GFCIs still work when there is no ground. The NEC explicitly allows them to be installed when there is no ground, but in that case they have to have the label several people have referred to. IMHO RBM's second post is the best advice.
far better to install a ground wire.
its not a killer expense, treat the buyer nice, so they dont back out
e home
re: "...which reduce the safety and *expected* working of the GFCI"
Please explain, especially your highlighted use of the *expected*.
e home
Then (IMHO) you would be as incorrect as Lee's relative.
GFI's dont need a ground to do their job....that's why they come with those stickers. A GFI without a ground will test & function just fine.
Besides.. it is very likely a 1950's house has a ground wire in the "Romex" bundle
A GFI w/o a ground provides a BIG improvement in safety compared to a simple 2 prong receptacle.
I'll defer to others in the ng more expert but spending $$$'s to run a ground wire in ONE location when a GFI w/o a ground will work fine is a waste of money....when I'm sure that those $$$'s could yield more safety elsewhere in the house
cheers Bob
That really depends on your builder and if he expected a GI Bill inspection. Houses sold under the GI Bill were supposed to have grounded wiring. Your chance of that happening probably varies by your distance from the nearest VA office with an inspector. In DC it was common to have 3 wire Romex and 2 pin receptacles in the 50s, even in the cheapest tract house (most likely to get a GI tho). You can test this with a 3 light tester and a 3 prong adapter connected to the center screw. If it says "OK" you have a ground (although it is going to be 16 or 18 gauge)
"Lee B" wrote
No, it is not required. Futhermore, even having an outlet isnt required (I have none in the bathrooms).
I'd check estimates, then if the list is too long offer what portion you are willing to cover, and if they want it all, tell them how much the house price increased. based on estimates. for the work.
Look, houses sell all the time 'as is'.
Not so much this year. You have to make yours look better than the 10 others the realtor is showing the buyer today.
That is certainly true in my neighborhood. There are still quite a few short sales and foreclosures, all of which are listed for significantly less as-is than the other houses for sale. And there are at least 2-3 others identical to mine (1950's end of group row house)within about a 4 block radius. , and even more that are inside groups. And since I'm not living there, and am juggling two mortgages, I'm not going to quibble over too much! (Well except for the part where they want me to replace some cracked tiles on the bathroom wall. My contractor said that's asking for problems, that it'll go from 8 tiles to their neighbors and will end up with a bunch of tiles, none of which will match the originals. OTOH, the buyer didn't specify they have to match!)
BTW, called an electrician from a company that had done work there before. He quoted $125 over the phone. He'll check to see if there is a ground. If not he also mentioned that it could be attached to the water pipe. Thanks for the help. It was such a relief to hear it would not be some thousand dollar type of repair! Onward and upward to where they want an unused sidewalk removed. And the chimney waterproofed.
Lee-
Fix the easy / cheap ones.
The GFI can be done by a reasonable competent preson; turn off the power to the receptacle & swap if for a GFI recepetacle. Running a ground wire to the nearest water pipe is pretty much a hack solution. My suggestion; if no ground at box, install & "sticker" the GFI.
Negotiate some dollars to be held in the escrow acct to pay for some of the disputed items (chimney waterproofing & sidewalk removal) ...don't want to be fixing the laundry list prior to sale & have the buyer back out.
cheers Bob
I believe the GFCI itself needs a ground, it's the stuff downstream that doesn't.
nate
The only newsreader that leaves this garbage is your retarded google one. The garbage is just more noise, even to the people that use google-groups. Editing is too difficult a concept?
Using your Ouija board again?
You have no idea how difficult it will be to add a ground wire. And it has not been code compliant for many years to attach it to a water pipe, except for the first 5 feet of pipe inside the building.
nope, it works just fine without any ground at all.
And the reason your previously posted replies contained lots of "quoted text" that you failed to "edit" ...might be?
Editing is too difficult a concept?
cheers Bob
re: "The GFI can be done by a reasonable competent person; turn off the power to the receptacle & swap if for a GFI recepetacle. "
That's assuming the GFCI fits in the original box. My house was built in '56 and getting GFCI's into some of the original work boxes was either difficult or impossible.
he home
most people overestimate the difficulty in fishing wires in walls. and no wherre did i mention attaching it to a water pipe
most people overestimate the difficulty in fishing wires in walls.
So, you've polled "most people" have you???
Nope. As mentioned several times in this thread, GFCI's work just fine without a ground. In most cases, they are a safe and code approved alternative to installing a safety ground. -- Doug
theres often a easy way to get a wire to where you want it.
too many get scared off by just the idea of running a wire. personally i enjoy the challenge of wall fishing. have done a good bit of it over the years.
a un grounded GFCI will cause home inspection grief...........
Exactly wrong.
te:
Well you can have trooubles depending on what you plug in. some devices REQUIRE a ground for proper operation.
computers, fluroscent lamps, come quickly to mind..........
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