correct and then there was a hot/grd reverse on the bottom due to too long terminal screw pigtails.
Good advice!
Great advice. Thanks.
Noticed there was some shiners poking out from the screws. Would wrapping electrical tape around it fix the issue of accidental wire to wire contact.
It is not as safe without grounding, as the GFCI will only trip when a person touches the outlet or connected equipment. On the other hand, with a ground connection, the GFCI cuts off the power one thousand seconds after the bypass occurs through the ground wire. Thus, when the person touches the elements, they will be previously de-energized.
You are 100% correct. It is not as safe as an outlet that is grounded, because power will have already been shut off to a grounded outlet while an outlet protected by a GFCI will not lose power until someone touches it, and creates the “ground fault.” However, an ungrounded outlet protected by a GFCI is MUCH safer than a simple ungrounded outlet.
Nice video, what about when you want to install a motion detection light switch that requires to be grounded?
If something requires grounding, then this method will obviously not work. If the box is metal, and if conduit was used then you can use a pigtail from the receptacle’s ground screw directly to the box to ground it. Otherwise, you have no choice but to run new wire or at least a ground wire from the panel box to the receptacle you need to ground.
protect yourself and your family from electrical hazards
Thanks for the video. The wiring in my house is aluminum, do they make gfci outlets for aluminum like they do ordinary outlets and switches? Thanks!
Suggest contacting a licensed electrician for appropriate corrective measures.
There is a way to safely use the aluminum wiring. Each device has to be protected. Do some research. I am not an electrician, but I’m privy to information in my business.
Again, contact licensed electrician.
Look for outlets and switches that are labeled CU/AL. As it copper (CU) or aluminum. These days lots of devices are labeled for this use.
They must be labeled "CU/AL" in order to be used with aluminum wiring.
Easy way to remember which wire goes to what is Brass goes Black, and silver goes to white. Green is either green or brass and is bare.
Thanks. That is a good way to remember.
@@morganinspectionservices3840 , I always remember the movie that came out the year I was born (1947 ) named Black Gold. Good movie which has saved me from shock many times when wiring :)
Ive got red, white, black, green, striped green, blue and brown in my house 😂 gotta love labourers who can do electrics huh. 🤦 Landlords an idiot.
After changing the first outlet in circuit to a gfci the other outlet down the circuit should I add a gound wire and screw when I change them?
Unless the receptacle is installed in a grounded metal box, installing a ground wire will not help. Any receptacle must be grounded back to the panel in order for the a ground wire to do any good.
Awesome
Thank you
Highly unlikly but if I pulled a receptacle cover and found a metal box I would check it to see if It was usable for a ground. This is also a good time to review the amp load on the circuit. The general consensus is that one should try to keep the load on a 12 gage 20-Amp circuit breaker to the area of 16 Amps.
How does one check to see if a metal box is suitable for a ground? This is my exact situation with a home from the 50's and I'm installing GFCIs in each of the kid's rooms but they also have metal outlet boxes.
@@kevinlyman1 Yes I'd like to know as well...can a receptacle (duplex) be made grounded by running a suitable wire from the grounding post ON THE RECEPTACLE to a grounding screw attached to THE METAL HOUSING the receptacle is mounted in? Thanks
@ 7:00 Don’t know if you’re aware, but for “back-stabbed” wires into a receptacle, you don’t necessarily need to cut them to remove them. You can either wiggle them until they come out, or they may be held in place by the screw (even though they are not wrapped around the screw). By removing them in either of these ways, you save yourself from having to lose limited available wire length, and you don’t need to strip (as they will already be stripped).
If neither of these is the case, of course, then you’d need to cut.
If you manage to get them out just by wiggling, definitely DO NOT just reinsert them. The retention will be very poor. In fact most recommend NOT using these back-stabs at all, unless they are held in place by tightening the screw (rather than just depending on spring force for retention).
P.S. I’m also not a licensed electrician. (But I’ve watched plenty of them in CZcams.)
I am aware of that. I was just trying to speed things up a little. I should have at least mentioned that there are various ways to disconnect the wires. Thanks for the feedback.
The receptacles I have, have a hole next to the back-stab hole that you can push a nail or something into to release the spring.
That aside, avoid using those ridiculous back-stab holes at all costs. They're not reliable. One comes loose and everything downstream goes out. They're obviously made for quick, slipshod operations like manufactured housing operations, not for people like us, who have to live with them.
@@donf3739 Agree 110% on not using the spring-loaded backstabs. I do like what this guy does at 11:35 in lieu of wrapping the conductor around the screw. Bill @ Sparky Channel typically does the same. (But I’d probably still use a manual screwdriver.)
@@peacefrog0521 Yes, I like to have control of how tight to tighten it. I believe the author concurred with that later also.
So called "backstabbed" receptacles are ok for low wattage loads, but for appliances like electric fireplace or heaters with1250 watt load then they tend to heat up and melt the plastic, so please use the screw terminals.
Whenever I come across the in and out wiring I like to take apart and pig tail them .
6:50-6:54 I’m the same way! I’d check, double check, I’d get side tracked.
Then, check again!
It doesn’t hurt to constantly check. Because what’s in that wall hurts even more!
Good advice
So what kind of lights do you get on a plug-in tester? And what happens when you push the test and reset buttons?
If it’s only a 2 prong outlet, do you still need to put both the labels on the downstream ones?
There is no need to put the ungrounded outlet label. It wouldn't hurt to put the "GFCI protected" label though.
I love british sockets and wiring more everyday 😂
It still shows and open ground due to no ground back to the panel. It protects the other outlets, but no ground. If a ground was present the middle light and the light on the right would be on indicating a true grounded outlet...
I normally place a green Robertson driver head in my drill ! It is safer than the flat and more reliable.
Thanks for the info.
I have only one that reads open ground. If I replace just that one with a GFI will it work ?
First, is it an old home with originally two prong outlets? Then you can use the GFCI method. If it is a new home with just somehow broken ground then that is not an option. Note the GFCI does not fix the open ground.
Looking down in the basement/crawl space we could locate the beginning outlet? comment please
I’m not sure what you’re asking here, but if I’m guessing correctly, yes, it is possible that the beginning outlet or the first outlet in the daisychain could be located in the basement.
Good job Mike, we get it, you did this as quickly as possible and explained it coherently. I may be wrong but correct me if I am but is it not NEC code now to wrap all electrical outlets with black tape before installing inside the box, or is it just the non GFCI outlets? Thanks in advance Mike.
Yes, I should have wrapped the outlet with tape before putting it back into the wall. Thanks.
There is no code that says an outlet has to be wrap with tape.
Didn't mentioned to wrap by electrical tape "but" for safety reason peace.
@@morganinspectionservices3840 what is the rationale for taping?
@@jamomeara1894 it helps keep it from arcing to or from wires, box, stud etc... an extra safety device if you will. Nothing wrong with being too careful!
If my rooms are ungrounded, do I need a GFI in each room? Thanks.
Citrine Warren Sr.
Severn
MD.
It al depends on how the house was wired. You need a GFCI at the start of each circuit - wherever the circuit starts. This may be one per room, but it is possible to have multiple rooms on one circuit. It will require some investigating to determine this.
I'm guessing the panel was a panel with circuit breakers...? Will this also work with the old screw in fuse panels?
Sure. The circuit doesn't care if its fed from breakers or fuses, so it does not matter at all.
So I understand that this makes things safer but does this protect the electronics too? I have a relatively expensive computer that I want to put in the room where I have this issue, but not if it will mess my computer up in case of power outages or say lightning strikes, maybe I'm not fully understanding. Any help is appreciated, thanks!
GFCIs are designed to protect people from electrocution. They do nothing to protect connected equipment. By the same token, grounding the receptacles don't protect equipment. About the only way to protect equipment is with the home's grounding system (ground rod and grounding electrode conductor) and surge protectors.
If lightning strikes the wires your equipment will be toast no matter what. It is the grounding of the neutral that protects against voltage induced by lightning. Computers do not mind being ungrounded. There may be problems with equipment you connect the computer. Ideally you should use WiFi. In any case do connections powered down. Ungrounded computers put about half the mains voltage to the case and you may feel this if you touch it and something grounded. (not recommended), the current is just 0.5 mA so it is not dangerous on a working computer.
I pulled out an old electric outlet, to replace it with a GFCI.
I accidentally touched some part of the old outlet while removing it on the metal box, and saw a small spark. (I thought the fuse was out, but maybe I had the wrong fuse out).
Now, I am reading 14 volts from hot to neutral, and from hot to the metal box(ground). I've pulled every fuse in the panel, and still see 14 volts!
Note, the outlet was working fine before my accident (although the hot/neutral were reversed).
What did I do break when that old receptacle sparked? Did I burn/short a wire, or junction? How do I find the problem. I cannot use continuity tests since I have 14 volts present. Help!
14v seems an odd number...have you unplugged all your wall wart chargers etc? If theyve linked all the ground lines together maybe theres something else in the circuit discharging power. Not much takes 14v...main suspect to me would be a computer monitor as they use odd voltages. Perhaps a laptop with a 14v battery is plugged in someplace? May be active because the circuit isnt correct....just throwing some options im no electrician.
@@luminousfractal420 Hi. There could have been a laptop plugged in on the 1st, or 2nd floor. I ended up installing the gfci, and this was a basement Outlet, and it is working fine. Gfci even tests properly, and has ground.
I thought it the gfci would not be grounded, as I did not see any green or bare copper wire in the receptacle. But, the GFCI does test as having a ground also. This is an old house built around 1928, and a few of the other gfcis that I thought were lacking a ground, actually tested good for a ground also. I think there are ground wires going to the water pipes, which are galvanized steel. So the ground system might well be all tied together.
One other thing I noticed after all this, I was replacing some incandescent bulbs with LED bulbs in the basement also, and they all seem to work fine except for on one bulb outlet. The incandescent bulb was working fine, but when I tried to put an LED in it flickered and then would not stay on. I tested that led in other lamp fixtures and it worked well everywhere else. So, I ended up leaving the incandescent bulb in, and and it still works fine. It got me wondering if maybe that bulb fixture was on the same line as the GFCI that I just put in, or, wondering why else would an incandescent bulb work in a lamp fixture, but not an LED?
If my outlet is within 6 feet of water source (bath, kitchen, laundry), and is ungrounded, and I put in a GFCI, will I pass a rental inspection?
I see that is a Milwaukee M12 but what is it called? It is not a full-size drill driver. Is it called a MINI? Please let us know...I want to get one!
Was it necessary to install a ground wire to the GFCI and to the box
The box was not grounded, so connecting a ground would not have helped.
I noticed that you used a 20 amp GFCI outlet, could you have used a 15 amp GFCI outlet or is there a particular reason why you used a 20 amp GFCI outlet? Thanks
No. There would be no problem using a 15-amp outlet. I used a 20-amp outlet because there was #12 wire running to the outlet.
@morgan inspection services, I noticed you didn't run a ground wire off the GFCI. Do you have to run one? Reason being, I've seen people run one off the GFCI to the box in the wall outlet box, if its metal.
The whole point of the video was to show how to make the receptacle safe if there is no ground available. In this case, since the metal box was not grounded, running a ground wire from the ground screw to the box would not have helped..
@@morganinspectionservices3840 I'm confused because other videos show the box not grounded but they ran a ground wire from the box to the GFCI my question is would that help or not
@@babyboinews6896 no expert here but i believe only if the box is grounded would it benefit you to run a ground wire
from the box to the GFCI..otherwise it would provide no help
@@USArmy91222 and by that you mean it should be a metal box to be grounded right
@@babyboinews6896 yes, my house was built in the 50's and has all metal boxes..a simple way to tell if your
box is grounded is to get a inexpensive tester..put the red lead of the tester into the smaller slot of the
outlet and take the black lead and just touch the screw that holds the cover in place..if you get a reading
110v it's grounded..
So does this pritect all the outlets in the house? Or would this need to be done to every room?
One GFCI will protect all of the receptacles downstream of it on the same circuit. You would have to install enough GFCI receptacles so that all other receptacles in the home are protected.
It protects the outlets downstream that is you need at least as many GFCIs as there are breakers but remember there is no rule that you need to change every outlet. If there are locations where you do not need the third prong you can leave them alone. (assuming there is no illegally installed three prong outlet)
Are there any videos on CZcams showing how to rewire a house?
what if there are only one black and one white instead of 2 blk. and 2 wht. like your. Please reply, thanks very much.
If there is only one black and one white wire, then that is either the last outlet in the daisychain, or it is fed directly from a breaker, which is unlikely. At any rate, you just need to connect the black and white wire as described in the video to the screws labeled “line.“
If you are trying to protect multiple outlets with a GFCI, and this is the one you found, then you need to keep looking because this one will definitely not be the first one in the daisy chain.
I just tried this, all 5 outlets on the circuit have only 2 wires connected to them, none of mine have 4 wires so it was impossible for me to find the beginning outlet to install a gfci, any suggestions or is it something im missing?
You’re sure that all those outlets are on the same circuit? It’s unusual that five outlets on the same circuit would be wired without daisychaining them together. If that is the case, then you will have to install a GFCI outlet at each of those five locations. Another option would be to install a GFCI breaker, and that would accomplish the same thing - and would be much quicker to do. You would have to do some research to see exactly what’s required to install a GFCI breaker, but it’s not too difficult.
@@morganinspectionservices3840 yes they are all on the same circuit, when I kill the breaker, all 5 of them had no power
@@chrisbrown6804 Then they are likely all tied together in a junction box somewhere. I think the previous solution I gave yesterday is likely the best way to add the GFCI protection.
get your gfci outlets installed for 2o21
Can you cite the code that requires this protection? I'm in a similar situation with a home I'm buying and would like to be able to specifically call out the code to the sellers
I would not say that the NEC requires this protection, but it permits this protection. It allows a GFCI-protected receptacle to be installed where there is no equipment ground. Due to grandfathering, the NEC does not require things like this to be installed to bring a house up to modern codes/standards. However, the NEC does permit such installation, and this installation will make a home safer. I am a home inspector, and as such, I regularly call out as a deficiency the lack of grounds on receptacles. While the NEC does not require a house to be brought up to current codes, and a home inspection cannot enforce/require the same, we still call it out as a deficiency. Section 406.4(D)(2) of the NEC covers what is required when a three-prong receptacle is installed in place of an ungrounded (two-prong) receptacle.
Is a line and load for a light switch?
"Line" is where the wires supplying power to the outlet are connected. "Load" is where the outlets are connected that you want to protect with the GFCI. Lights are not normally protected by GFCIs.
I give you 3000 like
Thank you.
Since was mtal boxes i wouldve tape around it
what happens if you push the test button and it does not trip . is that because there is no ground
Great question. If you are pushing the test button on the receptacle itself, it should trip regardless of whether it’s grounded or not. If this is what you are pushing, and it is not tripping, then there is a problem that needs to be found and corrected. If you have a separate receptacle tester with built-in GFCI tester, and you’re pushing that button, then that button will not trip a GFCI receptacle that is not grounded.
Will this strategy pass a code inspection?
It depends. Code enforcement people realize that doing this is much safer than leaving the outlets ungrounded and unprotected, so in some places they will work with you and be happy for any safety upgrades that you do. Is it completely up to today’s electrical code? No. I would suggest you talk to the code enforcement people in your city and see what they say about it.
Can you trip the ones not ground wire?
The normal receptacle tester with a little push button to test the GFCI will not trip one that is not grounded, but the built-in test button on the outlet will test and trip the GFCI outlet.
How do you have a home inspection license. A GFCI does not make it safe to install 3 prong outlet without a ground
NEC disagrees.
I'm sorry but it sounds like you need to study up some on electrical issues. A GFCI makes ungrounded outlets much safer than with no GFCI.
Incorrect. It won't protect your equipment, but it will protect you.
@@morganinspectionservices3840 much safer but applies all the protection of a true ground?
@@luminousfractal420 The person above who said “it won’t protect your equipment” does not understand the purpose of the ground wire. It’s ONLY purpose is to protect people. It does not protect equipment. The home’s grounding electrode system protects equipment. I would certainly prefer to have my home’s receptacles grounded than to use the method I show in this video, but this method does make the home much safer than doing nothing.
Can i change all the outlet with gfci thk
Yes. You can. That is no problem. It just is not normally necessary. If the outlets are tied together (daisy chained), then one GFCI can protect several standard outlets.
Question: My Tesla car charger (for 120V) would not work if the outlet is not grounded. Now, since a GFCI outlet basically is as safe as if it is grounded, would the Tesla charger work on a GFCI outlet since it is also considered grounded?
The outlet is safer because it is GFCI protected, but it is still not grounded. I have never dealt with tesla chargers, but if they do not work if the outlet is not grounded, then it will still not work even with the GFCI.
Hand held polarity tester (GFCI button) will not work on this ungrounded circuit. comment please
That is very correct. A handheld tester (three light tester) with a GFCI test button will not work on an ungrounded receptacle. You must use the test button that is built into the receptacle itself. The reason it will not work is because the button on the handheld tester utilizes the ground wire on the receptacle to create a “ground fault.“ Without the ground wire, pushing this button does nothing.
@@morganinspectionservices3840 Yet the test button on the GFCI (ungrounded circuit) Does function. comment please
Does this prevent a appliance or TV from getting fried or electrocution?
GFCIs do not protect appliances. They are designed to prevent electrocutions.
TVs typically are double insulated so they do not care of the protective grounding. Computers use grounding. You should be careful if ypou connect a computer to a TV with this. Do not plug when the computer is running.
Computers generate voltage on the case. This is about half the mains voltage and if it is not grounded you can feel that if you touch it and something grounded (in general not a good idea) but it is not dangerous. The current is about 0.5 mA.
Tape around terminals
I’ve read not to do this as it’s not necessary. What is your rationale for taping?
Would be better if you explained line and load side of a gfci! Any one knows how to screw but line and load is what confusing for newbies
Thanks. A video with a better explanation of line and load is coming soon.
Take the "L" off of 'LINE' and first two letters then are 'IN' (INcoming) power. L 'O' A D side of GFCI = 'O' utgoing power. Is how I can remember the electricity " IN " & " O " (Out) .
No Black tape on the GFCI outlet?
Isn’t it supposed to have two lights on the right side
Are you asking about the tester having two lights or what?
Only if the outlet is grounded. It's still not grounded, just ground fault protected. As commented by others, he also needed to apply a "no equipment ground" to the GFCI outlet cover plate.
Will that work even without ground line?
Yes. The whole purpose of the video is to show how to make ungrounded outlets safer by installing a GFCI outlet.
In my experience the GFCI outlets will not work correctly without a ground. You still need to provide a good ground to the GFCI in order to protect the loaded circuit that follows. If you try to test that GFCI without a ground with a GFCI tester, the tester will not only show that it is wired incorrectly but that GFCI will not trip/reset after being shorted. Thus making GFCI having no more purpose than a regular ungrounded outlet. It is, after all called a GROUND FAULT CIRCUIT INTERUPTOR after all.
@@robertgarcia584 Read the instructions when you buy one. It says connect to grounding wire (only if there is a grounding wire). It does not say the unit can't be used. The GFCI receptacle looks at stray voltage on both the ground and the neutral lines, so it will interrupt if there is an imbalance between the hot and neutral as well.
All outlets in the chain are wired in parallel. comment please
Yes, all outlets in a daisychain are wired in parallel. All outlets in every house/building are always wired in parallel. If they were not wired in parallel, the 120 V would be divided up among the outlets based on the loads that were running on those outlets. Only by wiring in parallel will you have 120 V at each outlet.
call your electrician
Where did you learn this from ??? Other people on youtube I am a retired electrian So why spend the money for a GFCI outlet when a normal outlet will work The ground isn't hooked up on the GFCI anyway When replacing a old outlet with no ground Take a short wire and connect were the white hooks to it if you have the extra space on the outlet and run this to the ground screw At lease you will have a grounded outlet and your test light will work right I did this to my whole house This is probably as legal as your GFCI deal but you will have a grounded outlet
If the metal box is not grounded, connecting a ground wire will not ground the outlet. If it were that easy to ground outlet, that would sure be nice.
You should also wrap electrical tape around the outlet covering the terminals
Please cite where in the NEC it says to do so...Karen.
@@brianreinhardt4050 It doesn't but it's good to have should you box be metal.
Not a bad idea, but not required as far as I know.
I was told any electrician worth his spit doesn't use those quick connections because they're not very reliable
GFCI outlet DOES NOT make a non-grounded circuit grounded!
You are absolutely correct, but a GFCI outlet makes a non-grounded outlet a lot safer than it was.
He never said it did!
Why don’t they make labels to match the outlets. I don’t like the blue stickers . It stands out
I suppose they don't want the labels to match the outlets because they want them to stand out an be obvious.
The outlets I got from amazon were white with black lettering and small. you can also just buy the labels from ebay and they're also white with black lettering.
This WILL NOT protect your electronics. Surge protectors MUST have a ground. All a GFCI will do is protect a person from being shocked, but never plug computer, tv, expensive equipment into a non-grounded outlet... with REAL grounding wires back to the electrical panel.
A typical surge protector has three varistors, one between each wire. pair. They work without ground though having a ground can help
True
TVs do not care of the outlet. They are double insulated.