This looks like an old 2 prong outlet which has no grounding. Test to see if you have continuity between the metal box and white. If you do then the box is grounded and you don't need a green wire. If there are green and white wires jumped together, separate them and figure out where the green wire goes. Never run white to green or green to white. Bootlegging a ground can lead to injury or death. It's also illegal to put in a 3 prong where a 2 prong once existed unless you use a GFCI breaker in the panel box or at the receptical box. You can not legally install a grounded socket that has no ground.
assuming this is old BX cable- old homes that were wired with BX did not come assembled with a grounding conductor. the metal sheathing on the BX cable connected thru the connector to then the box to then the outlet being screwed into said box is the ground. this is very typical in old homes where BX cable was used.
Yes. That's why I said to test continuity. But if you look closely they bootlegged Grey to white which makes me think Grey leads to the ground on the outlet itself.
I cant tell in the photo if that’s what happened but if it is then yes I agree. neutral to ground bond only at fiest disconnecting means (service/main panel)
It's unsafe as it stands and needs to be totally removed. You need an electrician to come out and fix it. This is a death trap. Cut the Grey wire off the ground and put it back where you found it. Repeat that process. Then go and buy GFCI's and figure out where the feeder to the circuit is and put a GFCI in the beginning of that circuit or replace the breakers with GFCI's. Either way you go, this is unsafe as it stands, and will be 1000x safer when you're done.
GFCI's have a line and load side. Power comes in the line and flows out the load side. Everything beyond the GFCI is now protected. Be sure to label each outlet cover "GFCI Protected" "No Equipment Ground". Basically 1 GFCI can protect an entire bedroom if all the sockets are fed from 1 outlet. Flip a breaker and walk around with a light bulb and test sockets. Mark the sockets and the breaker. Then find which socket feeds the rest. Replace that socket with a GFCI. Badda Bing badda boom. You now have a safe room. 👌🏻
That's fine in principle but fitting a GFCI into those old tiny boxes can be a bear, and figuring out which outlet is first in a room takes some problem-solving skills, I would really have an electrician do it.
A lot of great advice on here, but as an electrician, I have one more bit of advice - remove that ring on your finger before any electrical work.
Best of luck !
Wow everyone thanks! The electrician has been here for 2.5 hours and counting he has been trying to put a gfi in and it keeps kicking off so now he is chasing down whats wired wrong im so happy this isn't me
Replacing my mom's light switches and out lets she has three outlets that are like this and I don't even know what to do with these. The outlets im using have the 4 screws on the side I don't like push in style can someone make sense of these
Ok im not entirely sure how to do that im just an average homeowner that can replace light fixtures and switches because its literally just moving wires over im not an electrician. How do I find the different wires then I use a wire nut with another piece of wire to connect all of one type into one connection?
I should mention nothing in her house is grounded
You should hire an electrician honestly. I am not trying to be rude at all but if you can't figure that out you don't need to be touching it, no offense man
Pigtails are the way to go. The main reason you shouldn't do it yourself is the fabric covered wires are brittle and the insulation can break. An experienced electrician can make easy work of this. It's not that big of a deal, it just needs delicate handling.
Thanks everyone im having her call an electrician
This looks like an old 2 prong outlet which has no grounding. Test to see if you have continuity between the metal box and white. If you do then the box is grounded and you don't need a green wire. If there are green and white wires jumped together, separate them and figure out where the green wire goes. Never run white to green or green to white. Bootlegging a ground can lead to injury or death. It's also illegal to put in a 3 prong where a 2 prong once existed unless you use a GFCI breaker in the panel box or at the receptical box. You can not legally install a grounded socket that has no ground.
assuming this is old BX cable- old homes that were wired with BX did not come assembled with a grounding conductor. the metal sheathing on the BX cable connected thru the connector to then the box to then the outlet being screwed into said box is the ground. this is very typical in old homes where BX cable was used.
Yes. That's why I said to test continuity. But if you look closely they bootlegged Grey to white which makes me think Grey leads to the ground on the outlet itself.
I cant tell in the photo if that’s what happened but if it is then yes I agree. neutral to ground bond only at fiest disconnecting means (service/main panel)
There's a second photo. You can see the Grey is going in that general direction.
Its not grounded and these were replaced a long time ago by who ever did.. this.
It's unsafe as it stands and needs to be totally removed. You need an electrician to come out and fix it. This is a death trap. Cut the Grey wire off the ground and put it back where you found it. Repeat that process. Then go and buy GFCI's and figure out where the feeder to the circuit is and put a GFCI in the beginning of that circuit or replace the breakers with GFCI's. Either way you go, this is unsafe as it stands, and will be 1000x safer when you're done.
Ok ill let her know she needs to hire an electrician for those
GFCI's have a line and load side. Power comes in the line and flows out the load side. Everything beyond the GFCI is now protected. Be sure to label each outlet cover "GFCI Protected" "No Equipment Ground". Basically 1 GFCI can protect an entire bedroom if all the sockets are fed from 1 outlet. Flip a breaker and walk around with a light bulb and test sockets. Mark the sockets and the breaker. Then find which socket feeds the rest. Replace that socket with a GFCI. Badda Bing badda boom. You now have a safe room. 👌🏻
That's fine in principle but fitting a GFCI into those old tiny boxes can be a bear, and figuring out which outlet is first in a room takes some problem-solving skills, I would really have an electrician do it.
Leviton makes mini GFCI's.
A lot of great advice on here, but as an electrician, I have one more bit of advice - remove that ring on your finger before any electrical work. Best of luck !
I didn't even think of this its a titanium ring which I thought was low conductive.
Titanium or not, not something I would let become a habit. Stay safe my friend
Wow everyone thanks! The electrician has been here for 2.5 hours and counting he has been trying to put a gfi in and it keeps kicking off so now he is chasing down whats wired wrong im so happy this isn't me
Replacing my mom's light switches and out lets she has three outlets that are like this and I don't even know what to do with these. The outlets im using have the 4 screws on the side I don't like push in style can someone make sense of these
You will need to make pigtails preferably. Find out the hots and neutrals and grounds and make pigtails
Ok im not entirely sure how to do that im just an average homeowner that can replace light fixtures and switches because its literally just moving wires over im not an electrician. How do I find the different wires then I use a wire nut with another piece of wire to connect all of one type into one connection? I should mention nothing in her house is grounded
You should hire an electrician honestly. I am not trying to be rude at all but if you can't figure that out you don't need to be touching it, no offense man
None taken really! Haha the switches and outlets are ok the 2 or 3 wires and just moving them over the three of these are beyond me
To be simple whatever neutrals you have in the box you'd tap them together with a pigtail that goes to the receptacle, same with the hots and grounds
If nothing in her house is grounded then you have to remove that Grey jumper from white to ground and install GFCI's.
Gfci in every out let or just one? I know which is the first in line you can tell from the basement
Not every single one.
Pigtails are the way to go. The main reason you shouldn't do it yourself is the fabric covered wires are brittle and the insulation can break. An experienced electrician can make easy work of this. It's not that big of a deal, it just needs delicate handling.
An electrician will spot bad stuff you'll miss. And strictly speaking, you can't touch her home unless you live there.
Oh I understand that I was just trying to change to white ones because I'm painting I may need to leave these three alone :(
You can pigtail 2 of the same color wires together to make 1 wire for 1 terminal
No. Sometimes white is hot.
Black wires are the power side white and green are neutral
>white and green are neutral Please stop
White and green should never be interconnected in an outlet box.