Electrical outlet question

The Virginian

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Mar 16, 2007
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I've discovered that there are only 2 wires connected to all of the outlets in our house, live and neutral. I also discovered that our electrician installed a jumper from the ground connection, on the outlet, to the neutral wire connected to the same outlet. I think this was up to code years and years ago back in the states but again before my time. Is this actually safe and is it ok to do no matter what equipment is plugged into this configures outlet? If it is safe then I plan to implement this same configuration at a couple of other places to help out some people who can not afford to pay for this work. One more question, how do you determine which of the 2 wires is neutral. I do not have any electrical meters as I gave them all away knowing I would never have a use for them here. LOL. I do have an idiot tester for outlets. thanks Phil
 

J D Sauser

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Nov 20, 2004
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I've discovered that there are only 2 wires connected to all of the outlets in our house, live and neutral. I also discovered that our electrician installed a jumper from the ground connection, on the outlet, to the neutral wire connected to the same outlet. I think this was up to code years and years ago back in the states but again before my time. Is this actually safe and is it ok to do no matter what equipment is plugged into this configures outlet? If it is safe then I plan to implement this same configuration at a couple of other places to help out some people who can not afford to pay for this work. One more question, how do you determine which of the 2 wires is neutral. I do not have any electrical meters as I gave them all away knowing I would never have a use for them here. LOL. I do have an idiot tester for outlets. thanks Phil

I am no electrician but from our experience in building I believe I can share this:

There are various types of protections:
  • Fuses (no need for ground... but better if there was)
  • Breakers (no need for ground... but better if there was)
  • Differential breaker (US=GFI? I believe it controls voltage differences between ground and neutral, thus ground is needed).
To tell neutral (and ground) apart from the hot wire, you can:
  1. Use a voltmeter and check one wire against ground. The hot will show voltage, neutral (with no load!) will show nada.
  2. You can buy a cheap tester or electrical screwdriver with a hot wire checker and just check each wire against you standing on ground.
Homes SHOULD be grounded and besides a main fuse and/or breaker and sub-breakers include on site GFI's in kitchen and bath rooms (but you already know that).
Ground is also necessary when using surge protectors (they don't protect without ground).

If you are close to Puerto Plata, I do have a recent US book on home wiring and you are welcome to come study it before you plan on installing electrical systems.

... J-D.
 

The Virginian

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Mar 16, 2007
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thanks JD and Bigbird for your help. I meant to mention that this house only has PVC for conduit so each outlet would have to be grounded individually or through the use of a third wire (ground).

So looks like the safest thing to do is to leave the outlets as they are and rely on the breaker to trip. Unless they decide to add the third wire (ground) properly. Again thanks for your help.
 

J D Sauser

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Nov 20, 2004
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thanks JD and Bigbird for your help. I meant to mention that this house only has PVC for conduit so each outlet would have to be grounded individually or through the use of a third wire (ground).

So looks like the safest thing to do is to leave the outlets as they are and rely on the breaker to trip. Unless they decide to add the third wire (ground) properly. Again thanks for your help.

Sorry yes, you will probably have quite a hard time to add wires to a Dominican style wire conduct system, although I have seen it done by pulling an existing wire with two wires attached to it (one to replace the pulled one and the other as the add-on). The risk is to loose it all when all gets stuck and there is no way neither forward no back :(.

As you mention, you may choose to ground some outlets individually by either going thru the wall (outlets on outer walls only) and work out a small space on the outer side of that wall to stucco in a small pvc pipe with your ground wire to a copper rod in the ground, or, on ground floors, try to work your way thru the floor and again run a pvc pipe with your ground wire to a copper rod in the ground below. The first version is easier.
Besides safety, I think that on the few outlets you may have valuable electronics like plasma tv's and computers connected, this may be a worth while undertaking to consider in order to assure proper protection by surge protectors.

Have fun! ... J-D.
 

Rocky

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Apr 4, 2002
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The neutral here is grounded, unlike elsewhere in the world where there are standards and controls.
There is little one can do to totally protect themselves from all the dangers.
For high voltage, ie: crossed lines, lightning, etc, one would need some powerful super fast fuses for the entire household.
For low voltage, (can damage some electronics and refrigerators) one would have to have a huge elevator/voltage regulator, or a quick cut off system.
For a neutral disconnect, one would need one or several ground rods, deeply planted into the ground in a somewhat moist area. (when the neutral is lost in a 2 phase house, all low consumption devices, ie" electronics will receive high voltage and blow most of the devices.)
A high powered true UPS, like some of the top of the line Tripp Lites, that operate one's electronics on converted battery power, would save all the electronics, regardless of high or low voltage, spikes, neutral disconnects, etc.
 

Rocky

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So are the houses in the upper level developments wired with 3 wires?
Are you asking me?
If so, I cannot say what building codes and standards builders might be observing these days, but I don't see what the difference would be between an upper or a lower floor, unless you can explain it to me.
 

bob saunders

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Jan 1, 2002
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Are you asking me?
If so, I cannot say what building codes and standards builders might be observing these days, but I don't see what the difference would be between an upper or a lower floor, unless you can explain it to me.

Funny guy, perhaps I worded it incorrectly. Higher level as in Sea Horse ranch as opposed to a Barrio.
 

Rocky

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Funny guy, perhaps I worded it incorrectly. Higher level as in Sea Horse ranch as opposed to a Barrio.
Not funny, just dumb.
Even if they build houses with an actual ground wire, what are they connecting it to?
It would require a special ground rod/s with heavy cable/wire, like high tension cable.
 

goodvin

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Jul 23, 2007
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You have to undestand that - phase and neutral - never connected to the GROUND, because GROUND - is protection. Ground wire should be connected to all electroconductive cases of the domestic appliances. And this wire should be bury in the soil and goes in soil at least for 5 metres. It has to have resistance close to 0. It is difficult to determine is it good or not. And it is real problem how to do all that things properly.
 

gmiller261

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Dec 29, 2002
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Imo

If you have a Jacuzzi tub (inside or out) I highly recommend having the home grounded so you can use GFI circuits. It?s costly, but put a price on life.

No breaker will trip fast enough.
 

The Virginian

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Mar 16, 2007
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thanks again everyone for your much needed help. Based on all the information I received on DR1 I suggested to the folks they pick an outlet on an outside wall and install an isolated ground just for that outlet. As time goes on, and more are needed add them as you go. Thanks again for all your help.
 

Rocky

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Apr 4, 2002
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You have to undestand that - phase and neutral - never connected to the GROUND, because GROUND - is protection. Ground wire should be connected to all electroconductive cases of the domestic appliances. And this wire should be bury in the soil and goes in soil at least for 5 metres. It has to have resistance close to 0. It is difficult to determine is it good or not. And it is real problem how to do all that things properly.
In an ideal world, but here in the DR, neutral and ground, are one and the same.