You're getting strange readings because you don't have a ground. The proper
way to retrofit a ground conductor is to run it from the metal outlet box or
receptacle to your service panel ground bar, or any other part of the
grounding electrode system, which doesn't include radiators



wrote in message
ups.com...
I'm in an old apartment and I'm rewiring my receptacles because they
have no ground. I have some odd situations.

Most are two prong receptacles, but some are 3 prong. I tested the
voltage on them. The 3 prong I tested showed about 60v from ground
screw to the small slot-HOT and60v from the ground screw to the large
slot(NEUT). Also, 120v from the small slot to the cold water pipe.

The two prong showed 101v from the large slot to the radiator pipe,
and 0v from the small slot to the radiator pipe (wrapped a piece of
copper wire around the corroded valve stem).

Now, the large slot is supposed to be neutral and 0 volts to the
ground/waterpipes/etc. and the small slot is suppsed to be hot.

Question is 1) Would it hurt to rewire the recepticles to large-
neutral, small-hot. I'm imagining a situation where one day I plug
something in with the ground and hot shorted... What should I check
and look out for?

and 2) what's the best way to run the ground wire? I think it's tacky
to run a 12ga (black insulated) from the green screw on the new outlet
outside the outlet cover, along the baseboard to the radiator. How is
this *supposed* to be done?

THanks, JB