Gfci?

[Bakerman]

See that's where you are wrong, my advice isn't correct. It works. And is actually more preferable (in my opinion) than simple adding a sticker that often gets removed via cleaning or because it is unsightly.

Both methods work. One is clearly morally better than the other. Besides, with the price of some of the equipment why wouldn't you want to utilize the grounding prong properly?

See, this is what I'm getting at. This sounds to most in this thread like you're saying "A GFCI will not function without a ground" which is absolutely, positively, totally incorrect.

But this isn't what you're trying to say! What you are trying to say is that a GFCI CAN work with a ground, and if available SHOULD be used. And if you have a ground available, your advice is to go ahead and connect the ground, adding a second level of protection, and forgo the stickers. Belt and suspenders.

 

[Bakerman]

IMO on a house that old you might want to open the wall a bit and check that there is a ground wire going to the box... Could be cut or gone by now?

Precisely. Or never existed in the first place. This is why you CANNOT rely on an equipment ground as your sole means of protection. And even IF it's there and in excellent shape, it still doesn't offer anywhere near the protection of a GFCI with or without an equipment ground.

 

[fishgate]

In my experience with these era houses they almost all use 12/2 or 14/2 cable in a cloth sheet WITH a ground. Since 3 prong outlets did not exist at the time, the copper ground wire was wrapped around the cable where it comes into the metal box and securely attached (screwed to the box). This means just connecting white and black and screwing the GFCI into the metal box will provide a ground.

 

[Bakerman]

In my experience with these era houses they almost all use 12/2 or 14/2 cable in a cloth sheet WITH a ground. Since 3 prong outlets did not exist at the time, the copper ground wire was wrapped around the cable where it comes into the metal box and securely attached (screwed to the box). This means just connecting white and black and screwing the GFCI into the metal box will provide a ground.

If it was built in the 50's, I would be surprised if there was a ground. xxW/G cable certainly existed back then, but it was very rarely used in residential construction since it wasn't required by NEC until 1962, and even then this code wasn't immediately adopted in all locals and it didn't prevent the use of old stock. So what you get is new construction well into the late 60's that was NM style cable (60C rating) with no ground.

A picture would be helpful.

 

[smmiller506]

In my experience with these era houses they almost all use 12/2 or 14/2 cable in a cloth sheet WITH a ground. Since 3 prong outlets did not exist at the time, the copper ground wire was wrapped around the cable where it comes into the metal box and securely attached (screwed to the box). This means just connecting white and black and screwing the GFCI into the metal box will provide a ground.

My $.02 - grounding was not required by the NEC until 1962. My house was built in 1959 and I have no ground wires anywhere except for the wiring I've replaced. All of the original wiring was 12 gauge, though, which is nice.

As for GFCI and grounding - no, it's not required to have a ground to work because GFCI outlets and breakers use current transformers to sense the electromagnetism (EM) being produced by current going through a conductor. When the EM fields for the hot and neutral are different by 5 milliamps, the GFCI trips.

Grounding is not required in grandfathered situations, but changing any part of it (except outlets, switches, and fixtures) requires that entire part to be updated to current code. Grounding became required to orignally help with safety, but is now used more for surge protection. Most surge protectors operate by shunting (or redirecting) the extra power to the ground wire to prevent damage to equipment. There is a company that does make ground-less surge protection equipment, but I have not heard anything more about it.

This info was not for the experienced pros, but for people wanting to know more about what's going on.