How To Replace An Old 2 Prong Outlet Receptacle To A 3 Prong Outlet GFCI Per NEC CODE 2020 | DIY

[@dan-777-abc]

Have to ask what’s the use case here? Where and what type of Homes would have this scenario? Meaning who has two wires going to a plastic J-box? I’m used to seeing the old house metal conduits to a metal j-box or the new house Romex 14/2 or 12/2 to a plastic j-box.

[@FixThisHouse]

Hi! This is just an example.sorry I should have made my mock-up more realistic with a metal electrical box 😊🙏🏽

[@esthermcgough3995]

With a metal box should you protect the gfci with elect. Tape?

[@VOLTRONDEFENDER4440]

If the box is metal then it is recommended to use electral tape but their won’t be a ground late reply

[@OttaBeIANA]

@@esthermcgough3995I say it should just be common practice to always wrap, think of it like a condom, always wrap it and you’ll be 99.99 percent safe

[@bigblue3568]

OLD home with metal box good luck getting that GFCI in the box... may be able to fit a low profile GFCI.

[@SleepyKittens]

Thank you for clearly explain the code, and how it works. Now I am confident about replacing all those basement 2-prong outlets.

[@FixThisHouse]

I’m glad I could be of help! 👍🏽😊🙏🏽 thank you for watching!

[@jasmin0930]

Very very informative and clearly explained and demonstrated for regular folks. Thank you for all your time and research that goes into everyone of tour videos I’ve seen. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@FixThisHouse]

Thank you so much for the awesome feedback! 🙏🏽😊

[@simongee2521]

Love the video. Very educational and well explained. I have change out a couple at my mom's old house. Thanks!

[@FixThisHouse]

Thank you so much! 🙏🏽😊

[@VOLTRONDEFENDER4440]

You explained everything right one thing you miss mentioning is if the box is metal it’s recommended to use electrical tape how gfcis work without ground is it can sense an imbalance in the hot and neutral wire!

[@sheena_marie5936]

Thank you for this video.I was having a hard time trying to figure out if it was safe and up to code if I were to replace my old receptacles with a gfci one even though there is not ground wire.I thought it had to have a third ground wire no matter what.so thank you for clarifying this.

[@mgt46]

Great video, I have a old house built in 1939, I want to replace a kitchen outlet with a GFCI, however the old outlet has two black and one white wire. Two black are attached to one side and the white to the other side of the old outlet. Also there is no ground wire on the old outlet. I cant find this scenario addressed anywhere online. How would I install a GFCI in this instance? Thanks!

[@douglasgreaves188]

UK we put ground fault device in distribution board this protects all outlets on circuit plus cable run. Also all devices are designed so you can't come into contact with live parts.

[@RexPierce-m2e]

I plan on using breakers and identify each plate with the stickers and the circuit breaker number, enjoyed your video. Note: the homes that you'll see this will general purpose receptacles and lighting together, makes you ask the question "With the afci circuit breakers, why run a ground wire? "

[@stevemain3673]

Great video. I appreciate how you presented the information! You are a great teacher. Thank you!

[@FixThisHouse]

Thank you so much Steve! 🙏🏽😊

[@jorgep1]

My apartment has all non grounding type receptacles. Can I change out a few with gfci type receptacles or would I have to change them all out?

[@KittyOfficiallyNotYo]

i watched a video where you can change one and run a wire off of that… but otherwise what i think i’m hearing is they have to all be changed to gfci according to code or safety

[@Trollfest23]

I have an issue, it’d be great if you could help! I upgraded two two-prong outlets to three-prong Leviton GFCI outlets. One has green light on, works fine, the other one has no light, and it doesn’t work. I’ll refer to them as A (the one that works) and B (the one that doesn’t) from now on. So, when I RESET B, it turns red for a short moment and shuts off A. B still doesn’t work and is not RESSETable anymore. But I am capable of RESETing A, and then it’s all back to beginning. A works, B doesn’t. They are both in the same room, neighboring walls, I don’t know if they are in the same circuit or not. Any help would be appreciated, but this was very useful video, thank you! Definitely a new subscriber!

[@lin-oi4ej]

Great video again, can you show us how to ground a plug if there ia none?

[@abrahambowen]

So with a metal box you should use a pigtail to ground the outlet?

[@kidbeanss4259]

So once I find head of circuit & gcfi it, all my 2 prong that feeds from it can simply be 3 prong regular outlets?

[@johnrusso5046]

I have 4 outlets in one bedroom, 1 is grounded the other 3 are not, can i put GFCI's in the 3 outlets that have no ground ?

[@laistephen754]

I inspected a house built in the 50s with no ground plugs so I opened all the plugs and saw ground wire actually existed so I just replaced with plugs with 3 prongs and connected the ground wire too. I don’t know why in the old house they only used two prongs plugs when there was ground wires already existed. Maybe the electrician was being lazy or trying to save money just using two prongs plugs.

[@jasmin0930]

Thank you for this comment. My son’s home with built in the 50s and almost every outlet is two pronged and not grounded or so we think but your comment makes us wonder now. He’s new to DIY so these videos are great and so are the comments thank you again for posting one.

[@surferdude642]

My house was built in 1950 and had only 2 prong plugs. However, the metal boxes are grounded and bonded to the neutral wires at the electrical panel. The wires (16 AWG) are separate from the hot and neutral cable and are fastened to each metal box in the rear and on the outside of the box. If three prong receptacles even existed in the US they were pretty rudimentary, but electrical designers may have seen this coming. By 1969 they were becoming mainstream. I don't think the electricians were being lazy, it's more likely that the receptacles were not available.

[@surferdude642]

@@jasmin0930 One easy way to check for ground is to install a 3 prong receptacle and test it with a receptacle tester (about $7.00). Even without connecting a ground wire to the receptacle and if the box is grounded the receptacle will be incidentally grounded by contact with the mounting screws. The box must be metal. Alternatively, you could use a multimeter to verify if the box is grounded.

[@jasmin0930]

@@surferdude642 thank you Ted for some great information 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

[@iboman2003]

My house is like this but the remodeled kitchen is like his mock up. All the 2 prongs have ground wires to the metal boxes.

[@DanielSmithE]

You used an adapter that removes the ground prong and then checked to see if the outlet was grounded. I think that would always register as "no", wouldn't it? I think you would have to use probes to determine that?

[@MikeySocks]

It would show “no ground” any way cuz he tested it on a “no ground” outlet

[@izzyc6257]

Good job and explained. God bless you

[@FixThisHouse]

Thank you so much! 🙏🏽😊

[@tedlahm5740]

Very clear concise information. thank you

[@2DJeff_3DPrinting]

Thank you, sir, for this video! It's been a few years since I've done this and you presented it very well! SUB'D 😁

[@FixThisHouse]

Thank you so much! 🙏🏽😊

[@nathanieldebruin]

How do I know if I should use a 15 or 20amp gfci outlet?

[@Quetzachapin]

What is the purpose to wrap the outlet with electrical tape? Does it have to be done every time?

[@itzNickyJayBeats]

Its debatable topic among DIYers and electricians. Most individuals will use electrical tape in a metal box to protect the conductors (I believe) and the screws which are also conductors; from hitting the metal on the box, causing a spark or possible fire hazard. Its not as important in plastic boxes. But I've also seen people not do it at all in metal boxes as well.

[@FixThisHouse]

Thank you for that! 🙏🏽😊

[@FixThisHouse]

Hi! wrapping electrical receptacles after wiring them to prevent movement of wires or the accidental contact with loose conductors or the sidewall of a metal outlet box. It's considered a “just in case” precaution, or sometimes just habit 👍🏽😊

[@Bigmal23652]

Electrical tape isn't a must. People use it in metal boxes .not to protect loose wires they should be tighten down to I think 22 psi

[@hilarioavalos5034]

Thanks you was very helpful

[@JorgeMendez-qw8lx]

Very helpful. Thank you so much.

[@FixThisHouse]

Thank you so much for watching! 🙏🏽😊

[@chuckyork6716]

I notice you do not power up the gfci. Will a gfci even set/ reset without a ground. I'm not sure they will

[@rodolfodepuzo5310]

Can not give more thanks...❤

[@fredcastro7202]

Thanks

[@jreffjeff7909]

What about unqualified and confident?

[@jloza9840]

How do you know or find out the one that’s feeding the rest of the outlets in a room? Thanks

[@John-of6ch]

A lot of times it is the outlet closest to the fuse box

[@KittyOfficiallyNotYo]

so if i don’t have a ground, i have to use a GFCI. If i do have a ground wire somewhere, i can use a standard 3 prong outlet. Correct?

[@John-of6ch]

Correct

[@martinrascon8107]

Thankyou muchacho pot el video

[@farfymcdoogle3461]

What if you NEED proper ground for your home studio? I’m really trying to figure this out, not the CGFI workaround.

[@okaro6595]

Why would you need one? If you get hum the proper solution is to use galvanic isolators.

[@Dmitrytln]

In 1930's code allowed to connect ground contact with neutral wire and too many people all over the world electrocuted themselves when neutral wire had poor contact in junction box or breaker panel. What is interesting, in Europe using neutral wire as ground was forbidden only in 1970's - you can imagine how much people was electrocuted during 40 years.

[@okaro6595]

When you do it properly there is no risk. That is one reason why DIY is banned in Finland. I have reports of all deaths since 1980 and here is zero cases of spontaneously broken neutral or actually one but it happened to linemen outside so it would happen also on TN-C-S. On the other hand there were three deaths because DIYs connected the ground to the live wire.

[@Dmitrytln]

@@okaro6595 DIY is banned in Finland because commercial companies want to earn more money. TN-C isn't safe even if you wire it properly.

[@tedlahm5740]

Kindly, PUSH the test button on the GFCI receptacle? Results please.

[@deanross4090]

What do you do if you have a 70 year old house with no grounded outlets and the metal boxes are too small for a GFCI?

[@johnnyreyes5058]

You may have to replace the box. Old wirings boxes then were design small to accommodate wires and connectors only.

[@arth.4196]

Hi, How often due you have to get the necessary code book ?. Pleas

[@FixThisHouse]

I always just get the latest 🙏🏽

[@caution_xray]

ayos, pare 🤙🏽

[@Forged_Garage]

Nice bro!!!

[@FixThisHouse]

Thanks brotha! 👍🏽😊

[@clintstathis]

How does a sticker make something up to code? There's still no grounding. Seems like a pretty half assed solution.

[@FixThisHouse]

The GFCI is the focal point on this solution 👍🏽😊

[@SleepyKittens]

I am assuming adding an adapter so you are able to use a 3-prong on a 2-prong outlet is worse than a more secure fit. All my basement outlets are 2-prongs and it really sucks to use an adapter, which in itself can be non-compliant. Grounding can be over-rated if you are not using serious juice, like a lamp,... but grounding is to prevent electric fires, which a GFCI does, so that makes it compliant.

[@johncarbonetta7812]

Agreed 👍

[@okaro6595]

@@SleepyKittens No, grounding is to prevent electric shocks, nothing to do with fires.

[@johnnyreyes5058]

You did not show how you determine the upstream wire feeding the first receptacle.

[@vincentpereira8416]

It's a steel box and there is no neutral wire and the ground wire is not screwed into the box and its 220v

[@MichaelMantion]

FYI the level place linked is for a "3" pack NOT a pack of "33". You will only get 3. I saw the title and thought "that is a crazy good deal" and almost bought it. You are welcome to take a screen shot and argue with amazon, but its generally a waste of time.

[@vincentpereira8416]

So what happens when you have a outlet with just 2 hot wires to it and it's carrying 220v with no neutral and no ground wire

[@okaro6595]

That is weird. Are you sure it is 240 V and not a very old 120 V outlet with horizontal slots? There are 240 V GFCI outlets. Check the code if it is allowed.

[@MA-vm6jl]

Can you also just change out the breaker and put on that is GFCI combo? This way all the outlets on that line are ground interrupted. Instead of changing out each outlet to a gfci

[@FixThisHouse]

No need to change out each outlet to GFCI. Just find the most upstream receptacle change that to GFCI and the rest downstream of the same circuit can be changed to a grounded receptacle. Make sure you label the covers with the appropriate labels 👍🏽😊

[@jacktriper1941]

I used the new romax through house I grounded every receptiical

[@victorialowe3198]

Why do you cover the outlet with electrical tape ?

[@okaro6595]

It reduces the risk of any wire touching the box. With a plastic box it is not so big a deal but if it is an ungrounded metal box that is more important. If the live wire were to touch the box it would energize the case of any connected equipment and the GFCI would not protect.

[@ManuelCamarena0725]

Click bait. Never shows how to ground

[@noheader]

Omg get on with it

[@FixThisHouse]

🫡

[@cjmountian367]

Img man get to the point. So much useless crap😮