Test for ground in shower light canister??

[JOHN CZEPKOWSKI]

I am planning on getting some glass block windows installed in my second floor shower window. I would like to extend a lead to the window area so the glass block window vent fan could have power. Is there an easy way to determine if there is a ground in the existing shower light fixture - without removing the canister. I don't think I should provide power to a shower fan without there being a good ground circuit.

Can ground be tested for with a simple volt-ohm meter?

The house is 50 years old and has some ground circuits.

I love the Lord but am not ready to meet Him yet.

Thanks

[RBM]

With a pigtail socket or volt meter test between the tongue of the socket and the metal frame. It would probably make sense to put a GFCI protector on that circuit

[JOHN CZEPKOWSKI]

Thanks for the info. I found that there was a ground between the tongue of the socket and the canister. Also, it appears the hot lead is always "available" as the white neutral is controlled thru the switch. I decided to not put a powered fan in the glass block after all, but I will get a GFCI protector on that circuit. Thanks again.

[RBM]

You should also reconnect the switch so the hot leg is broken and not the neutral

[Nate Nagel]

Sure, check for 120V between the center terminal of the bulb socket and the canister. Or you could just crawl up into the attic and visually inspect the wire leading to it.

nate

[Nate Nagel]

Well that ain't right. I would be checking inside the switch box to see what's going on there.

nate

JOHN CZEPKOWSKI wrote:

[RickH]

When you install the GFCI you'll know soon enough if the ground is ok.

[Eric9822]

GFCI's do not require a ground to function.

[terry]

Not quite? AFIK a so called 'Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter' operates when there is an unbalance (difference) in the amount of current flowing in the neutral and live wires through the GFCI. The unbalance can be due to a leakage to ground through a faulty device on the circit beyond (downstream) of the GFCI or it may occur if I stick my fingers stupidly into something live while standing on a damp garage floor or wet grass! So while it MAY be a ground fault something else can cause such imbalance. In some countries AFIK (stand to be corrected) the devices are called RCDs, Rapid Disconnect Device? AIUI one reason that GFCIs not recommended for use on fridges and other domestic motor start circuits is that unbalances can occur when starting due to capacitance to motor frame and other reactances in the AC circuit. So you come home to a fridge full of rotten food! Summary: AIUI GFCIs do not detect leakage current to ground, per se. They detect unbalance between live and neutral at or beyond the GFCI equipped outlet which MAY be due to leakage to ground. Others agree??????

[beecrofter]

As long as hat sucker trips when the current is no longer in the hot and common wires in equal amounts I don't care where it went!

[bud--]

Residual current detector.