Do you use a ground probe and why?

Wouldn't a surge protected power strip do the same thing?

 

No, dahos. A surge protector does that and only that.

 

i guess I will be installing a GFCI outlet!!!

This sucky economy may be making me feel old but I am not ready to go out while cleaning the tank.

Thank you for the responses.

 

Ground

Yep. Next step go to the home repair store and pick up a ground tester. should be like 5 bucks..you just plug it in to any 3 prong outlet and it will have lights on it.. 2 green one red light. maybe more maybe less..should be green. if all is well your protected.if not repost

 

Ground

Nope, only protects from surges .you need a working 3 prong outlet,,then install a gfci outlet.turn off power from breaker box. then re do your outlet to a GFI / GFCI same thing. If you do not have a working 3 prong outlet...

Then it's time to install and ground...

There's a few ways to get a good ground..I'll start with a code from where i live.

Go to home store and get copper ground, get as many feet as you need.

From your city tap to your outlet+some extra feet.. +
From outside your home where your power service is to your city water pipe+ some extra feet.

If your unsure where / what city line is..It's where your water meter is.. probably coming from the concrete up to meter in to hot water tank.

Now after getting feet of copper ground wire+some extra feet. go get that amount of wire, and get some grounding rods. they may be 6-8 feet of copper grounding rods. I have 2. I think cali's code is 3. you may want to hire someone to do this..about 400-600 bucks IMO. and pick up some wire holders for the ground wire to be held in place.Also you need the ground rod wire holders,mounts on the rod and hold ground wire in place. Next..

Pound the 2-3 rods 4-6 feet away from your power service. Close to your foundation. 6 feet left of service....6 feet from the right of your service.Yes it's hard work where i live.

Next, connect the ground wire to rod,etc. Run the wire inside your house down to your water service line..You want this below the meter and another connection above the meter..Next run a new ground wire from above the meter to your outlet you need a working ground..

Also if you don't wanna do the rods, that's ok i guess do the wire to meter above and below..

Above is just for information only please hire a pro to do the work....


PS DO NOT DO THIS!!!!
PS DO AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!!
ps I'M NOT TAKING ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOU TO DO THIS!!!!THIS IS ONLY FOR YOUR INFORMATION ONLY!!!!

 

I am in the middle of replacing my outlet to a GFCI and have found one white, one black, one red wire and a ground. My old recepticle had the black and red to the copper screws and the white wire to the silver screw opposite the red wire. There is a separate ground wire to the green/ground wire. I duplicated the wiring pattern and the GFCI will not set. yellow light shows but the button will not stay in. Any advice.

 

Let me make sure we're on the same page. The white wire goes to the silver screw on one side. That much I know. The other side has two copper-colored screws. The black goes to one copper screw, and the red goes to the other. The one to which the red is attached is operated by a wall switch, yes? I believe you happened across a switched outlet. There should be a wall switch that operates half (one of the two receptacles) of that duplex receptacle. This is common, but makes matters a bit more complex.

Just to make sure I'm not barking up the wrong tree here, respond please, and let me know that's the case. We'll take it from there afterwards.

 

you are correct. a light switch does control the outlet.

 

To get my aquarium going again i capped off the red wire and put the outlet in as if it was not there. I really dont care if the lightswitch controls it, actually i would prefer it did not.

Did I do something wrong in doing that?

 

OK then. So you're faced with a few decisions if you're going to make this a GFCI receptacle. Either both receptacles can be switched, or neither receptacle can be switched. Unfortunately with the wiring limitations of a GFCI receptacle--you can't have both.

Another option would be to keep things as they are and simply plug a GFCI extension into one of the receptacles.