Electrician Question on grounding outlets

[PSS]

Don't install 3 prong outlets without a grounding conductor. That's taking a bad situation and making it worse. No inspector should approve that. The only way you can install 3 prong outlets with out fixing it (making sure a grounding conductor is present and connected in all recept boxes) is to install a gfci in the circuit. Either by adding a GFCI outlet at the first box in the circuit or replacing the breaker with a GFCI breaker.

[PSS]

I argued with an inspector till I finally gave up that a gfci will work with out a ground wire. Here's Mike Holt's take on it backed up with a code reference.

Under what condition can a two-wire receptacle be replaced with a three-wire receptacle, when no ground is available in the box?

A. Where no equipment bonding means exists in the outlet box, nongrounding-type receptacles can be replaced with [406.3(D)(3)]:

Another nongrounding-type receptacle.
A GFCI grounding-type receptacle marked "No Equipment Ground."
A grounding-type receptacle, if GFCI protected and marked "GFCI Protected" and "No Equipment Ground."
Note: GFCI protection functions properly on a 2-wire circuit without an equipment grounding (bonding) conductor, because the equipment grounding (bonding) conductor serves no role in the operation of the GFCI-protection device.

CAUTION: The permission to replace nongrounding-type receptacles with GFCI-protected grounding-type receptacles doesn't apply to new receptacle outlets that extend from an existing ungrounded outlet box. Once you add a receptacle outlet (branch-circuit extension), the receptacle must be of the grounding (bonding) type and it must have its grounding terminal grounded (bonded) to an effective ground-fault current path in accordance with 250.130(C).

http://www.mikeholt.com/mojonewsarch...s~20050510.php

[PSS]

A gfci will work with out a ground as it will monitor any unbalanced current between the hot and grounded (neutral) wire.

[def90]

You will have to trace back to the point where that romex with the ground goes to. It is likely taped off of an existing outlet somewhere else and they didn't bother to hook up the ground at that point. About all you can do is start pulling off plates, tracing wires and hope that mister DIY that did this in the first place didn't hide junctions in the wall or the attic.

[JohnTRourke]

And this is why
a. you should hire licensed electricians and pull a permit when you remodel. Not necessarily because the work is better (you may be able to do a fine job) but when you go to sell, you just hand them the inspection. All done to code, go away.

b. You should hire licensed electricians/plumbers/etc to do inspections. Cuz i guarantee my inspection objection would have come up with a lot more than just "ungrounded outlet". And now the problem is that you have to fix it, even if not for this guy, because now it's in writing and you have to reveal it to future buyers.

Hire an electrician, get it fixed correctly, cover your butt in the future.

[Bailey Guns]

^^ I gotta go with that.

[eneranch]

Had the same problem with a house I sold 2 weeks ago; Inspection found a receptacle that had an open ground the garage. I did my best to find the problem but ended up calling my Electrician, he found a nicked ground wire in a J-Box somewhere in the circuit, cost me $100 & made the Buyers happy.

[drift_g35]

Just so you all dont think i'm the idiot, this was all done when I bought the house.

[Irving]

What is the age of the house. If it's old enough it shouldn't be expected that the outlets are grounded.

[Great-Kazoo]

What is the age of the house. If it's old enough it shouldn't be expected that the outlets are grounded.

Unfortunately not any more. Same for paint. If it is in god shape it's ok. ANY signs of flaking, wear on loder houses they consider it lead paint. That's a whole other issue. dealt with it on 2 homes myself.

Regarding the ungrounded outlets, our guy ran a ground wire to the copper pipes. When tested checked out, done and sold.