How to change 2 prong outlet into 3 prong?

[icedim]

I don't think my outlet is grounded even though I checked and there's a copper wire. Whenever I plug in my 3 prong adapter and the top is not screwed in, my surge protector says wiring fault.

IIRC there were 2 black wires and 2 white wires. I think only 1 of each was hooked to the screws. The copper wire is screwed to the side I think. They lead to a metal hole at the top with some paper wrapped around them. The box is plastic.

What's a good and easy way to get a grounded 3 prong outlet? This will only be used for a computer and I read that GFI is not good with it. Also 15 or 20 amp receptacle? Thanks in advance.

[BOA]

If you do have a copper grounding wire in the box, you can replace the outlet with a 3 hole grounded 15a outlet. BUT you have to make sure the ground wire is hooked up in the breaker/fuse box also.

A picture of your outlet would be helpful because I am confused by you saying the copper wire is connected to the side of the outlet. Is this a _bare_ copper wire (no insulation)?

[junkcollector]

What he said:top:

[icedim]

If you do have a copper grounding wire in the box, you can replace the outlet with a 3 hole grounded 15a outlet. BUT you have to make sure the ground wire is hooked up in the breaker/fuse box also.

A picture of your outlet would be helpful because I am confused by you saying the copper wire is connected to the side of the outlet. Is this a _bare_ copper wire (no insulation)?

i have no idea if the ground wire is hooked up in the breaker/fuse box. the copper wire is connected inside the outlet. it's not connected to the receptacle and i couldn't pull it out. it probably is connected to the metal thing where all the wires come out of. i could only see it when i pulled the receptacle out.

anyways i bought 2 testers http://img252.imageshack.us/img252/4628/outlettestsd9.jpg and http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/1274/0c1a1qi1.jpg.

when i plug the red and black one into both outlets the light goes on. i never tried to plug it into the outlet with the 3 prong adapter plugged in.

when i plugged the 3 prong tester into the adapter (3rd hole at top, metal tab at the top screwed in, short slit on left), the tester is backwards i assume (sticker with descriptions is not visible) the first 2 lights are on. which either means hot/neutral reverse if it's backwards or grounded if not backwards.

when the adapter was plugged in with 3rd hole at bottom, metal tab at top screwed in, large slit on left, the stickers with descriptions is visible and showed hot/neutral reverse.

whenever the adapter wasn't screwed in either way i plugged it, it said open ground.

i also looked at the wiring/receptacle again. there are 4 screws (2 on left, 2 on right) and 4 wires (2 black hooked to screws on left, 2 white hooked to screws on the right). i hope that helps with solving this. any other details needed, just ask.

[suemarkp]

Is your receptacle just like the one in the picture you posted, or is it the older style with no grounding hole (hence the need for the 3 prong adapter)?

This doesn't make sense: "the copper wire is connected inside the outlet. it's not connected to the receptacle and i couldn't pull it out".

You have a plastic box and a receptacle. What do you mean by "outlet"? Does a bare copper go to this receptacle somewhere? Is it dangling in the box? Did someone try to attach it to one of the receptacle mounting screws?

If you have a non-grounding receptacle (no hole below the two vertical slits), replace it with a normal grounding style and put that bare wire on the green screw on the side of this new receptacle. Then plug in your tester and see if it lights up correctly. If it does, there's hope that the ground actually works well (but that path should be tested). Is this wiring a modern Romex style? Does it go straight to the panel, or is it fed from some other receptacle or light outlet that has no bare grounding wire?

[icedim]

Is your receptacle just like the one in the picture you posted, or is it the older style with no grounding hole (hence the need for the 3 prong adapter)?

older style

This doesn't make sense: "the copper wire is connected inside the outlet. it's not connected to the receptacle and i couldn't pull it out".

i'm no expert, so my terms are probably wrong. when i took the receptacle out i could see the copper wire connected on the inside of the wall. it wasn't hooked/attached to the receptacle like the black/white wires were. unless i tried hard enough, i probably couldn't remove like i could the other two wires.

You have a plastic box and a receptacle. What do you mean by "outlet"? Does a bare copper go to this receptacle somewhere? Is it dangling in the box? Did someone try to attach it to one of the receptacle mounting screws?

outlet is where you plug stuff in. all the wires come out through a metal hole that's wrapped in some paper. the copper one is to the right of the receptacle, i don't think it's connected to the receptacle mounting screws

If you have a non-grounding receptacle (no hole below the two vertical slits), replace it with a normal grounding style and put that bare wire on the green screw on the side of this new receptacle. Then plug in your tester and see if it lights up correctly. If it does, there's hope that the ground actually works well (but that path should be tested). Is this wiring a modern Romex style? Does it go straight to the panel, or is it fed from some other receptacle or light outlet that has no bare grounding wire?

yes i have a non-grounding receptacle. is the bare wire you're talking about the copper one? if it is, how do i remove it?

[suemarkp]

I think we'd be best served with a picture, as your terms still seem inconsistent. Is the mounting box in the wall that the receptacle (power outlet) screws to metal or plastic?

In the old days, electricians didn't know what to do with the bare copper grounding wire and they may have pushed it through a hole in the box and tied it outside the box. This is a bugger to undo once the box has been covered with sheetrock. If you're lucky, you may be able to pull those bare copper wires back into the box with a pair of pliers. Wtat needs to happen with those is that they all be tied together and a short 6" piece of bare coper added to the bundle. This "pigtail" would then go to the green screw on a new gorunding style receptacle. If your mounting box is metal, an additional bare wire may need to be attached to the box (there should be a 10-32 tapped hole in the box to take a green screw -- that is where you attach the box grounding wire). But this may not be necessary depending on how your wiring was done. That's why we need the picture.

[erict]

I don't think my outlet is grounded even though I checked and there's a copper wire. Whenever I plug in my 3 prong adapter and the top is not screwed in, my surge protector says wiring fault.IIRC there were 2 black wires and 2 white wires. I think only 1 of each was hooked to the screws. The copper wire is screwed to the side I think. They lead to a metal hole at the top with some paper wrapped around them. The box is plastic.

What's a good and easy way to get a grounded 3 prong outlet? This will only be used for a computer and I read that GFI is not good with it. Also 15 or 20 amp receptacle? Thanks in advance.


Maybe I'm missing something but if your receptacle is grounded correctly and you only have a 2 prong receptacle and use an adapter then you screw the tab that sticks out of the adapter to the center screw on your receptacle to get a proper ground.