# Grounded receptacle on 2 wire system



## MikeC (Sep 20, 2013)

I believe that you can no longer install a grounded (3 prong) receptacle without the receptacle being grounded or GFCI protected.

Anyway, I am pretty sure that a previous version of the IRC allowed grounded receptacles to be used as a replacement for non-grounded type receptacles as long as it was labeled "no equipment ground" or something like that.  Can anyone point me to the version and section of the IRC that this was in?  Thanks.  I almost think I read this in the 2006 IRC but I can't seem to find it now.


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## Francis Vineyard (Sep 20, 2013)

Reference 2005 NEC 406.3(D)(3) unless IRC appendix J was adopted for existing buildings.

Francis


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## MikeC (Sep 21, 2013)

Nope, that's not it.  That requires supply from a GFCI.  I _*THINK*_ I read somewhere (old version of IRC or IPMC) that replacement of a non-grounding type receptacle with a grounding type receptacle was acceptable with the only requirement being that it is labeled "no equipment ground".


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## ICE (Sep 21, 2013)

It has been this way for as far back as I can remember.



> 406.3(D)(3) *Non–Grounding-Type Receptacles.* Where attachment to an equipment grounding conductor does not exist in the receptacle enclosure, the installation shall comply with (D)(3)(a), (D)(3)(b), or (D)(3)©.
> 
> (a) A non–grounding-type receptacle(s) shall be permitted to be replaced with another non–grounding-type receptacle(s).
> 
> ...


The labeling is sorta dumb.  First of all, who would read that tiny label?  How many that read the label would have a clue as to what it means?

Disclaimer: I have a lousy memory.


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## MikeC (Sep 21, 2013)

Hmmm, doesn't really matter.  It came up in general discussion the other day.  I am still sure I saw something somewhere.  I figured somebody here would know about it if it was allowed at one point.  I must have read it in a dream.


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## gfretwell (Sep 22, 2013)

OK here is some history

In the 1987 they added the language that allowed a replacement of an ungrounded receptacle with a grounding type if it was connected to a GFCI protected circuit

In 1993 they added the "GFCI protected" label

On 1996 they added the "no equipment ground" label.

That was all in article 210-7

Prior to that (in my 75 book) you could hook a grounding terminal to any handy cold water pipe but it had to be grounded somewhere to use the NEMA 5-15. Otherwise you had to use a 1-15 but they were available anywhere.


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