zxcvbob wrote:
Member, Takoma Park Volunteer Fire Department wrote:

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.



Isolated ground receptacles are also a lovely shade of orange. HTH :-)

Bob

They are available in ordinary colors with or without a special symbol
on the face.
--
Tom Horne

Well we aren't no thin blue heroes and yet we aren't no blackguards to.
We're just working men and woman most remarkable like you.