jadern wrote:
While replacing an old outdoor single outlet receptacle ( with a GFI
protected), this is what I found. There are two cables, power coming in
and the other going out to a switch to power an outdoor light. These
are the two wire type with no ground wire. The two black wires were
spliced together with a copper crimp with a pigtail going to the one
outlet terminal. The white wires were crimped together and a pigtail
was attached to the other outlet terminal. There is also another
pigtail from the white wire crimp that goes to a ground screw in the
metal box. That is my question. Is this the old way to ground an outlet
box or am I about to be fried? I have since replaced it with a GFI
outlet without the ground wire in place.

Unless the use of crimp splices in electrical work is required or
customary in your area for copper wire the presence of crimp connections
in the wiring would suggest the presence of Aluminum wiring. Crimp
splices are the most reliable remedial measure for aluminum wirings
early problems. That does not effect the work you have described so far
but be aware of the possibility that your wiring is the old alloy
aluminum type. If it is then be very sure that you use only devices
listed for aluminum wiring where ever aluminum wiring terminates
directly on the device. If the pigtails from the crimp splices are
copper than terminating the copper pig tails on CU only devices is just
fine. When working on your wiring you must only use listed CO/ALR
devices to terminate the aluminum wiring. Do not try to apply ordinary
crimp connectors to aluminum wire! They are not suitable for the
application and will develop arcing faults and high resistance glowing
connections that can lead to a fire of electrical origin. The only
crimp connector that is listed for use in joining aluminum wiring to
copper wiring is a high pressure crimp that must be applied be
specifically certified electricians using only a particular crimping tool.
--
Tom H