How to Replace Ungrounded Receptacles With GFCIs

GFCI receptacle with extension cord plugged in

Article 406.3 of the National Electrical Code, beginning with the 2005 Revision, allowed GFCI receptacles to be used on ungrounded receptacle circuits. Replacing an ungrounded receptacle with a GFCI receptacle doesn't make the ungrounded receptacle a grounded receptacle. Installing GFCI receptacles does eliminate the chance of receiving a fatal electrical shock but it doesn't eliminate the chance of receiving a nonfatal electric shock, which can be quite painful.

Article 406.3 goes on to tsay that when GFCI receptacles are used on an ungrounded branch circuit each has to be marked "GFI Protected. No equipment ground." Most GFCI receptacles come with stick-on labels that can be affixed to the receptacles faceplate saying "GFI Protected. No equipment ground."

Things You'll Need

• Non-contact voltage tester
• Screwdrivers
• Wire cutters
• Wire strippers
• Needle-nose pliers
• GFCI receptacles (15-Ampere or 20-Ampere)
• Grounding 15- or 20-Ampere duplex receptacles
• Black plastic electrical tape

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Instructions

1. 

   Screwdrivers

   Turn off the circuit breaker or remove the Edison Base fuse supplying electricity to the branch circuit that you will be working on. Remove Edison Base screw in fuses completely; simply loosening them up enough to open the circuit isn't safe.

2. 

   Needle-nose pliers, diagonal wire cutter pliers and lineman's pliers

   If you are working on a typical receptable branch circuit there will be several receptacles on it; skip this step and go to Step 3.

   If you are working on a circuit with only one receptacle on it, continue with this step. All you have to do is connect to the "Line" terminals. Remove the old receptacle from its device box. Remove the wires from the receptacle and attach the black wire to brass screw on the GFCI receptacle marked "Line." Attach the white neutral wire to the silver colored "Line" screw. Wrap tape over the screw terminals. Skip to Step 9.

3. 

   Adjustable wire strippers

   Remove the cover plates from all the receptacles on the circuit. Remove the "captured" screws securing the receptacles in the device boxes and pull them out of the boxes. Use caution here because older wiring used cloth insulation that dried out and became brittle with age. When working with older wiring a 15-minute job can very quickly turn into a major rewiring project.

4. 

   Black Plastic Electrical Tape

   Carefully remove the wires from the receptacles and separate them so that they aren't touching one another, the metal device box, or any other surface.

5. Turn the circuit breaker back on or replace the Edison Base fuse while you locate the device box that held the first receptacle on the circuit. Use the non-contact voltage tester to locate the cable wires coming from the breaker panel. The tester will beep when brought close to the live wire. Note the position of this wire and turn the breaker off again. You will install the GFCI receptacle in this device box.

6. Connect the wires coming from the breaker panel or fuse panel to the terminals on the GFCI receptacle marked "Line." If necessary, cut the old-stripped end from the wires, strip off three-quarter inches of insulation and form loops on the freshly stripped ends. Place the loop on the black wire under the brass-colored screw in a clockwise direction and snug the screw down. Connect the white wire to the silver-colored screw in a similar manner.

7. Connect the wires carrying electricity to the next receptacle to the GFCI Terminals marked "Load." A word of caution here, if you accidentally reverse the "Line" and the "Load" connections, the GFCI won't function properly. Wrap the terminal screws with tape and install in box.

8. Replace all the two-slot receptacles downstream from the GFCI location with standard grounding receptacles. Use 15-Ampere receptacles if a 15-Ampere circuit breaker or fuse protects the circuit. Use either 15 or 20-Ampere receptacles if a 20-Ampere circuit breaker or fuse protects the circuit.

9. Secure all the receptacles in the device boxes. Install all the cover plates and affix labels to each one informing everyone that the receptacle is GFI protected but has no equipment ground.

References

• EC&M: Replacing 2-Wire Ungrounded Receptacles
• "Fine Homebuilding" magazine; Can I Make Ungrounded Circuits Safer; Mike Guertin; March 2006
• "National Electrical Code": National Fire Protection Association: 2008 Revision
• Amy B. Sells: Grounded vs. Non-Grounded Outlets