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GFCI circuits in older homes
By: Patrick
Mahoney Owner/Operator of SHERLOCK
HOME INSPECTOR
Q. We recently bought
an older home which has undergone some renovation.
The sellers installed three-pronged outlets throughout the house
and GFCI circuits in the kitchen, bathrooms and on the exterior.
Our home inspector said that the house wiring is the original two
wire non-grounded system, and that even though we have three-prong plugs
they are not grounded. He
also said that the GFCI receptacles would not function correctly, because
there is no ground wire. Do
you agree with his assessment?
A.
Your home inspector is correct in telling you that your outlets
will not be grounded. A third
or ground wire is necessary for proper grounding of receptacles and
fixtures. Having a two-wire
system is not a problem in and of itself unless you are using electrical
equipment specifically designed to be grounded.
The three-prong plugs are more of a convenience since nearly all
electrical devices now come with a grounded plug.
Regarding the GFCI (Ground Fault Interrupter Circuit) outlets, they
need not be grounded in order to work properly.
Simply put, the GFCI is a safety device that protects people from
electric shocks by sensing current moving in a way that it should not, and
instantly shutting down the circuit.
On a grounded circuit, it does this by sending the current to
ground. On an ungrounded
(two-wire) circuit, it does the same thing by sending the current back to
ground through the neutral wire. A
properly wired GFCI will work just fine on a two-wire circuit.
The GFCI outlets have test and reset buttons on their face.
To test for proper operation, simply push the test button.
If you hear a snap, the circuit has tripped, and you can test it by
plugging in a lamp or radio. To
turn the power back on, simply push the reset button.
If you are still not sure, call a qualified electrician and have
him check all your GFCI receptacles.
www.SherlockHomeInspector.com
Article: GFCI circuits in older homes. by Patrick Mahoney Ó 2004 |
