On the outlet it has a green ground screw. But there is no ground wire coming out of the wall. Should you pigtail a wire around the green screw and wrap it around the screw that secures the outlet to the junction box?

Depending on the wiring system in the house, you may or may not have a ground. If you have a VOM, check voltage between black and the box. If 120, you have a ground at the box and can pigtail to the box. If no voltage, you have no ground and connecting a pigtail is meaningless.

Very interesting. I have 7 function digital multimeter. I know how to test a car battery and appliances. But where is the setting for testing outlet box on the meter?

Pastor,

Good morning. If there is any way for you to get some basic electricity and electrical safety training, do it now before you kill yourself, please.

There is an excellent book by Ray Mullin and Phil Simms, Residential Wiring. The 16th. Edition uses the 2008 edition of code and the 17th, edition uses the 2011 edition of code.

The test you are being asked to make is a voltage test. To make the test, turn the circuit off or remove the fuse. With the circuit dead, remove the receptacle. Then either reinstall the fuse or turn the breaker back on.

Set your meter to 200 Volts (AC). Clip the black probe to the box (if the box is plastic it cannot be part of the grounding system, so there is no need to make this test)

Using one hand ONLY! Take the red probe and touch it to the black conductor or the brass screw that holds the conductor to the receptacle.

Please let me know what reading you get.

Again, use only one hand. If for instance, you hold the receptacle in one hand then use use the other hand to make the test, you now have a complete circuit across your heart. Make a serious mistake now and it could be fatal. Honestly, more often then not you would just get zapped, but you never know.

Using the multimeter the two probe into the outlet shows 115. The probe from the hot to the ground shows 116.

Then you have a ground at the box. Pigtail a bare or green wire from the green screw to the outlet screw where it screws to the box. You can buy a neat little circuit tester at HD, Lowe's or Harbor Freight. Cost less than $10.

Fine Thanks