I would leave them alone. You can still have 2 prong outlets. Having a 3 prong outlet without a ground is against code. A 2 prong outlet is not. When the housing inspector comes and tests the outlets in my rentals, if they don't have a ground, they make me put in 2 prong outlets.
Replacing 2 prong outlets
- Thread starter Nick1994
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Nick1994
$100 site donor 2024
Originally Posted By: Wolf359
I would leave them alone. You can still have 2 prong outlets. Having a 3 prong outlet without a ground is against code. A 2 prong outlet is not. When the housing inspector comes and tests the outlets in my rentals, if they don't have a ground, they make me put in 2 prong outlets.
I can't believe I completely forgot they still make 2-prong outlets! My concern is the use of 67+ year old outlets and the risk of fire. Especially since one bedroom I may add a window A/C unit, just a small 5,000 BTU 4 amp max unit. With a new 2 prong outlet and an adapter it should work fine.
I would leave them alone. You can still have 2 prong outlets. Having a 3 prong outlet without a ground is against code. A 2 prong outlet is not. When the housing inspector comes and tests the outlets in my rentals, if they don't have a ground, they make me put in 2 prong outlets.
I can't believe I completely forgot they still make 2-prong outlets! My concern is the use of 67+ year old outlets and the risk of fire. Especially since one bedroom I may add a window A/C unit, just a small 5,000 BTU 4 amp max unit. With a new 2 prong outlet and an adapter it should work fine.
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Originally Posted By: Wolf359
I would leave them alone. You can still have 2 prong outlets. Having a 3 prong outlet without a ground is against code. A 2 prong outlet is not. When the housing inspector comes and tests the outlets in my rentals, if they don't have a ground, they make me put in 2 prong outlets.
I can't believe I completely forgot they still make 2-prong outlets! My concern is the use of 67+ year old outlets and the risk of fire. Especially since one bedroom I may add a window A/C unit, just a small 5,000 BTU 4 amp max unit. With a new 2 prong outlet and an adapter it should work fine.
Around here they used to be as cheap as 3 prong outlets, but now that they're more rare, the price of them has jumped up, they used to be in the 50 cent range now they're over $2 each. Yeah the danger with an old outlet is that the springs weaken with age so it doesn't hold onto the prongs tightly.
Originally Posted By: Wolf359
I would leave them alone. You can still have 2 prong outlets. Having a 3 prong outlet without a ground is against code. A 2 prong outlet is not. When the housing inspector comes and tests the outlets in my rentals, if they don't have a ground, they make me put in 2 prong outlets.
I can't believe I completely forgot they still make 2-prong outlets! My concern is the use of 67+ year old outlets and the risk of fire. Especially since one bedroom I may add a window A/C unit, just a small 5,000 BTU 4 amp max unit. With a new 2 prong outlet and an adapter it should work fine.
Around here they used to be as cheap as 3 prong outlets, but now that they're more rare, the price of them has jumped up, they used to be in the 50 cent range now they're over $2 each. Yeah the danger with an old outlet is that the springs weaken with age so it doesn't hold onto the prongs tightly.
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
So now I wonder if I should just put in 3 prong outlets and hook them up exactly like the rest of the outlets in the house and then someday they can have an electrician run some grounds.
NO! Just because some idiot did a hack job years ago by not hooking up a ground to 3-prong outlets doesn't mean it's ok for you to do.
You never, ever install a 3-prong outlet without hooking up a ground. Period. Like I said before, either re-wire, leave the 2-prong outlets there, install new 2-prong outlets, or install GFCIs and label them "No Equipment Ground."
I would also remove those 3-prong outlets that are installed incorrectly and replace them with 2-prong outlets or GFCIs.
And finally, like I said before, those 3-prong adapter things are garbage. I still say you should install a GFCI for the AC unit instead of using one of those.
So now I wonder if I should just put in 3 prong outlets and hook them up exactly like the rest of the outlets in the house and then someday they can have an electrician run some grounds.
NO! Just because some idiot did a hack job years ago by not hooking up a ground to 3-prong outlets doesn't mean it's ok for you to do.
I would also remove those 3-prong outlets that are installed incorrectly and replace them with 2-prong outlets or GFCIs.
And finally, like I said before, those 3-prong adapter things are garbage. I still say you should install a GFCI for the AC unit instead of using one of those.
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