GFCI - Open Ground

[Lynn Petrie]

Just because I am thinking too hard on this matter, I have confused myself. I inspected a home today and checked the GFCI receptacle in the bathroom and it read open ground. The GFCI would not reset/test with my tester, but it would if I pushed the reset on receptacle itself. What does this mean to me and my client.

What do you tell your clients when they have open grounds in receptacles in the house, is it the old wiring and how do you correct this.

Do you need to re-wire the house, install a GFCI receptacle

Do you have a inter net site to look/study this subject matter. :confused:

[Jerry Peck]

How old is the house?

Was the house an ungrounded system and the GFCI was installed when the bathroom receptacle was replaced (which is required)?

The GFCI does not require a ground to work, but your tester does.

By the way, I've never heard of a GFCI tester which can reset the GFCI??? I suspect you just mis-typed what you were saying on this aspect.

[Lynn Petrie]

How old is the house?

Was the house an ungrounded system and the GFCI was installed when the bathroom receptacle was replaced (which is required)?

The GFCI does not require a ground to work, but your tester does.

By the way, I've never heard of a GFCI tester which can reset the GFCI??? I suspect you just mis-typed what you were saying on this aspect.


The house was built 64 years ago.

What do you mean when you say "was the house and ungrounded system

[Michael Garrity]

It means that outlet has no ground and judging by the age of the house it was probably wired without a ground at the outlets.Did you check the panel?The GFCI and your tester were working ok but you have to reset the GFCI manually.Are the outlets in the rest of the house 2 or 3 prong?

[John Arnold]

The house was built 64 years ago.

What do you mean when you say "was the house an ungrounded system

Older houses with 2-wire systems: hot and neutral only on the branch circuits, no equipment grounds, originally had only 2-prong receptacles.

We have a million of 'em here in the Delaware Valley.

[Jerry Peck]

The house was built 64 years ago.

Almost assuredly the house is not grounded.

As the others have said, the house was wired with a hot and a neutral, no ground.

Read these threads:
- http://www.inspectionnews.net/home_inspection/electrical-systems-home-inspection-commercial-inspection/14554-gfcis-two-prong-outlets.html

- http://www.inspectionnews.net/home_inspection/electrical-systems-home-inspection-commercial-inspection/15305-new-installation-two-prong-receptacles.html

We are currently discussing exactly what you are asking.

This is a good example of why it is beneficial and educational to read this board regularly.