# GFCI tester **URL:** \ **Category:** Electrical Inspections\ **Created:** [April 23, 2013, 7:09pm UTC](https://forum.nachi.org/t/gfci-tester/77407 "2013-04-23T19:09:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![jgromkoski](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/user_avatar/forum.nachi.org/jgromkoski/32/187049_2.png) [@jgromkoski](https://forum.nachi.org/u/jgromkoski)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2013, 1:49am UTC](https://forum.nachi.org/t/gfci-tester/77407/21 "2013-04-25T01:49:12Z")
> [@jpope](#): > > and hopefully, everyone understood that an “ungrounded” GFCI device is not necessarily “unsafe.” > > If it’s a three-wire system, it should be deferred to an electrician to establish the grounding connection. Jeff, most older systems here are two wire armored cable (BX) which as we know rely on the exterior metal sheathing as the egc. I come across many GFCI with open ground. Do you think it would be appropriate to write this up as a defect? ---
**Author:** ![jjimenez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a87d85/32.png) [@jjimenez](https://forum.nachi.org/u/jjimenez)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2013, 2:36am UTC](https://forum.nachi.org/t/gfci-tester/77407/22 "2013-04-25T02:36:30Z")
> [@jgromkoski](#): > > Jeff, most older systems here are two wire armored cable (BX) which as we know rely on the exterior metal sheathing as the egc. I come across many GFCI with open ground. Do you think it would be appropriate to write this up as a defect? For me It depends how old the home is. It’s an acceptable upgrade on older homes originally wired with no ground. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_Port](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bc8723/32.png) [@Jim\_Port](https://forum.nachi.org/u/Jim_Port)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2013, 11:41am UTC](https://forum.nachi.org/t/gfci-tester/77407/23 "2013-04-25T11:41:25Z")
John, not all the Type AC cable was listed for use as a grounding means. To be used as a grounding means it needs to have the thin bond wire under the sheath. It does not need to be back-wrapped into the spirals, nor does it connect to the ground screw. Ther length of the spiral is much longer than the conductors and can also be broken. I have seen it glowing red hot and still not trip a breaker due to the high resistance. ---
**Author:** ![jpope](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/user_avatar/forum.nachi.org/jpope/32/59425_2.png) [@jpope](https://forum.nachi.org/u/jpope)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2013, 1:38pm UTC](https://forum.nachi.org/t/gfci-tester/77407/24 "2013-04-25T13:38:39Z")
> [@jgromkoski](#): > > Jeff, most older systems here are two wire armored cable (BX) which as we know rely on the exterior metal sheathing as the egc. I come across many GFCI with open ground. Do you think it would be appropriate to write this up as a defect? That statement stems from the argument that adding the egc to a two-wire circuit is the safer or better solution, rather than simply adding GFCI protection, which is the safe and code-compliant solution. From the perspective of the HI, any grounding-type receptacle that has an “open ground” should be called out unless it has both GFCI protection AND an appropriate label. ---
**Author:** ![jgromkoski](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/user_avatar/forum.nachi.org/jgromkoski/32/187049_2.png) [@jgromkoski](https://forum.nachi.org/u/jgromkoski)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2013, 5:22pm UTC](https://forum.nachi.org/t/gfci-tester/77407/25 "2013-04-25T17:22:25Z")
> [@Jim\_Port](#): > > John, not all the Type AC cable was listed for use as a grounding means. To be used as a grounding means it needs to have the thin bond wire under the sheath. It does not need to be back-wrapped into the spirals, nor does it connect to the ground screw. Ther length of the spiral is much longer than the conductors and can also be broken. I have seen it glowing red hot and still not trip a breaker due to the high resistance. Good point. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![jgromkoski](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/user_avatar/forum.nachi.org/jgromkoski/32/187049_2.png) [@jgromkoski](https://forum.nachi.org/u/jgromkoski)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2013, 5:24pm UTC](https://forum.nachi.org/t/gfci-tester/77407/26 "2013-04-25T17:24:34Z")
> [@jpope](#): > > That statement stems from the argument that adding the egc to a two-wire circuit is the safer or better solution, rather than simply adding GFCI protection, which is the safe and code-compliant solution. > > From the perspective of the HI, any grounding-type receptacle that has an “open ground” should be called out unless it has both GFCI protection AND an appropriate label. Agreed. [Previous page](https://forum.nachi.org/t/gfci-tester/77407.md?page=1)