How to Wire a GFCI Outlet without a Ground Wire in an Older Home.

Wiring a GFCI Outlet in an older home that does not have a ground wire and still have protection against ground faults that can cause electric shock. This method is approved by the NEC Electrical Code and assures older homes to have GFCI protection in the required areas, including the Kitchen, Bathroom, Garage, and Outdoor areas. GFCI Outlets are an essential device in all homes, and are required for home inspections, and home electrical system upgrades. DIY Electrical Wiring from an Electrician. Complete with easy to understand wiring examples, and an easy to follow process which is explained by a licensed electrical contractor.

[heroknaderi]

This video was very helpful. My Aunts house is an older home built in 1945. And it seems to not have a ground. I appreciate your time.😎😎

[thefewable]

Only video out of the many that I watched that fixed my gfci install issue. Thank you.

[richardwhite]

Thank you..
You make Electrical repairs make sense to the novice. God bless you all.🤓👍

[andrewtoth]

Thank you. You are very good at covering salient points related to the GFCI. I just protected my family with your assistance. Bless you!

[robertkreinbrink]

I have an older home and your video answered my questions about grounding. I will pick a different location for my GFCI.

[seraphite]

Great video for the DIY, it's insane how much handyman work is done out there, wouldn't be a problem if it was done the right and safe way. Some are very dangerous to the tenants.

[byronjasper]

Thanks. I always wondered if a GFCI would work without a ground

[richlagger]

Wow, I had not seen the bootleg ground, but it's something to look for... thanks!

[rbennett-prnj]

Very good explanation of what was happening and what to do and what not to do clear and concise subcribed. Thanks

[LH-kznf]

This is by far the best video of explaining something I've ever seen especially when it comes to electrical issues.
You are clear, well spoken your voice stays at the same level throughout. You got to the point and stayed on topic never once bringing up personal life or the person that did things wrong.
Some people would have made a hour long video covering the same subject. Thank you for that.
With that being said you wouldn't sleep a wink in my home. It was built in 1954 and dad bought the house in 65 and I was a year old.
I've lived here all but 15 yrs of my life.
It still has an old 6 circuit w/range fuse panel. I've learned what and what not to do. One example is I know I can't run the microwave and the toaster at the same time or I'll be replacing a fuse.
You're video taught me I can make it just a bit more safe though. I didn't know you could use a GFCI outlet without a ground and so yes over the years I've replaced most of the outlets with 3 prong outlets that are not grounded.
Changing these out for a GFCI outlet will be the least I can do but it's going to be the first thing I start with.
Thank you again

[Imsierrabound]

Some older homes from the 50’s and 60’s have a shared ground wire running to the bathrooms and kitchen, but the ground is combined with the neutrals in the sub-panel (sub-panels of this vintage typically did not have a ground running to the main panel). I’d say in this case it’s OK to use the ground wire when adding a GFCI outlet and the homeowner should consider a sub-panel upgrade or add a bonded ground bar in the sub-panel with a ground running to the main or metal water pipe (main panel of this vintage were typically grounded to the water pipe entering the home).

[balesjo]

Great video that answered most of my questions. Currently remodeling a bathroom and the old outlet will now be too near the new sink, so I'm having to move it at least a foot away from the sink. The house is not grounded so I was looking for info about installing a GFCI in the bath to replace a standard outlet. Thanks for the informative video on this subject.

[rrrr]

Wonderful explanation and practical examples given.

[MrTrashcan]

I'm a DIYer and am installing circuits in the basement of my 1955 house. I opened the box of an existing branch to a GFCI which looks to have been installed within the last 10 years or so. There was no ground wire and completely accessible old NM cable, so it must have been a quick fix to replaced an existing outlet. But to my shock (no pun intended) on the GFCI the neutral was jumpered to the ground and to the metal box. And I'm sure this was done by an electrician.

[ottoroth]

I've seen a lot of these ground/neutral jumpers....and many corresponding panels do not have both bus bars bonded. Seen several 220 outlets jumped too especially dryers...but the neutral bus bars were bonded in the panel.

[Garage]

Wow who did the prior wiring? Not quite as bad as finding spliced wires covered only by painters tape that has fallen apart, but pretty bad! That bare wire bootleg ground was especially choice.

[StruggleBus]

Thank you! This is just what I needed. Great video.

[frankm]

Thanks, I just did this on an old basement 2-wire outlet. It cleared up what "no equipment ground" means, it just means no protection for sensitive equipment, people are still protected. But as I understandit, BX or metallic cable with no green ground wire does provide grounding through the armored cable itself back to the panel. When you replace a regular 2 prong outlet with a 3 prong, contact with the outlet box does provide a ground, I don't really understand why the same principle does not provide sufficient grounding for a GFCI.

[josephrobletto]

Thank you Ask-The-Electrician!~ OUTSTANDING VIDEOS, Learning a bunch!~ I have a few questions if I may... 1)What kind of analog device are you using to trip the GFCI? That's Not a multimeter right? 2)What if there is No sink or anything that is grounded, how then can you test out your GFCI to trip? 3)I'm remodeling an old small house with no ground, each of the outlets only has the hot and neutral wires through the house. Does this mean that each of these outlets are run on there own circuit? 4) The bedroom doesn't need GFCI correct? If so would it be okay to just replace the 2 prong outlets with normal 3 prong outlets, not GFCI's? 5) I have one of those KLEIN RT210 GFCI OUTLET TESTER PLUGS to trip the GFCI, and it's Not tripping any of these GFCI outlets I recently installed, though it does say on the back of it FOR 3 WIRE OUTLET ONLY. It does trip the GFCI's at my house that has ground wires just fine I should add. Thank you so much for all your time and awesome videos!!!!~

[BF-rnoz]

This video was excellent. Thank you so much!