# No ground wire running to bathroom exhaust fan. Recommendations please?!?!



## bendyboo (Nov 8, 2015)

Hi Everyone, thanks for taking a look at this.

So I replaced my current 50's bathroom exhaust with a more modern version today. The electrical diagram for the new fan shows to attach the ground wire to the encasing for the fan. However, my current setup has no ground wire present. 

It's been recommended to me that the easiest solution would be to add the fan to a GFCI circuit. My questions are, would this resolve the problem of any risk of shock or fire? Also, what kind of GFCI outlet with a switch would suffice? (I tried to post a link to one I had in question, but the site wouldn't let me post a link)

Sorry if this seems so simple. I've never done any electrical work before and thought this would be a simple project. Just trying to be safe. Thanks for any and all responses.


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## bendyboo (Nov 8, 2015)

*Outlet in question*

The outlet in question:

http://www.amazon.com/Pass-Seymour-1595SWTTRWCC4-Switch-Receptacle/dp/B001DZQ884


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## Arrow3030 (Apr 19, 2015)

GFCI is a personal protection device. If any voltage is going somewhere it shouldn't the circuit will open. This limits a shock hazard. It has almost nothing to do with fire protection. It might be a good time to think updating some of your wiring. Making modifications to circuits from the mid century is like putting fancy rims on a car that needs new tires.


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## dmxtothemax (Oct 26, 2010)

YES !
A gfci will prevent any shocks
Provided it is installed correctly.


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## ryansdiydad (Aug 16, 2015)

Is the box metal and does your home have metal conduit? In this case the boxes themselves could be grounded. That is the situation in my home I Illinois where metal boxes and conduit are the norm.


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## Jim Port (Sep 21, 2007)

How often do you touch a fan mounted under a plastic grid mounted flush to the ceiling?


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## Speedy Petey (Feb 1, 2004)

ryansdiydad said:


> Is the box metal and does your home have metal conduit? In this case the boxes themselves could be grounded. That is the situation in my home I Illinois where metal boxes and conduit are the norm.


A) You are in Chicago which puts you in a very unique wiring situation. Pretty much no other place in the country uses conduit for residential wiring.

B) This house is from the 50's. There is a very real possibility that even if the wiring is metal clad the sheathing cannot be used as a grounding path.


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## Speedy Petey (Feb 1, 2004)

dmxtothemax said:


> YES !
> A gfci will prevent any shocks
> Provided it is installed correctly.


Actually it will/should prevent electrocution (death). You can still get a shock from a GFI protected circuit.


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## Speedy Petey (Feb 1, 2004)

bendyboo said:


> Hi Everyone, thanks for taking a look at this.
> 
> So I replaced my current 50's bathroom exhaust with a more modern version today. The electrical diagram for the new fan shows to attach the ground wire to the encasing for the fan. However, my current setup has no ground wire present.
> 
> ...


Yes, GFI protection would be your best bet in this situation, but IMO this is FAR from a first project for someone who has never done any electrical work.


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## ryansdiydad (Aug 16, 2015)

E


Speedy Petey said:


> A) You are in Chicago which puts you in a very unique wiring situation. Pretty much no other place in the country uses conduit for residential wiring.
> 
> B) This house is from the 50's. There is a very real possibility that even if the wiring is metal clad the sheathing cannot be used as a grounding path.


A) Hence why I mentioned my location and the requirement for metal conduit here. 

B) My house is from the 50s.


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## elec_2014 (Sep 22, 2014)

Bendyboo: Just as a heads up much of the wiring done back then to switches was using a switch leg (loop). If this was done there would be no neutral wire in the switch box so installing a GFCI switch/receptacle in replacement for the existing switch may prevent it. Alternative to protect entire circuit would be to use a GFCI breaker.


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## poiihy (Aug 18, 2015)

I'd suggest using GFCI breakers too. If your wiring does not have a ground, it would make the entire circuit safer instead of having an ugly GFCI outlet/switch on the wall to control only a fan.

What panel do you have?


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## MTN REMODEL LLC (Sep 11, 2010)

Jim Port said:


> How often do you touch a fan mounted under a plastic grid mounted flush to the ceiling?





Speedy Petey said:


> Yes, GFI protection would be your best bet in this situation, but IMO this is FAR from a first project for someone who has never done any electrical work.


Bendy... Referencing Jim's and Speedy's points, and assuming that you have an ungrounded 1950's system,...maybe you want to place your issue in perspective.... 

(I understand you just replaced your bath fan so that is where your attention is focused) BUT that fan may be just a minor ancillary consideration... and if you are very concerned, you might want to consider that you likely have much more potentially risky exposures in your kitchen and bath counter recepticals etc (for instance)..

Is an ungrounded system unsafe...?... well it generally is not as safe as a grounded system... is a non-gfi circuit unsafe... well it is generally not as safe as a gfi'd circuit.

Is a bath fan on the ceiling with a plastic cover as likely a potential issue as kitchen/bath counter recepticals... you tell me where you want your priorities and money to be directed...???

Just a consideration you may want to weigh and consider...as you learn more about electrical.

Best


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