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    antipode12 Posts: 248, Reputation: 8
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    #1

    Aug 2, 2007, 01:16 AM
    Adding Ground to New Outlets
    Hi,
    I'm replacing the old 2 slot outlets in my house with grounded 3 prong outlets.

    #1: I believe the house is grounded because there is a copper rod driven into the ground adjacent to the circuit panel. Correct?

    #2: The receptacles with the 2 slot outlets have 4 wires (2 white, and 2 black). They have no bare/ green ones for grounding. Is the procedure to screw a wire from the new outlet (at the green screw) to the back of the metal J-box?

    #3: If so, the green screws I have do not fit the J-box's hole (screw too big). What are my options? Any old screw that fits? Some type of clamp/ clip?

    #4: Also, the wire I bought for this task is thin, bare, braided copper. (It must be smaller than #14.) Is this OK?

    Any help is appreciated. Thanks all!

    EDIT: #5: Several of my outlets only have *2* wires (1 white, 1 black). Will this work for a typical outlet?

    #6: A few of the outlets are reading "open ground" even though I have added a ground wire to the J-box from the outlet. Thoughts?
    Thx.
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    antipode12 Posts: 248, Reputation: 8
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    #2

    Aug 2, 2007, 02:10 PM
    AN UPDATE:

    OK, so I'm slowly learning things through trial and error.

    Re: #6 above: Seems that these two receptacles have no grounding in the metal box. I tested the ground hole in the outlet, and I tested the bare metal plate screw, too. No ground there.

    So, what can I do to make these outlets safe? They are upstairs and on the opposite side from the breaker box.
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    antipode12 Posts: 248, Reputation: 8
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    #3

    Aug 2, 2007, 07:10 PM
    Argghhh... OK so I changed the outlets and now my computer flickers abruptly -- it never did before. The outlet it's connected to was and still is grounded. The only difference is that I now have it grounded to the receptacle. (I believe it was grounded via a cable wire before. Long story.)

    Any ideas what might be causing this?
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