I live in an older home where none of the outlets are grounded. However, in my basement, there's some newer wiring with 14/2 wire that includes a ground wire, but it terminates in a junction box and isn't hooked up to anything. I have a guitar amp down there, and I'd like to ground the outlets it's using to reduce buzzing and improve safety. What's the best way to do this without having to pull a new ground wire or install a grounding rod?
2 Answers
It sounds like you have a ground wire in your basement that isn't connected right now. You should trace that wire back to your main electrical panel; it needs to be connected there to properly ground your outlets. If it's just hanging in the junction box, you'll need to run a cable with a ground wire from that box to the outlet itself, preferably using a newer outlet designed for grounding. Also, make sure that your basement outlets are on a 15A breaker so that a 14/2 cable is appropriate. This should help with the buzzing, but be aware that it might not fix all grounding issues - you could be dealing with a ground loop instead. If you’re unsure about any step, hiring an electrician is a smart move!
If the outlet is in a metal box, you might be able to ground it directly to the box, but make sure the box itself is grounded properly. If there's metal conduit leading into the box, that's usually a good sign. Just a note, the ground and neutral can potentially terminate together at the breaker panel, but it shouldn't be at the outlet itself since that can carry current. If you're dealing with two-prong outlets, you definitely need to upgrade to grounded ones for safety.
Exactly! Just check to see if your metal box is actually grounded. If it’s old cloth wiring, then it might not be.
Yeah, I agree with you about getting a pro if it's your first time doing this. Safety first!