Installing
Convenience Devices

[lesson title]

MISCELLANEOUS RECEPTACLES

Grounding adapter plugs are useful in older electrical systems where a grounding conductor was not installed. Do not depend on this ground to save your life unless you check to see if the box is grounded first (Figure 2-16).

NOTE: The NEC now requires all new installments to be grounded.

Figure 2-16.   Grounding adapter plug

Use a voltmeter or a neon tester to determine whether or not a box is grounded. To accomplish the test, touch one leg of the tester to the hot side of the receptacle and the other leg of the tester to the outlet box. To do this, you may need to remove the cover from the receptacle. Another way to accomplish the test is to touch the second leg of the tester to the screw holding the cover. If the tester lights, the box is grounded (Figure 2-17).

Figure 2-17. Test for grounding

Lightning-surge arresters provide a high-voltage surge with an easy path to the ground. The arrester is installed on the power panel. The black conductors are hooked to the panel's hot leads. The white lead is hooked to the ground (Figure 2-18).

Figure 2-18.   Lightning-surge arrester

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