grodenhiATgmailDOTcom wrote:
After doing more research online it seems there's a chance of there
being a ground even though there's still a 2 prong outlet (I guess this
was sometimes the case in the 50's). I'm going to buy a tester and
determine if this is in fact the case. If this is not the case, I
think I'll trade off and install a GFCI outlet on the first outlet in
the circuit then change the others (in said circuit) with three prong
outlets. Still none would be grounded, but it would still be to code
(or that's the impression I get). Being a first time home buyer, I'm
trying to save where I can and learn as I go. For things like
electrical, before trying to "experiment" I like to get an idea of
what's involved and determine from there.


No one who knows what they are talking about will tell you that what I'm
about to suggest is required by code but I'm going to suggest that you
use isolated ground receptacles for your replacement receptacles that
will be supplied from the Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters. The reason
that I suggest this is that with metal boxes and especially with older
armored cable that does not have a bonding strip a fault on any plugged
in load can energize the other three wire loads that are plugged in or
metallic fixtures supplied by that circuit.

Isolated ground receptacles assure that any fault is isolated to the
defective cord and plug connected load rather than having stray voltage
present on the rest of the ineffectively grounded or ungrounded circuit.
You still label the receptacles as having no equipment ground. The
code already requires that no equipment ground connection be made to
receptacles that are installed from an ungrounded GFCI protected supply
but the connection between the receptacle grounding terminal of a
regular receptacle and it's yoke make that instruction ineffective at
isolating the receptacles from each other.

Once again this is not a requirement of any code I am aware of but it
will reduce the chance of electric shock. The reason for being so
careful is that GFCIs will only protect older children and adults in
good health. Smaller children and adults who are old enough or sick
enough to already have an irregular heart beat can still be killed by
electric shock. Even healthy adults can be injured and even killed by
the physical reaction to the momentary electric shock that occurs before
the GFCI opens the circuit. Electric shock causes muscle contractions
that can result in falls or other dangerous involuntary motions.
--
Tom Horne