This article series describes how to choose, locate, and wire an electrical receptacle in a home. This article explains that when there is no safe grounding conductor or "ground wire" at an electrical receptacle location, you need to choose the proper receptacle type and make the proper wire connections for safety. How to wire an electrical receptacle ("outlet" or "wall plug") when there are just two wires (hot and neutral) but no ground wire. We have no relationship with advertisers, products, or services discussed at this website. Older homes built before the 1960s usually have two-pronged outlets, so if you live in one, you might want to start thinking about updating your electrical system with grounded outlets.InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. The outlet minimizes the chances of an electrical fire, damaged devices, or electrocuted people by directing extra electricity away from you and your gadgets and into the ground.ĭifferentiating these two types of outlets in real life is simple: an ungrounded outlet has two openings, whereas a grounded outlet has three. Unlike grounded receptacles, they lack a third “grounding” wire that directs surplus electricity into the ground. The National Electric Code (NEC) effectively outlawed ungrounded receptacles because they posed a safety risk. Knowing the difference between grounded and ungrounded outlets will keep you and your electronics safe. Either way, the upgrade will cost you, but it’s an investment that could save your life or help you avoid higher damage costs after power surges. If you’re a tenant and don’t own a home, it’s best to discuss upgrading the electrical cabling system with the homeowner to make sure both you and the property are safe. So if you currently reside in a condo or home without grounded outlets, we recommend speaking with a qualified electrician about updating your system. In the event of an electrical malfunction, the extra voltage will either damage your device, cause an electrical fire, or electroshock you.ĭo You Reside in a Home With Ungrounded Outlets?Īs we already discussed, ungrounded outlets are against the National Electric Code (NEC). It does so by neutralizing and redirecting the excess voltage into the ground.ĭoesn’t provide any electrical protection due to the absence of the third “grounding” wire. The ground wire protects devices, people, and electrical systems from dangerous power surges. Three prong openings: hot, neutral, and ground Ungrounded Outlet Comparison Table Category However, NEC replaced ungrounded outlets with grounded outlets to provide a safer and more secure energy transmission method. However, the excess power the device is not using can’t be returned - leaving its path unpredictable and open.įor many years, ungrounded receptacles were the norm. From the circuit, it reaches the plugged-in device through the hot wire, and then the device’s plug returns to the circuit through the neutral wire. The reason for this is that the electricity we use follows a closed circuit. In some instances, the excess electricity might even damage the other wires from the circuit and start a fire. The danger associated with an ungrounded outlet is that the excess electricity from a power surge is free to travel wherever the circuit leads it, from the palm of your hand to the device you’re plugging into the outlet. Thanks to it, the excess electricity won’t go through your plugged devices and damage them or cause more severe harm to your environment. So while the hot and neutral wires are the primary route of electrical currents, the grounding wire is the backup path. Without it, the extra electricity will take other routes, and damage wires, destroy devices, cause an electrical fire, or electroshock people. In the event of a power surge, which is a sudden spike in electricity, the grounding wire neutralizes and transmits the excess electricity into the ground. The grounding wire shields from an electrical fire or unexpected shock by being an alternate route for excess electricity to travel through, protecting people and property. The Protective Ability of a Grounding Wire However, grounded outlets have something that ungrounded outlets don’t - a third “grounding” wire. These two wires are necessary for transferring electrical currents from point A to point B, so we see them on grounded and ungrounded outlets. The hot wire carries electricity from the circuit, through the outlet, and into the plugged-in device, while the neutral wire brings the electricity back from the device, through the outlet, and into the circuit, in a cycle. An outlet has two main wires: hot and neutral wires.
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