Sean . . .

[dogboysdad]

If I swap out my old-school outlets today with grounded outlets, can I just screw a tapcon into my block wall and ground the outlet to it?

Thanks in advance.

[Orlando]

Not Sean but:

You can but it wont be grounded

[seaninmich]

yes, but they have to be TAPCON brand and not an off-brand masonry screw. Also, be sure to use the hex drive and not a bugle head.

hope that helps

[Orlando]

yes, but they have to be TAPCON brand and not an off-brand masonry screw. Also, be sure to use the hex drive and not a bugle head.

hope that helps

You saying that attaching to a block wall will ground his electric outlet???
You must do things different in Michigan :)

[seaninmich]

You saying that attaching to a block wall will ground his electric outlet???



yes, as long as the screw is green, or one of the two primary colors that make green (yellow and blue). I am not aware of anyone that makes a yellow masonry screw

[toolman]

yes, as long as the screw is green, or one of the two primary colors that make green (yellow and blue). I am not aware of anyone that makes a yellow masonry screw

LMAO!!! peace toolman

[toolman]

If I swap out my old-school outlets today with grounded outlets, can I just screw a tapcon into my block wall and ground the outlet to it?

Thanks in advance.

Do you have metal boxes or plastic boxes? And do you not have a ground wire in your boxes?? Or do you have the old 14/2-12/2 without ground??? Peace toolman

[dogboysdad]

Old wire without a ground. I would have to tear out a drywall ceiling to replace it. My tapcons are green, so I guess I am okay.

[Prince Humperdink]

Eric,
Please do not die,I like you....as a friend.

[seaninmich]

My tapcons are green, so I guess I am okay.


yes. if they weren't green, you could also paint them. we've had decent success grounding entire electrical systems by painting silver screws green and running a ground lead to them.

[timshufflin]

Be very careful with the wire screws, always use a green handled screwdriver to make yourself neutral. This is a trick Sean taught me and I almost never get electrocuted anymore.

[csacpt]

Just remember that everything electrical is full of smoke, and if you let the smoke out, it won't work anymore!

[Punch The Clown]

If you have metal boxes with conduit or BX it'll kindof sortof be grounded, as long as all the metal connections are sound all the way to the breaker panel. Just buy an outlet tester at Home Depot. It'll tell you if the wiring is correct and if the ground is working. .

[Orlando]

Or stick a screwdriver in the hot outlet

[toolman]

man you guys scare me... Dont ever do construction ( or electrical) work... LMAO!!!

[toolman]

If you have metal boxes with conduit or BX it'll kindof sortof be grounded, as long as all the metal connections are sound all the way to the breaker panel. Just buy an outlet tester at Home Depot. It'll tell you if the wiring is correct and if the ground is working. .

Hmm,, ok just dont touch the stuff in a storm!!! Peace toolman

[Punch The Clown]

Hmm,, ok just dont touch the stuff in a storm!!! Peace toolman

Hey, all the panels go to an earth or water pipe ground.

[toolman]

Hey, all the panels go to an earth or water pipe ground.

Not in alot of order homes!!!

[toolman]

Hey, all the panels go to an earth or water pipe ground.

I wire every new home i build. And i have put in hundreds of breaker boxes. Also a lot of older homes still have fuse boxes with no grounding rod. According to the codes you even have to put the cooper wiring #4 or #6 soild state running from the outside panel in plastic conduit to keep a back feed from happening. Which is a bit over kill,but i dont write the codes. Besides conduit isnt a proper grounding method anyways. Peace toolman

[toolman]

Hey, all the panels go to an earth or water pipe ground.

Around here water pipe grounds have been abandon YEARS ago because it dosent work proper.

[KnickKnack]

Just so I'm perfectly clear on this, some of you are grounding electrical equipment based on the color of a screw???

Be afraid; be very, very afraid!

[seaninmich]

Just so I'm perfectly clear on this, some of you are grounding electrical equipment based on the color of a screw???

Be afraid; be very, very afraid!



well, the screw has to at least be some sort of metal.

[seaninmich]

I wire every new home i build. And i have put in hundreds of breaker boxes. Also a lot of older homes still have fuse boxes with no grounding rod. According to the codes you even have to put the cooper wiring #4 or #6 soild state running from the outside panel in plastic conduit to keep a back feed from happening. Which is a bit over kill,but i dont write the codes. Besides conduit isnt a proper grounding method anyways. Peace toolman


We have to pound in two ground rods here and they have to be so many feet apart. can't recall which. Also has to be grounded to water line. 3 points ground. stupid.

[KnickKnack]

Grounding rod here at the meter box, 4 feet in the ground. Also ground to incoming water supply pipe from breaker box.

[csacpt]

Grounding to water pipes, while once common, is no longer considered safe in many locales. Not only does it pose safety issues, but can also cause electrolysis to destroy plumbing components. Single point grounding via an 8 foot ground rod is preferred. Multiple grounds in a residential system can create different potentials within the electrical system and this is not a good idea, particularly for electronics and computers. This is not necessarily true in industrial installations but they utilize an interconnected "grid" system with protective devices installed for electronics and computer systems. Not an electrician but I do have considerable experience with water utility systems utilizing computerized monitoring systems. Just my .02.

[seaninmich]

Multiple grounds in a residential system can create different potentials within the electrical system and this is not a good idea, particularly for electronics and computers.


They made us go to 3 ground points here several years ago. My guys always bitched when I made them beat the rods in for the electrician

[csacpt]

They made us go to 3 ground points here several years ago. My guys always bitched when I made them beat the rods in for the electrician

Well, those who make the rules, many times, don't have a clue. LOL I suspect you might agree. In truth, one size fits all, usually fits nobody. :)

[KnickKnack]

Grounding to water pipes, while once common, is no longer considered safe in many locales. Not only does it pose safety issues, but can also cause electrolysis to destroy plumbing components. Single point grounding via an 8 foot ground rod is preferred. Multiple grounds in a residential system can create different potentials within the electrical system and this is not a good idea, particularly for electronics and computers. This is not necessarily true in industrial installations but they utilize an interconnected "grid" system with protective devices installed for electronics and computer systems. Not an electrician but I do have considerable experience with water utility systems utilizing computerized monitoring systems. Just my .02.

Gotta agree with you completely here, was just saying how they want it done here. My house has had that system in place for 60 years, with no issues to the plumbing (copper cold water side). In fact, when they installed the computerized water meters here a few years back, they made sure that the ground from the panel was completely secure. Honestly not sure how the potential is affected in my house by having two grounding points, I've never checked it.

[csacpt]

Gotta agree with you completely here, was just saying how they want it done here. My house has had that system in place for 60 years, with no issues to the plumbing (copper cold water side). In fact, when they installed the computerized water meters here a few years back, they made sure that the ground from the panel was completely secure. Honestly not sure how the potential is affected in my house by having two grounding points, I've never checked it.

Electrical systems are like people, every one is different. Even measuring everything doesn't always work. I've seen problems that took many hours to solve, and sometimes never did figure it out. Some work even though they are "wrong," but I've replaced many a water meter or valve that was eaten up by electrolysis, one house out of many, no telling. :)

[toolman]

They made us go to 3 ground points here several years ago. My guys always bitched when I made them beat the rods in for the electrician


You dont have to pound them in the ground.. All you need is a gallon of water!!! Peace Toolman