I know I am treading old grounf so I apologize in advance. I did a search, but found nothing on this exact topic.

I have a house that was built in the 50's. When I moved in, all of the outlets were old 2 prong outlets. The boxes are all metal throughout the house. I replaced the old outlets with three prong outlets. There were no ground wires present. An addition was put on the house in the 70's. This area of the house has grounds.

My question is this: Can I add GFCI circuit breakers or Arc breakers in the main cicuit breaker box and have my circuits safely grounded? If not, can I add a green wire in the outlet boxes and connect them to the metal outlet box?

I haven't had any problems, but I am worried that something might happen.

Thanks

 

You can add the GFCI breaker and make the three prong receptacles legal. It will not make them grounded. In fact they should be labeled "GFCI protected NO ground".

 

Thanks!

Can I also assume that grounding to the medal box is also not acceptable?

Should I go back to a two prong outlet? Do they still make them?

 

Connecting a wire between the receptacle ground terminal and the metal box is not grounding unless the metal box is properly grounded.

The only way to ground a receptacle or switch is to provide a clear and dedicated electrical path an approved ground. With one or two exceptions, an approved ground means all the way back to the panel to where the ground wires would be terminated for grounded circuits.

Yes, I recommend you go back to two prong receptacles. If you absolutely need a grounded receptacle then I suggest that you either add a new circuit or that you add a ground to, or rewire the receptacle where you need a ground.

 

What is the wireing method? Cloth cable or armored cable?
If armored cable and metal boxes, Then yes you can use the ground wire from the box to rec.

The armor carried the ground for years. If not go with the GFCI.

 

I would say test the box , one of the old methods was to rap the ground around the cable and be pinched by the clamp, something you can't see unless you are taking the box out

 

This would NOT be an acceptable ground. Go with the GFCI