I have never really understood the mania on this third wire or "Ground" wire
in the US since 99.9% of all electrical panels have the supposedly "Neutral"
wire and the "ground" wire connect to the same buss. In the UK where all
the two wire plugs are actually both hot (two phases of 120) 220 volt - it
makes good since to have a separate ground wire - but in the US each outlet
already has a ground wire, I don't see the reason you need two - It's even
sillier now on the 220 appliances because you now have to have 4 wires
instead of three - 2, 120 wires and 1 ground and now lets add another ground
wire.
Just hook up a wire form the ground screw on the back of the outlet to the
neutral (white side) on the back of the plug - and you have the exact same
circuit as if you had hooked the ground wire to the white wire at the panel.
Stick in one of those fancy three light testers and you'll see what I mean.
Ron (closet electrician) Schmittou
-----Original Message-----
From: shop-talk-owner@autox.team.net
[mailto:shop-talk-owner@autox.team.net]On Behalf Of Mike Rambour
Sent: Friday, April 29, 2005 11:46 AM
To: Timothy R. Hoerning; shop-talk@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: quickie elect. question
I would not know BX from BS so let me describe it differently...it looks
like 2 wire romex but its kind of a fabric covering, NOT on the wires
themselves that is normal vinyl just the sleeve that holds them
together. Its only 2 wires at the breaker box also, no ground anywhere. I
have also put in some 3 prongs with only 2 wires a few times but that is
not legal and not safe either since you assume you have a valid ground when
you see 3 prong plugs.
Since this is a bathroom and I had the drywall off I thought I would try
and get it right. The GFCI actually had instructions for 2 wire wiring so
from that I assumed it was ok and I checked with the codes and it is
legal. I ran new romex with ground and connected the ground on the 2 plugs
but the ground is not connected to anything in the attic, it will be later
this year (summer sometime) when we put in a new main panel but this way I
don't have to pull the drywall back off the bathroom. It was designed to be
a temporary fix but the GFCI solved all the problems for me.
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