EXTREMELY Dangerous "FIXES" Homeowners Are Doing To Outlets

Рет қаралды 62,361

Жыл бұрын

In this video I go over some very dangerous things homeowners do to outlets. From using 2 to 3 prong adapter to bootleg grounds. I will also show the best way to deal with them.
🧰 Products In The Video 🧰
Klein 11 in 1 Magnetic Screwdriver (combo bit not included): amzn.to/39RoKIN
Klein Combination Bits: amzn.to/3od4JDt
MILWAUKEE 13-in-1 Screwdriver With ECX Bits: amzn.to/3ndPEOb
MILWAUKEE ECX Bits: amzn.to/3Ky8jPU
Klein Wire Strippers: amzn.to/42T2ALY
Electric Screwdriver (highly recommend): amzn.to/3oKyMCp
GFCI Receptacle: amzn.to/3MgwjYG
2 Prong to 3 Prong Adapter: amzn.to/45fOTsB
Klein Voltage Tester: amzn.to/3InZnw3
🎥 Related Electrical Videos 🎥
The Fastest, Safest, and Most DIY Friendly Outlet Available!: • The Fastest, Safest, a...
Biggest Mistakes Made While Wiring Light Switches: • The BIGGEST Mistakes D...
Shocking New Way To Extend Short Wires: • "SHOCKING" New Way to ...
ALSO, here is our How To Home Amazon Store, where you can find many of the tools, items, and shirts I use and wear in my videos! amzn.to/3mcqu1E
My KZfaq Filming and Editing Gear: amzn.to/3kqqkGl
Thank you for watching and for subscribing. You can support the channel at no cost to you by using one of the above affiliate links. This helps support the channel for new content!
Blessings,
Adam
How To Home assumes no liability for damage or injury. How To Home highly recommends using proper safety procedures and professionals when needed. Our content is for entertainment purposes only. No information contained in this video shall create any express or implied warranty or guarantee of any particular result. Any injury, damage or loss that may result from improper use of these tools, equipment, or the information contained in this video is the sole responsibility of the user and not How To Home. How To Home will not be held liable for any negligent or accidental damage or injury resulting from equipment, tools, electrical, fire, electronics or any items contained in this video. Attempt projects and repairs at your own risk.

Пікірлер: 209

@HowToHomeDIY Жыл бұрын

Have you used or seen any of these "fixes" done to this type of receptacle?

@diarrhea_splatter Жыл бұрын

After living in a house built in 1904 (great wood in that house) it was knob and tube with TONS of two prong receptacles. So yeah, we purchased a few of those adapters. We eventually started upgrading the wiring and receptacles.

@ironmartysharpe8293 Жыл бұрын

Only a couple of times but I replaced the outlet with a GFCI and applied the label , No equipment ground and GFCI protected outlet

@gameranoniem3872 Жыл бұрын

@crazysquirrel9425 10 ай бұрын

@@diarrhea_splatter I have the same situation. I am NOT going to replace with a GFCI as the receptacle will not match the decor nor will the antique covers fit the GFCI. I will not spend THOUSANDS in remodeling costs just to run new wiring. Ripping out lead painted walls covered with wood paneling to encapsulate would cost a FORTUNE. Would have to upgrade the service and panel too. MANY thousands in costs for a lame outlet. No thanks. To pass inspection, remove the outlet and put on a blank off cover. Inspector has NOTHING to test. Replace after you are passed. Nearly EVERY item that you buy now is TWO PRONG. If you epoxy fill a regular 3 prong outlet's ground hole, it becomes a two prong outlet. I have used the adapter from time to time and without using that screw. If I need to do a quick job drilling a hole I don't bother with grounding. Drill is DOUBLE INSULATED anyway. Very few things need a ground - fridge, microwave, deep freezer, disposal.

@kooale 10 ай бұрын

1924 house here, yeah that old wood is fantastic, quite unlike the new straw boards we can buy! @@diarrhea_splatter

@sjpropertyservices3987 Жыл бұрын

As a home inspector I have seen everything you mentioned. I use a receptacle tester for most inspections. However, I also use a circuit analyzer to detect bootleg grounds in older homes.

@yapishkahilt 7 ай бұрын

What’s a bootleg ground? Does it fool the receptacle tester?

@francoamerican4632 6 ай бұрын

@yapishkahilt Watch the video, it has the answer your question.

@TheMrDrMs Жыл бұрын

I think these adapters came out when ground plugs started becoming popular. At least in my area, Northeast US, my house was built in '57, and came with 2 prong outlets. The wire in the wall, is even cloth, just hot and neutral. The box is metal. All the wire in the house is inside of the flexible metal conduit and is grounded, therefore the metal box is grounded, and thus this adapter would be grounded. I of course have changed it all, but that's what I had found, and would make sense if that were its intended use case and they just never went away.

@shangrilahomestead9930 Жыл бұрын

Thank you for this video. You’ve done an excellent job at pointing out hazards. It’s so important to be vigilant when occupying a new place when uncertain about previous repairs.

@kenbrown2808 Жыл бұрын

it bears mentioning that most houses old enough to have ungrounded wiring are old enough to have the receptacle wiring in a "star" configuration instead of a "daisy chain" configuration. this means that you have the choice of putting a GFCI receptacle in nearly every receptacle location, or installing a GFCI circuit breaker in the breaker panel - which in a modern panel costs about the same as 3 GFCI receptacles, - and an Dual Fault (AFCI+GFCI) breaker often costs virtually the same as a GFCI breaker - and will protect from a loose and arcing connction - though they can be a pain to track down.

@James_Knott Жыл бұрын

I remember seeing people cut off the ground pin from a plug, so they could use an non-grounded outlet. There was also something I found in my mothers house. That house, built in the mid 50s, had only 2 grounded outlets, beside the kitchen sink and beside the laundry tub. Many years after we moved in, I had the kitchen sink outlet open and noticed there was no ground wire to the outlet. There was only a rusty nail from the ground screw to the box. However, it was so rusty, it was no longer touching the box!!! I then installed a pigtail, to properly ground the outlet. Another thing that was common back in those days was a small isolation transformer in the base of the light over the bathroom sink. The purpose of that was so you could safely plug in an electric razor near the sink.

@What1zTyme Жыл бұрын

Important information! Possibly life saving! Well presented.. clear and direct!

@clarencewiles963 Жыл бұрын

I never thought of this on the outlet and the GFCI as a fix but it’s not a total solution as you said. Thumbs up 👍

@DGTubbs Жыл бұрын

This was unbelievably helpful! I knew the code compliance rule about GFCIs. But I did not know about the neutral to ground terminal trick that "fools" testing equipment. VERY SCARY!!! I just bought a home last year and found all sorts of janky wiring in it. The house itself is grounded and all the Romex wiring appears to have ground wires in them. It doesn't hurt to double-check though. THANKS AGAIN!!!!!

@johng4503 Жыл бұрын

The previous owner of my house used that neutral screw to ground screw fix to trick our inspector. I found it when I upgraded all the outlets to the decora style. I then had to track down the reason for the open ground, he went cheap and instead of using a metal box, he used a plastic one and shoved the BX cable inside. Can’t bond plastic.

@srudine Жыл бұрын

Great info! Thank you so much.

@zekenzy6486 Жыл бұрын

Great Video. Thank you for sharing

@mikewenc808 4 ай бұрын

Great video this helped me out! Thanks

@williamwelch7 Жыл бұрын

Thanks

@sylvainprince8887 Жыл бұрын

Very interesting subject! Without be an expert, I know a lot on electricity, but I realized with your video, that my knowledge on grounding wasn’t good. Thank you.

@tchevrier 11 ай бұрын

"without be an expert, I know a lot on electricity" - No, you don't.

@8475143117 3 ай бұрын

THANKS

@johnduffy6546 8 ай бұрын

This taught me a LOT!

@dimitriberozny3729 7 ай бұрын

Bootleg grounds are DANGEROUS!!! If for some reason an outlet is reversed wired downstream:Hot/Neutral reverse,there will become an electrocution hazard!!!

@davidedgar2818 Жыл бұрын

I've seen outlets done with the neutral connected to the ground here in Hawaii. It absolutely blew my mind. I've even encountered buildings with multiple generations of wiring still in use with glass fuses. Some still had wire to insulator that were still live😢 thankfully I never touched one before I found out they were live wires.

@Bruce_W Жыл бұрын

Great info as always. Back in the 1960s and 70s I lived in a house with no grounded outlets. I know better now, but back then any time I acquired something with a 3 prong plug I would get the hacksaw and cut off the ground pin. Was it the wrong thing to do? YES. Did it work OK for me? YES.

@daveyburgess Жыл бұрын

This is where the adapter shown with the tab can help. I keep a couple in my toolbox just for these occasions, so I don't have to permanently remove the ground spike from a plug, I can simply "adapt" it to fit in the socket. I also carry cables with croc clips that I can attach to the tab and connect to a real ground if needed, but I always regard these things as a "temporary" fix!

@okaro6595 Жыл бұрын

Well if t necessarily is not that dangerous if the floor is not conductive and there is nothing grounded nearby. However, using the plug in a grounded socket would be dangerous. In Europe the plugs and sockets are specifically designed to allow connecting grounded plugs to ungrounded sockets. Here it was the other way that was banned before modern double insulation.

@vibesmom 11 ай бұрын

Thank you for all your informative and well taught videos. I have been researching this topic, and I have heard that installing a dual GFCI and AFCI is better in these old non grounded outlets because it also protects from arcs. It is more expensive. I would love to hear your, or anyone else’s, thoughts on that. My brother in law recently passed and we are living in his house. I have no idea how this passed inspection other than it was during Covid. There isn’t a GFCI to be found here including right next to the washer and the outside garage. We have some three prong outlets in the kitchen., but I’m questioning their integrity as the rest of the house is all old ungrounded outlets.

@wingnut2893 Жыл бұрын

I'm a Dutch electrician, and in my opinion, those American outlets are dangerous as hell.

@omargoodman2999 Жыл бұрын

It's America: *everything* here is dangerous.

@JT-lq4yd Жыл бұрын

Lots of people believe since it is AC, polarity does not matter. For this reason I do not trust a wire, doesn't matter what color it is if I can't see the other end. If someone wired a receptacle wrong as shown at 4:00, you will be surprised.

@sigcrazy7 Жыл бұрын

Although the NEC requires a “No Equipment Ground” sticker when using a GFIC fix, 99% of people have no idea of the implications of this. The sticker would be better to read “Your surge suppressor won’t work here.” Most type 3 and 4 SPDs work by shunting transient voltages to ground. With no ground, they won’t work. The GFIC makes it safe for personnel, but your TV is hosed.

@okaro6595 Жыл бұрын

Surge suppressors do work with ungrounded sockets. They have varistors between all wires, including live and neutral. The point of the label is to tell anyone inspecting the socket that open ground is not an error.

@sigcrazy7 Жыл бұрын

@@okaro6595 I haven't found a single manufacturer of Type 3 SPDs that says the SPD will work properly on an ungrounded receptacle. The SPD works by shunting power to ground. While the grounded and ungrounded conductor may have a MOV connecting them, the best that will do is perhaps shunt transient voltage. Maybe. I would be interested to know of any SPD manufacturer who lists their device as usable without a ground. If you know of one, I'd be interested in seeing the listing, and understanding exactly where they are shunting the surge.

@54ripliz 2 ай бұрын

Great content!

@user-vn2xq2vo1p 6 ай бұрын

Thank you for clearly explaining how to determine if, in fact, an outlet is correctly grounded. I don’t ever want to put myself or anyone else in danger of getting shocked, severely hurt or worse. I just want to learn how to properly convert a 2-prong outlet to a 3-prong outlet. If I can’t I will hire someone who’s trained, licensed and cares about safety first.

@user-vn2xq2vo1p 6 ай бұрын

I meant this comment to go to HowTo Home.

@xHadesStamps Жыл бұрын

The bootleg ground can even energize the chassis of the device plugged into it whenever it's plugged in. No need for backfeeding if the polarity's reversed

@philipstaite4775 Жыл бұрын

Recently moved into a brand new house - all up to code and such so I don't have anything like that going on. That cheater jumper is just scary. I did learn something though - I did not know you could use a GFCI like that. I should never need it but it is good info to know.

@HowToHomeDIY Жыл бұрын

Yeah in a new house you should not run into these issues. My first home was older and these issues were everywhere from the previous owner. Glad you found it helpful though. Thanks a lot for the feedback Philip!

@surferdude642 Жыл бұрын

I don't think you need a GFCI protected sticker on the GFCI receptacle itself, because it's obvious. The "No Equipment Ground" sticker should be sufficient there.

@user-up7jh6ly4d Жыл бұрын

Thank you, this was very informative. My question is when installing these, how do I know where the start of the run is? Thank you

@TheVaga9 Жыл бұрын

Brillant!!

@VOLTRONDEFENDER4440 9 күн бұрын

If you do have a 3 prong that has something stuck in the ground pin at the top outlet then you can use a cheater plug as long as the outlet is not isolated ground screwing the tab on the screw grounds the adapter

@jivory21 5 ай бұрын

this was so informative! I am renting an older home and trying to figure out what's happening when the outlets trip due to multiple appliances in use, etc. etc. I saw something that looked like a gfci outlet in the kitchen (no stickers of course). so, does that mean only outlets on the same circuit as the kitchen outlet (if it is indeed a gfci outlet) can be converted from 2 prong to 3 prong outlets? Whew! I know my landlord is not going to invest in rewiring so here I am lol

@Sparky-ww5re Жыл бұрын

Bootleg grounds are very dangerous indeed. But there's something even more dangerous than a Bootleg ground. It's known in the trade as a reverse polarity bootleg ground. In homes old enough to have nongrounding receptacles it's likely there were circuits added or changed over the years oftentimes by ill-informed DIY'ers and the polarity gets reversed somewhere upstream. This places 120V on the neutral and ground, and neutral on the hot. A three light tester will indicate correct wiring, and the refrigerator plugged into that receptacle will appear normal, until you attempt to grab a can of beer while you are grounded one way or another.

@flatfingertuning727 Жыл бұрын

Unless something was weird upstream, wouldn't the black wire used here have been live?

@Sparky-ww5re Жыл бұрын

@@flatfingertuning727 yes the black is supposed to be hot, white is supposed to be neutral except in special wiring configurations such as the supply or switch leg on 2 wire switch loops, when used as a traveller on some three way/four way switching configurations, or when used as L2 on a 240V circuit supplying only line to line loads. In these situations where the white is used as a hot, it should have been re-identified as such, with black tape, paint or a permanent marker near the end at all termination points although you should never assume this was done.

@okaro6595 Жыл бұрын

@@flatfingertuning727 The reverse bootleg ground happens just when the wires have been mixed upstream. A socket tester will not see a problem in it. You must use a non-contact voltage tester to detect it.

@VOLTRONDEFENDER4440 9 күн бұрын

That bootleg ground is also found on neutral to ground bonding plugs ment for generators and power stations only! Not house use!

@okaro6595 Жыл бұрын

Those adapters can be really dangerous. If you use two of them and one of them grounds but the other for some reason does not now you have a system that mixes grounded and ungrounded equipment and if one of the latter fails you can get shocked directly to the ground.

@popcatzoo Жыл бұрын

I wish our great grandfathers understood the importance of a ground.

@woodrowwilliams1812 Жыл бұрын

Learned something new regarding the circuit tester not being always truthful.

@johnstancliff7328 11 ай бұрын

always told custopmers about this.....hate these grounding adapters!

@enigmawyoming5201 Жыл бұрын

I’m 70 years old, and I have had lots of applications where receptacles don’t have a ground slot in them. No ground hole means box is not grounded. The 3 to 2 prong adapter is only useful if you have an appliance, or tool you want to get power to without any insurance, or assurance the power you get is safe. It’s like jumping into an old car or truck that has no seatbelts. Driving something obviously old, but expecting nothing will go wrong; but if it does… you’ll either really feel stupid or nothing at all because you will never feel anything again. Unless reincarnation changes your trajectory. My rule of thumb is it’s ok to charge your phone or even your iPad in a 2 slotted outlet.

@allenwone2891 Жыл бұрын

That's not true. If the your wiring is armored cable, the the armor is your.ground

@enigmawyoming5201 Жыл бұрын

@@allenwone2891 Thanks! I never thought about that. I think getting a tester would be a great investment for me. I have finished walls, and no idea what, if any conduit is feeding my box. Your 2 minute comment could very possibly save me hours of worry and wondering about my grounds!!!!! I owe you a night out drinking beer and pigging out on prime rib until we puke. Seriously… I was mulling over my situation earlier today wondering if plugging in my electric concrete mixer was going to kill me. Now I know to check it out more than my knowledge before was directing me.

@leokelly359 Жыл бұрын

my house has 2 prong outlets only. it was built in 47 and i am the 2nd owner. recently I had my breaker box updated and now I need to do something like this. I am also on solar and giving back to utility co any excess electric. got my 1st quarter bill for a whopping .04 cents😅

@johnrustic Жыл бұрын

Great video per usual. Quick question what if you replace the breaker for an AFCI GFCI breaker does that technically change anything?

@kenbrown2808 Жыл бұрын

changing out the breakers is a good option.

@timothybrown1433 Жыл бұрын

Can you explain why the jumper doesn’t work when both grounds go to the same grounded box other than having double ground wire

@LadderMover Жыл бұрын

Connecting the ground terminal of an electrical outlet to the neutral (white wire) with a jumper is dangerous because the neutral wire carries all of the current that is passing through the load. The equipment ground is now a current carrying conductor that can supply current to a person that touches an earth ground such as a copper water pipe. If there is no other failure in the wiring, the shock would likely be minimal if the load is small. But a larger load or loose or broken neutral wire between the outlet and panel could make this a fatal mistake.

@okaro6595 Жыл бұрын

It does work but it is against the code as it has issues. Just do according to the code.

@okaro6595 Жыл бұрын

@@LadderMover There will be no shock if the neutral wire is intact.

@surferdude642 Жыл бұрын

@@okaro6595 That's wrong, you can get a small shock from a GFCI receptacle before it trips and that's only about 6mA. It's most likely that the current on the parallel path created by an improperly connected ground wire will be much higher than that.

@PimpinNProgress 4 ай бұрын

I learned what I needed to know. My previous owner wasn't thinking it through. Boooooo! I guess Anyway, I have a question though, you said "power can backfeed down this wire......to the chassy....electrocuted." What situations would cause this to happen? Is it random? Matter of time? Only certain things being plugged in? Electricity isn't random. lol so just saying it "can happen" is giving me more questions than answers. TLDR. What situations cause this to turns this into a backfeed loop and might end up in a disaster?

@meg-a-bytes 6 ай бұрын

Hi, I've enjoyed your advice in the past and was wondering if you could help me with something i have not seen in any youtube video. I have a 1950 era home with ungrounded wire running through out the house, The previous owner replaced the 2 prong receptacles with 3 prong but there is still an open ground at each new outlet. In some special cases, they ground the new 3 prong by running a separate ground cable from the new outlet, through the box down stairs and attached to a copper water pipe. The pipe is a straight shot to the outside with no pex. when tested, those outlets show no open ground. Is that safe/adequate? it would appear form multiple youtube videos that my only other alternative is GFCI outlets or GFCI circuit breakers. any help would be appreciated.

@tomnelson2263 Жыл бұрын

What power screwdriver do you use

@BillyBobDingledorf 10 ай бұрын

If everything is properly wired, it doesn't matter. The existence of the ground wire is only because some wiring is done incorrectly. However, I still went with the GFCI solution in my home.

@TheW83 Жыл бұрын

Nice to hear someone using "shocked" and "electrocuted" correctly.

@FrancisLitanofficialJAPINOY Жыл бұрын

Japan has it’s ground screw on 2 prong plugs.

@caseyhartman7094 Жыл бұрын

Are there any tips when buying an older home to confirm receptacles have a ground wire or are bootlegged? I've only seen home inspectors use an outlet tester to spot check a few receptacles.

@Sparky-ww5re Жыл бұрын

Based on a few years experience and talking to electricians who've been in the field for over 30 years, there are a few taletale signs of bootleg grounds. First is the age of the house. If it was built prior to the early 1960s, the original wiring likely has no ground wire. You could look in the basement, crawl space or attic and note the type of wiring, black or silvery cloth NM aka Romex usually is not grounded. You could very carefully take the cover off the electrical panel and check if there are bare or green wires included with the circuits in question. You may see some two prong outlets, some three prong outlets. If three prong outlets test as correct wiring dispite no evidence of a ground wire in the circuit, you have a bootleg ground. Hope this points you in the right direction. If you don't feel comfortable doing these checks , don't hesitate to call someone who's qualified.

@cubano100pct 8 ай бұрын

Great video. Does the Klein Tools RT250 GFCI Outlet Tester with LCD Display detect the grounding bypass to neutral dangerous hack?

@HowToHomeDIY 8 ай бұрын

Nope. Only some of the much more expensive analyzers can detect it. They are usually around $300.

@lordgiddion 10 ай бұрын

If the circuit breaker in the panel is upgraded to a GFCI breaker is a bootleg ground safe?

@goldwinger5434 Жыл бұрын

My house had all 2 prong outlets. The metal boxes all are grounded. House was built in 1957.

@roxannesmith6656 2 ай бұрын

I just have a question. We have a camp, that has some 2 prong plugs. We use this adapter on our vacuum cleaner so we can vacuum. Is this a bad idea ?

@UnGrumpy1 Жыл бұрын

What about residential main panels that are built so that the ground and the neutral are on the same bus bar? In that case do you even need a ground wire to receptacles or loop the bootleg in order to show two yellows on the tester? Please explain.

@okaro6595 Жыл бұрын

The neutral and ground should be connected in the main panel. How that is done is not that relevant (unless the code actually says something about it) so if there are two bus bars that are then connected or just one that does not matter. They are connected. As it is said neural and ground should be connected ONLY at the main panel. Now does connecting them in the socket match that? No it does not.

@kyrareneeLOA 20 күн бұрын

so plugging in a surge protector can or can't help here??

@michaelwiddig6380 11 ай бұрын

Now explain why its wired in old breaker boxes ground and white same grounding slot

@linsqopiring6816 Жыл бұрын

With all the sophisticated electronics we have these days they can't make an outlet tester that can detect bootleg grounding?

@z95m Жыл бұрын

Could you install GFIC breakers for the older ungrounded 2-wire circuits? Would that meet NEC standards?

@stevelopez372 Жыл бұрын

Yes, installed accordingly. And you will find GFCI Breakers much more expensive than the outlet type.

@surferdude642 Жыл бұрын

If the panel is very old, GFCI breakers may not be available.

@kenbrown2808 Жыл бұрын

@@stevelopez372 usually about 3 times the price, which if you have four receptacles on the circuit and none of them feed through to any others, would make it the cheaper option.

@kenbrown2808 Жыл бұрын

@@surferdude642 if the panel is so old you can't get GFCI breakers, then you should be seriously considering a newer panel; because the breaker technology in those has safety problems of its own.

@itsjustbob Жыл бұрын

So how should the receptical down the line from the GFCI be wired? Remove the cheater ground?

@surferdude642 Жыл бұрын

Just like any receptacle, but from the Load of the GFCI. No cheater ground.

@okaro6595 Жыл бұрын

If it is tree prong you need to just remove the link and label it. The ground should not be connected to anything.

@hammerridecycling7630 2 ай бұрын

this is what i have in my house.should i remove the bootlegs and install gfci?or just leave it there and install a gfci?thanks😊

@HowToHomeDIY 2 ай бұрын

Well I can't really advise you exactly what to do but I would definitely have the bootlegs removed as they provide nothing other than a shock hazard. GFCIs or updating the wiring are really the only choices if you want a safer way to be able to plug in 3 prong plugs.

@logan847653 Жыл бұрын

@1:40 the outlet looks shocked.

@ICanGo2 Жыл бұрын

The link you have for the outlet doesn't show that GFCI outlet. Living in a 1960 house it is something I am interested in...

@HowToHomeDIY Жыл бұрын

Yeah I use all different brands. The GFCI in the links is another one I use. It’s a 15 amp GFCI.

@ICanGo2 Жыл бұрын

@@HowToHomeDIY Okay. I took it that maybe the one in the video was made for older houses that don't have grounded systems. You videos are very good, easy to watch and informative! Keep up the good work!!!

@beepboopbeepboop190 Жыл бұрын

Stupid question: When you say "down the line" does that mean the GFCI is closest to breaker or furthest from the breaker? I'm leaning towards that meaning the GFCI is first leaving the breaker but in my head I can see both being considered "down the line".

@okaro6595 Жыл бұрын

Of course the first. The GFCI protects only what comes after it.

@surferdude642 Жыл бұрын

"Down the line" aka downstream, before the receptacle is upstream. As an FYI, AFCI receptacles protect against series and parallel arcing, and will protect against series arcing downstream and upstream.

@lunax71 Жыл бұрын

Just install a GFCI breaker.

@AudioVile Жыл бұрын

One thing I haven't seen addressed is determining the first receptacle in the "line." You mentioned that the GFCI should be the first receptacle from the breaker box. How do I know which one that is? I'd love to get an answer here in the comments, or maybe in a subsequent video that you do!

@surferdude642 Жыл бұрын

Even if your house is old it's possible that your boxes are grounded if they are metal. You can check that using a multimeter, with one probe on the metal box or on the receptacle metal yoke with the receptacle still fastened and the other on the hot slot. If grounded, it will read approximately 120v. If not, the first one is usually the closest to the electrical panel. If you remove the hot wires (power off) and all the outlets in the circuit are out (power on) then that's the first one. If the receptacles are pigtailed, only one hot and one neutral wire, it's still doable, but far more difficult. If you have no or very little experience with electrical wiring, I would not recommend messing with it yourself. GFCI receptacles, using the Line connections only, would be a good idea, however you would need one at every receptacle or at least the ones that are often used.

@AudioVile Жыл бұрын

Thank you, Ted!

@okaro6595 Жыл бұрын

It should be first on the line you change. I you leave some sockets two prong you do not need to worry about them. You have to figure out it somehow. After you have done it, verify it by tripping the GFCI and verifying that all the sockets you changed are dead.

@jpoppinga8417 Жыл бұрын

Any one else more fascinated with the screw driver?

@HowToHomeDIY Жыл бұрын

I love that thing.

@mbburry4759 Жыл бұрын

What type of screw driver is that? i want one

@markb8954 Жыл бұрын

I noticed that as well!

@yvonnejackson1696 Жыл бұрын

I bought a house that was aluminum wired and out of an abundance of caution I had it rewired and brought up to code. What do you think about aluminum wired houses?

@kenbrown2808 Жыл бұрын

best choice is a 100% rewire. second best is to inspect EVERY connection every 6 months.

@edwardlucas3575 Жыл бұрын

The improper grounding he correctly highlighted goes by many names. The names I have heard are: 1. False Ground 2. Bootleg Ground 3. Cheated Ground 4. Dirty Ground

@Sparky-ww5re Жыл бұрын

I've also heard "Pirated Ground " or "Live Ground"

@edwardlucas3575 Жыл бұрын

@Sparky1500 I am adding those to my list. I think "Pirated" is my favorite so far.

@stevenelliottjr.4013 5 ай бұрын

None of the outlets in my house have a ground it is very old and the inspector said it was to code for its age. Do I need to fix this?

@HowToHomeDIY 5 ай бұрын

Legally no because it was done to code at the time it was built. But if you want the protection of having a ground then yes.

@thomasvlaskampiii6850 Жыл бұрын

Honest question. If I have a metal box on an outlet with no ground, can I run a wire from the outlet to the metal box and it be safe?

@surferdude642 Жыл бұрын

If the box is not already grounded to the electrical panel with a ground wire or metal conduit, then no.

@GailUrge-vq6qn 6 ай бұрын

Not really but it's better than nothing at all.

@gardentractor 9 ай бұрын

It appears that you back stabbed the GFCI outlet. Is that safe to do? My mobile home has them done the same way and i was wondering if i should hook the wires around the screws instead?

@HowToHomeDIY 9 ай бұрын

On GFCIs it’s not backstabbing, it’s backwiring. Completely different. When the terminal screw is tightened it actually acts like a vice on the wire.

@gardentractor 9 ай бұрын

@@HowToHomeDIY Thank You!

@daveconner9520 Жыл бұрын

Holy COW! That is some very very bad wiring to run the neutral on the ground! I had an acquaintance who did this wiring with his hot water heater. He went to take a shower a few days later and he got shocked by touching the handles. I laughed at him for a very long time.

@omargoodman2999 Жыл бұрын

He just thought he'd be fancy and take a shower with SPARKling water.

@GailUrge-vq6qn 6 ай бұрын

After doing that wrong thing, he should have been grounded.

@arthendrickson4860 Жыл бұрын

Another question: isn't the device's proper name receptacle? If so, why does the sticker say GFCI Protected Outlet?

@surferdude642 Жыл бұрын

Yes. The term outlet is an electrical connection location and is less specific, but they are often used interchangeably.

@kenbrown2808 Жыл бұрын

@@surferdude642 all receptacles are outlets. not all outlets are receptacles. so having the sticker say "outlet" would allow placing it on any equipment that was protected.

@surferdude642 Жыл бұрын

@@kenbrown2808 Good point, some outlets are switches, and a sticker should be used there. A common example would be on a switch protecting a bathroom exhaust fan.

@joez.2794 Жыл бұрын

Omg i don't wanna die. Do you take blank checks?

@arthendrickson4860 Жыл бұрын

Does code address where the GFCI Protected Outlet and No Equipment Ground stickers need to be placed--top, bottom, or either of the cover plate?

@surferdude642 Жыл бұрын

Not that I am aware of.

@kenbrown2808 Жыл бұрын

just that they must be on the visible side.

@williamleblanc3244 Жыл бұрын

nEC states that only the NO Equipment Ground sticker be used. This does not function as a GFCI since there is no ground. To prove my point use a GFCI plug tester and push the button, it doesn't trip so the GFCI sticker gives false information

@arthendrickson4860 Жыл бұрын

@@williamleblanc3244 I don't agree that the GFCI function is defeated when an equipment ground is not part of the circuit. The GFCI trips/opens the circuit when the GFCI senses an unbalanced current situation (i.e., the current on the hot wire differs from the current on the neutral wire) of at least 5 milliamps. The GFCI plug tester depends on the equipment ground to create the unbalanced current situation by diverting some current to the equipment ground; therefore, will not work when no equipment ground is present. If a defective/damaged equipment is plugged into the ungrounded GFCI and another path to ground occurs (e.g., someone touching the defective/damaged equipment and standing on a grounded surface like the floor of the house that's resting on earth--a.k.a. ground--directly or via the house's structure or touches a grounded surface like a faucet or stove), the GFCI will trip and open the circuit.

@okaro6595 Жыл бұрын

@@williamleblanc3244 Not again. Please learn how a GFCI works. The tester does not work as it relies on the ground wire but that is just the tester. If you draw a wire form the ground prong of the tester to your water tap then the tester will likely work. Note this is a thought experiment. I would never encourage you do do such connections.

@chrisgreco4249 Жыл бұрын

The wiring in my rental house is Romex w/o ground. Is the wiring illegal? The house is almost 60 yrs old.

@kenbrown2808 Жыл бұрын

because it was legal when it was installed, it doesn't have to be removed, but if you do a remodel, you will probably be required to upgrade any that is accessible.

@Sparky-ww5re Жыл бұрын

I was just about to say almost the same thing as Ken. In almost all cases, any wiring that was code approved and passed inspection at the time of installation falls under the grandfather clause, and your not allowed to alter, extend or remove sections of the circuit otherwise it's considered new work and you'd be required to bring it up to modern standards acceptable by the Authority Having Jurisdiction. Much like old cars with no seatbelts. Before 1966, in the US cars were not required to have seatbelts, they existed some years before that but they were optional equipment for additional cost, even today it's not illegal to drive without seatbelts if they weren't installed at the factory and you're not required to retrofit old cars with seatbelts

@kenbrown2808 Жыл бұрын

@@Sparky-ww5re it bears mentioning, though, that if you install a seat belt kit in your antique car, you can't remove it later. it's also a fair point that if wiring is reaching a point the insulation is crumbling and connections are failing, it's beyond stupid not to upgrade it.

@chrisgreco4249 Жыл бұрын

@@Sparky-ww5re It's pretty clear that my landlords have done lots of rewiring since the house was built that would not be up to code today. Their whole style is "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". And if/when they do fix anything the workmanship is sloppy, slap together. Nice people, but very little knowledge/skill. I'm grateful for the good info in the videos.

@marywow9659 Жыл бұрын

I noticed many of this guys videos have a PICTURE of something going on says WRONG yet so many times its not. He then says don't hook power to ground something like that.. oddly leaves out many times "READ".. no just take this guys word for it... all these videos.. one would think hmm SOMEONE could use it .. because of what he told you..

@HowToHomeDIY Жыл бұрын

Every time something has said wrong, it is wrong. The rest of your comment though I do not understand.

@chreynest Жыл бұрын

What should never have been done was using plastic electrical boxes in the first (construction) place. Why? The metal boxes are cheap enough

@Papa_Smurf7 Жыл бұрын

But a lot of electrical panels have the ground and neutral leg mounted on the same bus bar. What about those situations? Are you saying you have to update the electrical panel as well. That seems a bit over kill.

@HowToHomeDIY Жыл бұрын

Not at all. The main panel is the only place that the neutral and ground should be or are allowed to be bonded though.

@Papa_Smurf7 Жыл бұрын

@@HowToHomeDIY Thanks for replying. I am still confused. Why does it matter if it is on the same bar in the panel or outlet. The risk is the same in my mind. What am I missing?

@MrBirdnose Жыл бұрын

@@Papa_Smurf7 It's to protect against an open neutral. With a bootleg ground, if there's a break in the neutral wire you can have full voltage appear on the ground pin. You want the safety ground to have a separate return path back to the panel.

@surferdude642 Жыл бұрын

@@Papa_Smurf7 I think what you're missing is the reality that the ground wire is essentially a wire that is unconnected at one end under normal operation. You may be confused by the fact that ground wires are connected to each other and every receptacle, switch, and any metal boxes in the electrical system. These are all dead ends when there's no ground fault, therefore no voltage and no current. If there's a ground fault, a connection is made and will provide a low impedance path for the extremely high current to return and quickly trip the breaker. If you make a connection anywhere else other than the main panel, you're making a parallel path for some current to flow uncontrollably in the ground wires and is a hazard, even without a broken neutral. The current will likely not be high enough to trip the breaker, but still would always remain live. This concept is known as "objectionable current" in electrical wiring, you can Google that for more details.

@henrytjernlund Жыл бұрын

I'm going to guess that some of the thinking is that if the neutral is bonded to the ground at the main panel then the receptacle will also have a neutral bonded to ground as a result.

@sigcrazy7 Жыл бұрын

What folks don’t realize is, by bonding the neutral and ground at the receptacle, they have now created a parallel path for the neutral current. Say you have a toaster plugged into a cheated receptacle. Current is flowing out the neutral and onto the ground bond in the outlet. You touch the sink and toaster together. Since the plumbing is grounded, current will now flow from the toaster, up the ground to the toaster chassis, and through you to the sink. You have essentially created a fault by the neutral-ground bond in that receptacle. The fact that the panel is bonded doesn’t mean you can bond elsewhere. In fact, it is a contributing factor to the danger.

@okaro6595 Жыл бұрын

Well it is. There is nothing fundamentally wrong in the so called "bootleg ground". It was a standard method to ground in many countries for decades. It does have problems so there is a good reasons to ban it. The problems include stray currents that it causes and risks in case the neutral breaks. All my grounded sockets are done so.

@jimbelcher6877 Жыл бұрын

I am going to ask a silly question. IN the homes I have owned, the neutral wire and ground wires are all connected to the same spot in the distribution panel. So why does a ground and a neutral have to be run to each box, when they are the same point electrically?

@highvoltage1979 Жыл бұрын

If you do have a ground wire and neutral coming into the box you would want them separated so you don’t have current flow on the ground

@jimbelcher6877 Жыл бұрын

@@highvoltage1979 I had to think about that for a while, but I think I get it.

@kenbrown2808 Жыл бұрын

because if something happens to the neutral wire, and the ground is connected to it at the receptacle, then everything metal that is plugged into it is now energized.

@okaro6595 Жыл бұрын

If you use the ground to carry current then it raises the voltage on it and that causes stray currents that can go through your cable-TV network, data cables etc.

@kenbrown2808 Жыл бұрын

@@okaro6595 if you can produce measurable voltage on the grounding conductor, there is a problem, because in normal operation, both the grounded conductor and the grounding conductor are at ground potential.

@nancyliu2001 9 ай бұрын

6:25 6:50

@HerbertAtkinson Жыл бұрын

Are these plugs even legal to use sir I am very nervous to ever use these again saying people can get shocked or even electrocuted or even loosing my life over this. this seems very dangerous to me..

@HowToHomeDIY Жыл бұрын

What plugs?

@Flyingcartoonmanz Жыл бұрын

According to this video I need to rewire my whole house cause nothing has a ground wire.

@WildFyr Жыл бұрын

Fix: Put ugly stickers on your outlet plates I think if I was in this scenario I would just run new wire, because not only do I not have to put these stickers on but that wire is probably pretty old as is and would be worthwhile to update

@metatechhd Жыл бұрын

⚡🔌💡 It's essential to prioritize safety when dealing with electrical outlets. I understand that older buildings may lack grounded receptacles, but using a 3 to 2 prong adapter without proper grounding is risky. It's like relying on an outdated vehicle without seatbelts, hoping nothing goes wrong. However, charging low-power devices like phones or iPads in a 2-slotted outlet can be acceptable. Let's explore more about electrical safety on Meta Tech HD. Discover intriguing videos and satisfy your curiosity about responsible home improvements!

@kenbrown2808 Жыл бұрын

tell me you're advertising a company without understanding what they claim to teach without saying you don't understand what they claim to teach.

@Sparky-ww5re Жыл бұрын

I love the seatbelt analogy when discussing to potential buyers of an older home the pros and cons of old construction vs new construction. Old homes offer a sense of charm, attention to detail and architectural styles difficult if not impossible to duplicate in new homes, in much the same way classic cars featured hood ornaments, pop up headlights, tail fins, flashy chrome and white wall tires giving each car make and model it unique look while modern cars seem bland and hard to tell apart by comparison.

@surferdude642 Жыл бұрын

Charging devices for iPads and phones are typically 2 prong, so receptacle grounding is irrelevant here. They are also not polarized because they convert AC to DC at a low voltage of 6v or so and polarization isn't considered necessary.

@kenbrown2808 Жыл бұрын

@@surferdude642 chargers are typically not grounded, because they are completely enclosed in a 100% plastic case, so there is nothing TO ground. they are typically not polarized, because there is no switch, and polarization is to ensure the switch turns off the power to the device before it gets to anything else.

@surferdude642 Жыл бұрын

@@kenbrown2808 Very good points, Ken. BTW, Power tools often have 2 prong plugs and are polarized because they have a switch. The way I understand it is that they are double insulated and have plastic cases, so no need for a ground prong. The double insulation symbol is a square within a square located on the case. I recently was given a desk lamp that had a non polarized plug. By plugging it in with the reverse polarity orientation, I was able to verify that the light bulb socket was live regardless of whether the switch was on or off, not good.

@Robinx1985 Жыл бұрын

At home we have only ever used 2 to three prong adapters for plugs that can be loose and need to stay in. As for example, sometimes my mother had taken her handheld console to work a few times but knowing the outlets there, it can be worn out to some degree and that's where the two to three prong adapter comes in.

@STho205 Жыл бұрын

Old house two wire refit without cutting walls and routing all new romex is often handled by installing all GFCI breakers in the panel and fitting new outlets. Unless you're gutting a pre 1970s house...the cost of rewiring the whole house could be $50k in electricals and drywall repairs. All in all the neutral is eventually bonded to the ground in a new service box so they run back to the same ground...do they not?

@drstewart Жыл бұрын

There should be no outlet box in which neutrals and grounds are bonded, either on the outlet receptacle or in the box itself. Grounds and neutrals are to remain separate, including in subpanels, back to the main service panel where the the power returns to the utility. They are bonded at the point of exit in a main service panel and at that point, there is no chance of an unexpected errant or excessive power condition affecting a user or the return flow back to the utility. The safety function of the ground circuit is to give energy a faster, more likely path to prevent errant or excessive power from seeking a path through a person using an appliance. A GFCI breaker solves this with a different approach, by cutting power when errant or excessive power is detected on a branch. In theory, either approach prevents power from travelling through an inappropriate path.

@surferdude642 Жыл бұрын

Yes, but the only place to bond is at the main electrical panel, nowhere else and not in sub panels either. Otherwise it will cause a condition called "objectionable current".

@stevelopez372 Жыл бұрын

Sure and that Fifty thousand dollars should include a new panel and ground rods etc.

@STho205 Жыл бұрын

@@stevelopez372 i had new service panel, two sub panels, a new city meter and two new ground rods installed after squirrels chewed through the street line, it drooped to touch a fence, and shorted the phases. Just that cost 9k including plaster repair at the subpanels inside. The estimate for a full rewire of a Victorian was at least 25k more + plaster patches/ paint and that was before everything doubled in 2021.

@STho205 Жыл бұрын

@@drstewart agreed on an individual outlet or outlet box, however tracing back to the main panel aren't the neutrals bonded to the ground? US wiring is a bit goofy and evolved in bits and parts from 1910 thinking...always with backward compatibility. Europe and Australia benefitted from not being the prototype wiring country under the Edison/Westinghouse years.

@williamfisher9292 Жыл бұрын

You people are so simple. Over 100 years there was no ground, tell me all the people you have lost to an ungrounded plug.

@chrisforker7487 Жыл бұрын

Some people will always look for a way to cheat the situation!

@dblake32 Жыл бұрын

I would say you have your labels backwards. Using the adapter is equivalent to cutting off the ground prong and eliminates any protection from a ground fault. They should be banned. A bootleg ground, on the other hand, becomes a problem only should there be an interruption in the grounded conductor back to the service equipment. Until the end of the 20th century, using the grounded conductor as the grounding conductor was the approved wiring method for large appliances and is grandfathered in to this day. Can't be too lethal.

@bandijk5934 Жыл бұрын

US crap wiring

@Iconoclasher Жыл бұрын

Geez, people can be cheesy. It's safer to just leave it an ungrounded outlet than to fool people into thinking it is grounded. Less work too.

@ghost307 Жыл бұрын

I did it when I had no choice. I was selling a house with ungrounded receptacles that should have been left alone but the idiot home inspector was insisting that the 40 year old house needed to meet the current electrical code and I wasn't about to do a complete rewire on a building that was going to be torn down anyway.

@Normal1855 Жыл бұрын

Those work just fine. There is nothing wrong with them. I dont think you do any research, before you make your videos.

@HowToHomeDIY Жыл бұрын

They are just fine? 😂 Sometimes these comments amaze me. Maybe do some research before you comment.

@ricknichol260 Жыл бұрын

lie inspectors don't do what they're supposed to be doing

@johnfuhrman2854 Жыл бұрын

Clickbait! Wiring the neutral to the ground is a code violation, but is not "lethal" due to our standard practice of grounding the neutral at the service entrance.

@princenoah21 Жыл бұрын

Congratulations, you don't know what clickbait really means. And yes, that actually CAN be lethal.

@MrBirdnose Жыл бұрын

It works fine until you have an open neutral. Now your "ground" has 120V on it.

@surferdude642 Жыл бұрын

It's a requirement to ground the neutral at the service entrance and it's also a requirement that it cannot be done anywhere else for good reason, hence it's a major code violation.

@surferdude642 Жыл бұрын

@@MrBirdnose It's not fine even without an open neutral. The ground wire should have zero voltage and zero current and if a ground fault occurs the momentary high current will quickly trip the breaker. If there's a low amount of current on the ground wire it could result from leakage current, possibly from worn or cracked insulation near metal parts and is a hazard. If you have a "bootleg ground" you create a condition known as objectionable current and is also a hazard.

@petershulick5270 Жыл бұрын

Just take the frickin screw-in played off and see if it's grounded internally? This guy sounds like someone in Congress that's doing a filibuster and trying to get in as much verbage and words as possible rather than just keeping it simple?

@HowToHomeDIY Жыл бұрын

Yes because electrical can all be summed up and understood in your one sentence. My goodness 😂