UNGROUNDED (2-PRONG) RECEPTACLES

Illustration: Ian Warpole

PROBLEM #9
Undergrounded (2-pronged) receptacles means your home has no way to safely conduct stray current

What it means: Your house’s wiring has no way to safely conduct any stray current that escapes the confines of the wires.

Code violation? No; grandfathered in. (Today’s code requires grounded circuits and receptacles.)

Danger level: Minimal, as long as you don’t use an adapter to fit a three-prong plug into a two-prong receptacle. Doing so could destroy the device you’re plugging in, and increase the chance of electrocution.

Solution: Replace two-prong receptacles with properly grounded three-prong ones, if wiring allows it (see . Also, test all existing three-prong receptacles with a GFCI circuit tester to make sure they’re grounded. Rewire any that aren’t.

Information that is being provide is for Educational Purpose, Any electric work that is needing to be done, should be done by a Licensed Electrician.

Source: This Old House