2 wire ungrounded circuit labeling

[bbkaptin]

Why is the "GFCI protected" "No equipment Ground" label required on GFCI recepticle protecting a 2 wire ungrounded circuit. Just curious.

[Jerry Peck - Codeman]

Those labels are for grounding-type receptacles installed in place of nongrounding-type receptacles because when someone goes to use the grounding-type receptacle they will assume that it is grounded ... after all ... the grounding-type receptacle does have a a hole for a grounding plug's grounding prong to go into ...

... but there is no ground present, it is an ungrounded two-wire system.

The main label is the label which states "No equipment ground" as that warns you that the receptacle is not really very safe to use as there is no ground to that receptacle - i.e. if the appliance you are plugging in and using has a ground-fault ... you could be electrocuted (die).

The label "GFCI Protected" is there to let you know that it has GFCI protection and GFCI protection is a safety feature and helps prevent shocks and electrocution by tripping off ... provided the GFCI protection is working, so there still is some risk.

However, if someone cuts the ground off a grounding-type receptacle (or it comes loose or breaks off) ... you are subject to the same electrical shock and electrocution risks of a nongrounding-type receptacle ... and that risk is always present because no one checks to verify that a ground is actually connected to a receptacle before they use it - in theory, though, there will likely be a ground to the grounding-type receptacle ... unlike an nongrounding-type receptacle.