Replies

1. 
   tfarwell | Sep 12, 2020 05:27pm | #1

   If it's in a knee wall, can you get behind it? Maybe I'm missing something here.

   Step 1 - determine the feeding outlet to the one in question and ensure the ground is working. Turn the power off to the circuit.

   Step 2 - unhook the wire from the feeding outlet and the one in question. Use an ohm-meter and a wire to check the continuity of the ground wire. If the ground wire is broken, you'll need to replace it. If it's not broken, you likely had a connection issue. Reconnect the wires and you should be fine.

   Step 3 - if the wire has a broken ground, you may be able to pull a new wire through using the old, but likely not if it's stapled correctly. You could retire the wire and put one in by removing the baseboard, cutting a channel in the studs, and routing a new one - you need to put protective plates there.

   This is the way I'd do it, but maybe someone with more experience in it has a better option.

1. 
   jkmey | Sep 13, 2020 11:19am | #4

   Thank you for the detailed reply. We completed steps 1 and 2 and believe the wire is broken. We’re selling the home (this issue appeared on the inspection report) and didn’t want to do drywall and paint work, but it sounds like that is the only real option. We have a frost-free faucet in the garage and the pipe sticks into the same knee-wall as the outlet - can we ground to the pipe? Thanks again.

1. 
   tfarwell | Sep 13, 2020 06:55pm | #6

   Functionally that may work, but it's not going to be to code.

2. 
   unclemike42 | Sep 12, 2020 06:40pm | #2

   GFCI needs a ground in addition to the neutral wire to work.

   If you are lucky, the ground wire is disconnected inside a different box.

   best case is to find this and reconnect. might need to splice a short length of ground wire if it is broken off short.

   otherwise, once you verify where the NMT with the broken ground is, you need to run another cable.

   if you can do so via under the floor, or over the ceiling, this is ok.. otherwise it is in the wall you need to go.

   but the best way is to cut small holes, and use tools to drill proper holes in studs and run the cable. there is a certain amount of art to this, and tools meant to drill from an angle, and to snake the wires.

   another way is to just put a cover on that outlet box and make do without. (sealing the unused wires within the box with wire nuts or other devices meant for the task)

1. 
   jkmey | Sep 13, 2020 11:24am | #5

   Thank you for the detailed reply. We’re selling the home (this issue appeared on the inspection report) and are trying to avoid drywall and paint work (or damaging floor/ceiling). We have a frost-free faucet in the garage and the pipe sticks into the same knee-wall as the outlet - can we ground to the pipe? As for capping the outlet, we’d love to do that but are concerned we won’t meet the “six foot” rule. It’s located in a strange area of the home - knee-wall is perpendicular to the door leading into the garage, so we aren’t sure if the rule applies. Thanks again.

3. 
   Condoman | Sep 13, 2020 09:09am | #3

   You don't need a ground for the GFCI to function properly. Of course the ground will be missing if some appliance needs it. Our home has missing grounds because they were not wired when built in the 1960's.

4. 
   x_navyfc | Sep 14, 2020 11:17am | #7

   Is the inspection something you did prior to selling, or your buyer did the inspection? (Sorry if you already stated and I missed it)

   If this is your own inspection and doing as a precaution, I would abandon the outlet and install a blank cover. I don’t know that the 6’ rule would apply in selling an older home. Many old houses would need total re-wires if that were the case.

   If that isn’t an option that you like, the next “safest” thing to do is install a gfci and attach the stickers that usually come with them that states no ground present. It’s better than a normal outlet without a ground, but not optimal.

   The sketchy was is to install a jumper from the neutral terminal to ground terminal on the outlet. That will trick the tester into thinking a ground is present. NOT SOMETHING I RECOMMEND!

   I sold a house where the buyer’s inspection requested that I install a ground wire to a particular outlet. I did the GFCI with no ground sticker, and showed them in the NEC where if a ground isn’t present in older wiring that is an acceptable method. They were ok with my repair at that point.
   .