ELECTRICIAN ADVICE NEEDED!! Can I replace a 2-slot electrical outlet with a 3-slot outlet?
Answers:
You did say 2 a/c units so I would say no way. Its highly likly the wire gauge is to small to begin with and probably isnt grounded. also not safe to run 2 units off one circuit, they wont work right and you will blow the circuit or worse start a fire. find an electrion in your area. A good one can probably pull new wires using the old ones. And properly ground them, and can install new brakers to handel the added load.
Other answers:
you can wire them without the ground if the wire doesnt have one, the only thing is your a/c unit now is not grounded and you run the risk of electrical shock should something with your a/c go bad
you can wire them without the ground if the wire doesnt have one, the only thing is your a/c unit now is not grounded and you run the risk of electrical shock should something with your a/c go bad
You should to check the capacity of the circuit first. You should use grounded receptacles but, if impossible, a GFCI may be used. Check your local code.
you can buy a three hole outlet shut off electric and pull out old and wire the new one the same way and the job is done or you can buy a plug with the three hole but then you don"t have your ground pertection this way and if lighting hits they won"t cover lost of a/c.
I cannot recommend this with an A/C unit since it involves water. You'll want to have the grounding or else devise an external grounding method if a ground wire is not available.
Yes you can. When you have the old outlet removed look in the back of the box, you should see a screw at the top and bottom of the box. These screws and associated plates are to hold the cable in place. Check for a copper wire wrapped around one of the screws, it will be a ground wire. Pigtail off of it to complete your installation. If your home was manufactured after the forties you probably have a three wire system.
Good Luck!
Yes, IF the third "prong" on the A/C unit is a ground. If this is the case, pick up a receptacle that has a ground. Wire the white and black wires as the are on the old receptacle and add a bear wire to the ground post. install the other end of the ground to the electrical box.
Or, you could simply pick up a 3 prong/ 2 prong adapter.
It can be done but there are several important points you need to know. The most important is what is the size of the wire in the existing receptacle? It should be 12 GA. If it is size 14 GA (lighting) forget it. Next is it plastic coated through the armored tube or fabric coated or the worst case two fabric coated in fabric tubing entering the box thru 2 different 2 different holes.(Antique wiring)
In the armored cable case, if the wire is 12 GA and plastic coated, You can ground the receptacle by using the screws that come with it. (One may even be green in color)
I never trusted it completely and made a separate connection to the box and the ground screw (connected to the round hole on the receptacle) there should be two threaded holes in the back of the box.
The fiber covered wire (older) the armor also was grounded through the clamps in the boxes. Here if any of boxes have been changed you won't know and the ground connection may be interrupted. (No good) and definitely not safe. Check an electrical supply house or some of the stores ie: Home Depot etc. may have advice in their electrical department. Good luck but above all be safe! If you don't know, ask someone who does, preferably an electrician.
Dude your question is riddlled with all types of red flags.
you would be doing yourself, your familly, and your house a great service by calling a liscened electritian. Yea sure we can get it to work but is your house going to kill someone or burn down in the process. It happens all the time. If you dont understand amperage ratings of wire sizes amd grounding outlets why would you continue?