GFCI's required in a non-updated bathroom? (Two prong type)

Posted by hallerb@aol.com on November 1, 2009, 8:53 pm

If the existing wiring is BX theres a good chance its already
grounded.

GFCIs are a excellent safety device, i would have them installed as a
goodwill gesture

Posted by on November 1, 2009, 9:04 pm

On Sun, 1 Nov 2009 17:53:54 -0800 (PST), "hallerb@aol.com"

>If the existing wiring is BX theres a good chance its already
>grounded.
>GFCIs are a excellent safety device, i would have them installed as a
>goodwill gesture

Although it may not be a code requirement, it may be a requirement of
the bank, or the potential insurance company. I've seen insurance
companies that wouldn't insure a house because of a little mildew on
the siding. No insurance=no mortgage

Posted by Lee B on November 10, 2009, 8:23 am

propman wrote:

> Lee B wrote:

>> paint, and have a new vanity installed. There is currently a two prong
>> outlet near the sink in the hall bath. I saw a couple of sites online
>> that says these can be GFI'd, but that they won't have an equipment
>> ground (whatever that is).

>
> FWIW, so far no-one seems to have mentioned this but the two prongs
> doesn't necessarily mean that the ground wire is missing....a lot of
> older bathrooms had a two pronged razor outlet installed which used a
> step-down transformer to lower the line voltage to a lower value (can't
> recall the exact amount off hand). The cover plates for these units were
> quite a bit larger than regular outlet cover plates....also curling
> irons plugged into these outlets didn't work due to the reduced voltage.
>
> This may or may not apply in your case but you should be able to easily
> check to see if there is proper grounding to the box.

Follow-up - the electrician put in the GFCI last week for $110. (Yeah I
know, the labor was $95 but hey it's not something I can do). Invoice
reads "changed existing outlet to GFI and hooked up ground". So maybe it
was there all along. BTW, no worry about the home inspector; the buyer
put this on their laundry list as a result of the completed inspection.
And the inspector just put on there "recommend installing GFCI". The
buyer is a young woman coming from an apartment, so is probably used to
a GFCI outlet being the norm. Oh well, the things she asked for (vs
things she could have) cost less than what the mortgage payments would
be until next spring, which is when I'd realistically expect another
offer. Thanks for the replies.

Posted by DerbyDad03 on November 10, 2009, 11:50 am

> propman wrote:

> > Lee B wrote:

> >> paint, and have a new vanity installed. There is currently a two prong
> >> outlet near the sink in the hall bath. I saw a couple of sites online
> >> that says these can be GFI'd, but that they won't have an equipment
> >> ground (whatever that is).

> > FWIW, so far no-one seems to have mentioned this but the two prongs
> > doesn't necessarily mean that the ground wire is missing....a lot of
> > older bathrooms had a two pronged razor outlet installed which used a
> > step-down transformer to lower the line voltage to a lower value (can't
> > recall the exact amount off hand). The cover plates for these units wer=

> > quite a bit larger than regular outlet cover plates....also curling
> > irons plugged into these outlets didn't work due to the reduced voltage=

> > This may or may not apply in your case but you should be able to easily
> > check to see if there is proper grounding to the box.

> Follow-up - the electrician put in the GFCI last week for $110. (Yeah I
> know, the labor was $95 but hey it's not something I can do). =A0Invoice
> reads "changed existing outlet to GFI and hooked up ground". So maybe it
> was there all along. BTW, no worry about the home inspector; the buyer
> put this on their laundry list as a result of the completed inspection.
> And the inspector just put on there "recommend installing GFCI". The
> buyer is a young woman coming from an apartment, so is probably used to
> a GFCI outlet being the norm. Oh well, the things she asked for (vs
> things she could have) cost less than what the mortgage payments would
> be until next spring, which is when I'd realistically expect another
> offer. Thanks for the replies.- Hide quoted text -
> - Show quoted text -

re :(Yeah I know, the labor was $95 but hey it's not something I can
do)

Why not?

Posted by on November 10, 2009, 12:12 pm

wrote:

>propman wrote:

>> Lee B wrote:

>>> paint, and have a new vanity installed. There is currently a two prong
>>> outlet near the sink in the hall bath. I saw a couple of sites online
>>> that says these can be GFI'd, but that they won't have an equipment
>>> ground (whatever that is).

>>
>> FWIW, so far no-one seems to have mentioned this but the two prongs
>> doesn't necessarily mean that the ground wire is missing....a lot of
>> older bathrooms had a two pronged razor outlet installed which used a
>> step-down transformer to lower the line voltage to a lower value (can't
>> recall the exact amount off hand). The cover plates for these units were
>> quite a bit larger than regular outlet cover plates....also curling
>> irons plugged into these outlets didn't work due to the reduced voltage.
>>
>> This may or may not apply in your case but you should be able to easily
>> check to see if there is proper grounding to the box.

>Follow-up - the electrician put in the GFCI last week for $110. (Yeah I
>know, the labor was $95 but hey it's not something I can do).

OMG!

Here's a little secret: If you learn how to do stuff like this for
yourself, you'll save so much money it's as if you got a HUGE raise at
work.

Next time you are about to hire someone to do something that you don't
think you can do yourself, try this... Go to google.com and search for
help. If you had searched for: "replacing an outlet", you would have
found many DIY websites with detailed instructions, diagrams and
photos of how to replace an outlet. It is extremely easy to do.

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GFCI's required in a non-updated bathroom? (Two prong type) - Page 3