Bootleg Grounds
Bootleg Grounds
What is a Bootleg Ground and How Do You Fix It?
If you've ever come across the term "bootleg ground" while dealing with electrical wiring, you might be wondering what it means and why it's a problem. Well, let's break it down in simple terms.
What is a Bootleg Ground?
A bootleg ground is an unsafe wiring practice where the neutral and ground wires are improperly connected at an outlet instead of at the main panel. This usually happens in older homes or DIY electrical jobs where someone tries to create a ground where there isn't one.
The way it works is simple: instead of running a proper ground wire, someone takes a short jumper and connects the neutral terminal to the ground terminal on a receptacle. The goal is to make it look like there's a ground when there really isn’t. The problem? This creates a major safety hazard.
Why is a Bootleg Ground Dangerous?
Shock Hazard – The ground slot on your outlet is supposed to safely carry stray electricity away in case of a fault. With a bootleg ground, the neutral and ground are tied together, meaning parts of the system can be energized when they shouldn’t be.
Faulty Operation of Safety Devices – Modern electrical systems rely on proper grounding to trip breakers or GFCIs when something goes wrong. A bootleg ground can prevent these protections from working correctly.
Electrical Code Violation – Bootleg grounds are against the National Electrical Code (NEC) and are considered an improper and unsafe practice. If found during a home inspection, it will need to be corrected.
How to Identify a Bootleg Ground
If you suspect a bootleg ground in your home or a job site, you can check in a few ways:
Use a plug-in tester with a ground fault button. If pressing the GFCI test button doesn’t trip the circuit, there’s a problem.
Measure voltage from hot to neutral and from hot to ground. If they read the same, but neutral to ground reads 0 volts, there could be a bootleg connection.
Open up the outlet and inspect the wiring. If you see a jumper between neutral and ground, that’s a clear sign of a bootleg ground.
A bootleg ground might seem like a quick fix, but it’s a major safety hazard that can lead to electrical shocks or even fires. If you come across one, it’s best to correct it the right way rather than leaving it as is. When in doubt, call in a licensed electrician to assess the situation and ensure everything is properly grounded.
Electrical safety isn’t something to mess around with—do it right, and you won’t have to worry about it later!
What is a Bootleg Ground and How Do You Fix It?
If you've ever come across the term "bootleg ground" while dealing with electrical wiring, you might be wondering what it means and why it's a problem. Well, let's break it down in simple terms.
What is a Bootleg Ground?
A bootleg ground is an unsafe wiring practice where the neutral and ground wires are improperly connected at an outlet instead of at the main panel. This usually happens in older homes or DIY electrical jobs where someone tries to create a ground where there isn't one.
The way it works is simple: instead of running a proper ground wire, someone takes a short jumper and connects the neutral terminal to the ground terminal on a receptacle. The goal is to make it look like there's a ground when there really isn’t. The problem? This creates a major safety hazard.
Why is a Bootleg Ground Dangerous?
Shock Hazard – The ground slot on your outlet is supposed to safely carry stray electricity away in case of a fault. With a bootleg ground, the neutral and ground are tied together, meaning parts of the system can be energized when they shouldn’t be.
Faulty Operation of Safety Devices – Modern electrical systems rely on proper grounding to trip breakers or GFCIs when something goes wrong. A bootleg ground can prevent these protections from working correctly.
Electrical Code Violation – Bootleg grounds are against the National Electrical Code (NEC) and are considered an improper and unsafe practice. If found during a home inspection, it will need to be corrected.
How to Identify a Bootleg Ground
If you suspect a bootleg ground in your home or a job site, you can check in a few ways:
Use a plug-in tester with a ground fault button. If pressing the GFCI test button doesn’t trip the circuit, there’s a problem.
Measure voltage from hot to neutral and from hot to ground. If they read the same, but neutral to ground reads 0 volts, there could be a bootleg connection.
Open up the outlet and inspect the wiring. If you see a jumper between neutral and ground, that’s a clear sign of a bootleg ground.