I would like to know what might be the best way to add ground to a load center located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Note: If the forum allows me I can post a picture of the load center I am describing.
Facts:
- Apartment is located on the 20th floor
- No easy access to rewire the entire apartment (metal conduit size, concrete walls, etc.)
- Service size 425 AMPs
- 120/240
- Three-wire system (2 hot, 1 neutral, no ground)
- No ground bus bar
- No neutral bus bar
- Loadcenter brand: unknown (GE?)
- Circuit breakers: 1 inch wide
- Most circuit breaker branchs have light and receptacles together
Questions:
Note: When the electrician connected a receptacle tester, the reading shows "correct", however I am not sure if the wiring was done correctly, background below:
1- Local electrician says that "neutral" wire works the same way as a ground wire, since there are only 2 wires (1 hot and 1 neutral) coming from the branch circuit breaker into the receptacle, the neutral wire will return to the load center and the neutral wire from the loadcenter will be connected at some point to the building ground. The electrician replaced "2-prong outlets" with "3-prong outlet without GFCI" connecting together in the receptacle "neutral with ground" using a small wire. Could this cause any safe hazard or interference (ground loop)? Is this correct?
2- Also in another receptacle the electrician replaced "2-prong outlets" with "3-prong outlet without GFCI" connecting the ground wire direct into the metal conduit. I am not sure if he is creating unnecessary multiple independent ground locations, that can cause interference or other problems in the future.
3- There is a need for only two receptacles to have ground done correctly. I would like to know if a "ground bus bar" can be added to the loadcenter panel, rewiring only one single branch circuit breaker (15 AMPs breaker -----> 15 AMPs receptacle) using 14/2. Will this work? Should the ground bus bar be connected direct into the utility neutral line?
4- The second receptacle has no access and it can't be rewired without major construction work. Can a "self-grounding" receptacle be used or there are better choices?
I appreciate your comments and suggestions.
Thank you,
Wilson
Note: If the forum allows me I can post a picture of the load center I am describing.
Facts:
- Apartment is located on the 20th floor
- No easy access to rewire the entire apartment (metal conduit size, concrete walls, etc.)
- Service size 425 AMPs
- 120/240
- Three-wire system (2 hot, 1 neutral, no ground)
- No ground bus bar
- No neutral bus bar
- Loadcenter brand: unknown (GE?)
- Circuit breakers: 1 inch wide
- Most circuit breaker branchs have light and receptacles together
Questions:
Note: When the electrician connected a receptacle tester, the reading shows "correct", however I am not sure if the wiring was done correctly, background below:
1- Local electrician says that "neutral" wire works the same way as a ground wire, since there are only 2 wires (1 hot and 1 neutral) coming from the branch circuit breaker into the receptacle, the neutral wire will return to the load center and the neutral wire from the loadcenter will be connected at some point to the building ground. The electrician replaced "2-prong outlets" with "3-prong outlet without GFCI" connecting together in the receptacle "neutral with ground" using a small wire. Could this cause any safe hazard or interference (ground loop)? Is this correct?
2- Also in another receptacle the electrician replaced "2-prong outlets" with "3-prong outlet without GFCI" connecting the ground wire direct into the metal conduit. I am not sure if he is creating unnecessary multiple independent ground locations, that can cause interference or other problems in the future.
3- There is a need for only two receptacles to have ground done correctly. I would like to know if a "ground bus bar" can be added to the loadcenter panel, rewiring only one single branch circuit breaker (15 AMPs breaker -----> 15 AMPs receptacle) using 14/2. Will this work? Should the ground bus bar be connected direct into the utility neutral line?
4- The second receptacle has no access and it can't be rewired without major construction work. Can a "self-grounding" receptacle be used or there are better choices?
I appreciate your comments and suggestions.
Thank you,
Wilson