for USA, Canada and other countries running a 60 Hz supply service.
You will need to run a ground wire from the main breaker panel to the socket outlet.
If by some miracle there is a ground wire there already, you just need to replace the socket outlet.
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As always, if you are in doubt about what to do, the best advice anyone should give you is to call a licensed electrician to advise what work is needed.
Before you do any work yourself,
on electrical circuits, equipment or appliances,
always use a test meter to ensure the circuit is, in fact, de-energized.
IF YOU ARE NOT ALREADY SURE YOU CAN DO THIS JOB
SAFELY AND COMPETENTLY
REFER THIS WORK TO QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS.
The only safe and correct way to do this is to pull a third wire to provide the ground connection. This may be extremely difficult, but just putting a three wire receptacle on the two wires and leaving the ground off isn't smart. Before you ask, yes, it can be done. But to repeat what has been said ('cause it's worth repeating), it isn't wise to replace a two-wire receptacle with a three-wire receptacle and leave the ground open. Note: It is beyond foolish to "tinker" with electrical wiring unless you have a good general knowledge of what you are working with and unless you work safely. You can be killed, injured, or suffer significant property loss due to fire. You can also put others at risk. Think before you do. Be sure you honestly assess your skills and work from there.
You don't! 2-wire outlets lack a ground wire, which is necessary for safety. While they were legal (and common) years ago, every municipality I'm aware of has outlawed the installation of 2-wire outlets. If your home already has one, it MAY be allowed to remain (check your local laws) but you can no longer install one new. By not using the third wire, the safety ground, you are putting yourself and your loved ones at risk. Don't do it!
I have a question about this 3rd wire. So in this old house, wired with only 2-pronged outlets, apparently an electrician came in and added some 3-pronged outlets, on opposite sides of the living room. Now the kitchen still has only 2-prong outlets, but we want to plug in our microwave oven (which of course has a 3-prong plug) in the kitchen, not in the living room.Here's the deal: the wall that separates the living room from the kitchen is one that has a 3-prong outlet installed. To make things even more opportunistic, the 3-prong outlet (facing the living room) is mounted to the same stud as a two prong outlet facing into the kitchen.You should know where I'm going with this: instead of running the 3rd wire from my kitchen 2-prong all the way back to the electrical box (in order to convert it to a 3-prong), can I just run a short ground wire to the ground on the adjacent 3-prong and call it a day? I would have a nice installation because I could fish this wire between the two outlets inside the wall. My tester indicates that the 3-prong has a good ground, but I know that it was installed later than the rest of the house and is definitely on a separate circuit. Is there a problem with this approach?
<<>>There is no problem doing this at all. It is safer to have an unorthodox ground that none at all. Your approach is no different that normal home branch circuit wiring, that all receptacles on the circuit share the same ground wire. This is the more sensible approach that just changing the kitchen two wire receptacles to three wire receptacles and not connecting the ground at all.
Well, to do it properly would mean redoing the wiring as well, as the 3rd prong needs a wire too.
A single pole switch controls a light or outlet at one location. A 3 way switch controls a light or outlet from 2 locations.
Go to this site http://www.generatorjoe.net/html/nemaplugs.html and tell me what configurations you have and I might be able to help you.
== == You are not allowed to change a four-wire outlet to a three wire outlet.You can change a four wire cord to a three wire cord.That is VERY different! === === I have answered this question at least 6 times. The 4 wire plug has a neutral and the 3 does not. An untrained homeowner who does their own plumbing can flood the house with water or sewage, on the other hand electricity can kill instantly. I wouldn't want to gamble my family's lives on my incompetence. 3 wire plugs are old and outdated. Way back in the old days they didn't ground equipment so plugs didn't have a ground. (Remember the old 2 wire 110V outlets on houses built before the 50s?) A few people got killed so they decided to add a safety wire. It took them longer to catch on with heavy appliances, but eventually they did. That it what the fourth pin is. Since many homes still have the 3 wire plug it is allowed in older homes. New homes must use the new 4 wire plug. Changing your 4 wire cord to a 3 wire cord is the same as plugging a 3 wire 120V appliance into one of those 3 prong to two prong adapters they sell. Your appliance works now, but is ungrounded. Don't listen to anyone who says to replace the new up-to-code plug with an older plug. That is the same as replacing your 3 prong 120V outlets with old two prong outlets! Ignore anyone who tells you to do so, they think they know a lot more than they actually do. Buy a new cord. It is cheap and safer. IF YOU ARE NOT ALREADY SURE YOU CAN DO THIS JOBSAFELY AND COMPETENTLYREFER THIS WORK TO QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS.If you do this work yourself, always turn off the powerat the breaker box/fuse panel BEFORE you attempt to do any work ANDalways use an electrician's test meter having metal-tipped probes(not a simple proximity voltage indicator)to insure the circuit is, in fact, de-energized.
On a 3 wire plug (NEMA 5 configuration, 125v 2 pole 3 wire grounding) the narrow blade is the "hot" lead, the wide blade is the neutral lead, and the U shaped prong is the equipment grounding conductor (EGC). Most 2+G non-metallic-cables (NMC) are color coded for Black = "hot", White = neutral, and Bare = EGC
Install an AFCI breaker on the circuit with the outlets you replace and you will be fine.
Change the outlet to a grounded one. Get an adapter that goes from 3 prong to 2. Break the ground prong off. Any one of these will work.
No you can not you will need to replace the plug with a 4 prong the same as the style of your oven and change your breaker to the correct Amp for your style of 4 prong plug
Disregard the neutral
YES - it will work fine, and hopefully you have grounding in the plug. If you do not, you should also get surge protection and a safety cap when not using. The 3 prong will not create a ground, so it will not change the fact that it is dangerous not to have ground (you know kids and outlets).
call an electrician!!!
Change either the plug or the cord. The fourth prong is another ground. It would be easier to change the cord.
An old 2 hole receptacle can be changed to a 3 hole receptacle that will accept a 3 prong plug, provided a ground wire is available at the box and connected to the ground (green) lug on the new receptacle. A 2 hole receptacle has a hot and neutral wire, while a 3 hole receptacle will require a ground wire connection -- in addition to the hot and neutral wires.
Yes, provided the outlet has a three element receptacle. The third prong is ground. If you use an adapter that connects three prongs to a two slot outlet there is a shock danger.
buy a 3 prong cord and plug set at lowes or home depot and change the cord on the appliance.
Do not use this type of cable to feed a 120/240V dryer outlet. The outlet is ungrounded, and the third conductor is neutral not ground. Your ground wire must be sheathed by code. You cannot use the bare neutral conductor as ground. Diagram Did Not Come Through. You Have a 3 Prong Connector. The Prong On The Bottom By Its Self Connect The Bare Wire. That Is What Was # 3 Connect The Others To The Two Prongs Next To Each Other. Hope This Makes Some Sense (1) (2) (3) Connect White To (1), Connect Black To (2) Bare (3) Good Luck
3 prong the 2 black wires are your hot and the braided is your neutral.
The four blade dryer plug brings a separate ground wire from the machine to the electrical grounding system. The three blade dryer plug depended on the neutral wire of the plug to make this connection.