Old house with 2 prong receptacles
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Old house with 2 prong receptacles
I have a house built in 1955 that has 2 prong outlets. I want to install gfci outlets and then regular 3 prong outlets downstream from them. I have a sub panel in the kitchen with 5 breakers that everything in the house is connected to. I tried using a digital circuit breaker finder but it is not picking up anything on the sub panel. It only works outside on the main panel and that breaker that feeds the sub panel. How can I change my receptacles to 3 prong without installing gfci receptacles on every outlet? Do I just need to find the first outlet that is connected to each of the 5 breakers in the sub panel? Thank you in advance
#2
Do I just need to find the first outlet that is connected to each of the 5 breakers in the sub panel?
You could also use GFCI breakers instead of receptacles.
#8
Any way to replace the 25 amp breaker with a 20 amp breaker (or 15 amp if there is 14 gauge wiring in that branch circuit)?
Lights, small appliances, electronics, etc. with plugs that go into standard 120 volt 15 amp receptacles are rated for use on branch circuits not exceeding 20 amps.
Lights, small appliances, electronics, etc. with plugs that go into standard 120 volt 15 amp receptacles are rated for use on branch circuits not exceeding 20 amps.
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I misread the breaker is a 15 not 25. I am trying to track the wiring and from the sub panel and I think one wire is split to one outlet and then to a light switch which then goes to one more outlet. Neither of the outlets are downstream from each other but they are on the same circuit. If that is the case, would I need a gfci outlet for both of those outlets? I gfci breaker would be much easier but I would need 5 of them for that sub panel which would cost much more.
#11
I think one wire is split to one outlet and then to a light switch which then goes to one more outlet.
You could also put a GFCI ahead of the light and feed the light from the line side of the GFCI instead of the load and put a second GFCI at the first receptacle after the light. That way the light wouldn't go out if the GFCI tripped.
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I thought it might be easier to just install gfci/afci breakers. Do I need plug in or pigtail breakers for this panel?
Last edited by ray2047; 06-17-18 at 03:31 PM. Reason: Crop, rotate, and adjust colors.
#14
do I need to install just one gfci/afci breaker in the main panel breaker that supplies this sub pane
#18
Even if you found gfi breakers for that panel you would not want to pay the price. I too will say change the panel and then add the gfi protection if desired.
#19
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I too would suggest budgeting for replacing/upgrading your panel some point in the near future. Circuit breakers wear out over time (decades), and FPE does not have a very good safety record to begin with.
In the meantime, I'd go back to the idea of GFI protection at the first receptacle. You could also pull the circuit out of the panel and add a new box with a faceless GFI on it. That would protect everything on the circuit like a GFI breaker.
In the meantime, I'd go back to the idea of GFI protection at the first receptacle. You could also pull the circuit out of the panel and add a new box with a faceless GFI on it. That would protect everything on the circuit like a GFI breaker.