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Is there any way to, safely, use a computer in an area that has only ungrounded 2 pronged outlets?
I'd like to put one of our older computers in my kid's room for games (translation, mom is tired of them using HER computer ) but there are no grounded outlets near their room. We live in an older home and my husband is sure we don't have conduit so we can't just use the screw in type.
Is there any kind of power strip that is designed to be used with computers and ungrounded outlets? I can't put grounded outlets in their room because we'd have to add another circuit breaker to do it. We added all we could on the main floor (for some reason they couldn't ground the outlets we had so now we have double outlets in the rooms we added them into).
I actually have a power strip that only has two prongs and accepts plugs with 3 prongs that I use for that exact reason. I don't know much about electric codes and all, but something just doesn't seem right to me. It hasn't burned down anything yet though... I've had it forever and I'm not sure where I got it from- maybe an old roommate or my parents.
A 2 prong outlet is UNGROUNDED.
If you put a 3 prong outlet in the same outlet box (with 2 wires) IT IS STILL UNGROUNDED.
Your computer, if it has a 3 prong cord, NEEDS A GROUND.
You can install a GFCI outlet to replace a 2 prong outlet, and it will "protect you" against ground faults, BUT IT WILL NOT PROTECT THE COMPUTER PLUGGED INTO IT.
You can do a couple things. You can have an electrician run a ground wire to the outlet from the electrical panel box. Or, you can have an electrician run a new circuit for the computer. Or, if you have a grounded circuit close by, you could have an electrician extend that run to a new outlet for the computer.
You might be able to have your computer plugged into a 2 prong outlet for years and never have a problem. However, something could go wrong, and you could have a very serious problem. Electricity is something that can kill you, do not take it for granted.
"A 2 prong outlet is UNGROUNDED.
If you put a 3 prong outlet in the same outlet box (with 2 wires) IT IS STILL UNGROUNDED.
Your computer, if it has a 3 prong cord, NEEDS A GROUND."
Uhhh, not exactly. The electricity that goes to a 120 volt outlet has a "hot" side, and a "neutral" side. If the outlet is a three prong outlet with a ground, it has a third wire that also, strangely enough, goes to a buss that is directly connected to the neutral buss in the main breaker box! That third wire is not designated as a wire carrying the normal current to power the appliance, but is intended to tie the case and chassis of the appliance to the neutral. Both the neutral wire and the ground wire provide a physical path for ground between the socket and the box.
The issue is that the neutral wire carries current, so it only is a true ground when the appliance is off and no current flows. Once there is a current, the voltage across the neutral wire can vary from the zero voltage of the ground wire. That is why stating that there "is no ground" isn't quite correct. There is, just not always.
In the old days, it was common to plug in a radio or record player, and discover that there was noise. The solution was to invert the plug, so that the chassis of the radio was grounded instead of being "hot." The two bladed plug and hot - neutral/ground socket was considered good enough, and most of us didn't get killed.
That brings up the point that a house may have all the proper three hole grounding plugs, but still not be properly grounded. If it is to be a real ground, that neutral buss in the breaker or fuse box has to be tied into a ground rod or ground array that actually dissipates stray currents to the ground. In older houses, that can be as serious an issue as the lack of three holed sockets. If neutral has a voltage that floats above the physical ground, touching an appliance and a metal water pipe at the same time can give a serious shock.
The solution to the original problem may not require anything special, other than cutting off the power to the socket, replacing the socket, and connecting the three wires. Three? Yep. Even in older wiring there is often a ground wire that is (hopefully) screwed to the metal outlet box to ground it. Add a jumper wire from the socket to the box and the socket is grounded.
FWIW, a ground circuit is not made through the conduit piping itself, but via the electrically continuous and protected third wire in the romex or other wire within the conduit. As long as that third wire is there, and properly connected at the breaker box, a newer outlet can have a proper ground. Radio Shack and other supply stores sell a simple outlet tester that allows you to verify that the wires are working and that they are in the right spots.
If the wire leading to the sockets is just two conductor, then you will have to bring in an electrician to do a proper job, and hopefully have him inspect the ground rod and connections at the same time.
A 2 prong outlet is UNGROUNDED.
If you put a 3 prong outlet in the same outlet box (with 2 wires) IT IS STILL UNGROUNDED.
Your computer, if it has a 3 prong cord, NEEDS A GROUND.
You can install a GFCI outlet to replace a 2 prong outlet, and it will "protect you" against ground faults, BUT IT WILL NOT PROTECT THE COMPUTER PLUGGED INTO IT.
You can do a couple things. You can have an electrician run a ground wire to the outlet from the electrical panel box. Or, you can have an electrician run a new circuit for the computer. Or, if you have a grounded circuit close by, you could have an electrician extend that run to a new outlet for the computer.
You might be able to have your computer plugged into a 2 prong outlet for years and never have a problem. However, something could go wrong, and you could have a very serious problem. Electricity is something that can kill you, do not take it for granted.
Hope this helps
Unfortuantely, for reasons I don't comprehend, our current outlets can't be grounded. All they can do is run new ones. We had as many new ones as we could put on our circuit box (that thingy in the basement with the circuit breakers ) put on the main floor so there are none left to run to the upstairs.
I don't get why they can't just gound the outlets we have. Something to do with the house being built before they used conduit.
"A 2 prong outlet is UNGROUNDED.
If you put a 3 prong outlet in the same outlet box (with 2 wires) IT IS STILL UNGROUNDED.
Your computer, if it has a 3 prong cord, NEEDS A GROUND."
Uhhh, not exactly. The electricity that goes to a 120 volt outlet has a "hot" side, and a "neutral" side. If the outlet is a three prong outlet with a ground, it has a third wire that also, strangely enough, goes to a buss that is directly connected to the neutral buss in the main breaker box! That third wire is not designated as a wire carrying the normal current to power the appliance, but is intended to tie the case and chassis of the appliance to the neutral. Both the neutral wire and the ground wire provide a physical path for ground between the socket and the box.
The issue is that the neutral wire carries current, so it only is a true ground when the appliance is off and no current flows. Once there is a current, the voltage across the neutral wire can vary from the zero voltage of the ground wire. That is why stating that there "is no ground" isn't quite correct. There is, just not always.
In the old days, it was common to plug in a radio or record player, and discover that there was noise. The solution was to invert the plug, so that the chassis of the radio was grounded instead of being "hot." The two bladed plug and hot - neutral/ground socket was considered good enough, and most of us didn't get killed.
That brings up the point that a house may have all the proper three hole grounding plugs, but still not be properly grounded. If it is to be a real ground, that neutral buss in the breaker or fuse box has to be tied into a ground rod or ground array that actually dissipates stray currents to the ground. In older houses, that can be as serious an issue as the lack of three holed sockets. If neutral has a voltage that floats above the physical ground, touching an appliance and a metal water pipe at the same time can give a serious shock.
The solution to the original problem may not require anything special, other than cutting off the power to the socket, replacing the socket, and connecting the three wires. Three? Yep. Even in older wiring there is often a ground wire that is (hopefully) screwed to the metal outlet box to ground it. Add a jumper wire from the socket to the box and the socket is grounded.
FWIW, a ground circuit is not made through the conduit piping itself, but via the electrically continuous and protected third wire in the romex or other wire within the conduit. As long as that third wire is there, and properly connected at the breaker box, a newer outlet can have a proper ground. Radio Shack and other supply stores sell a simple outlet tester that allows you to verify that the wires are working and that they are in the right spots.
If the wire leading to the sockets is just two conductor, then you will have to bring in an electrician to do a proper job, and hopefully have him inspect the ground rod and connections at the same time.
Thank you. I thought it should be as simple as running a third wire but the electrician my husband hired (the man is a magnet for contractors who will sell him more than he needs) said it couldn't be done. I don't get it. The box in the basement is grounded. I can show you where the ground wire is through the cement outside the house. There's also conduit in the basement. My thought was, worst case, they pull new wire and ground one.
I'm thinking a new electrician may be in order. I really didn't get why we had to install new outlets in the rooms in quesiton. Other than money. This was NOT CHEAP by any means.
I agree. An electrician who does professional work has to do it to code, and in many places that work has to be inspected. "It can't be done" may be shorthand for "It can't easily or cheaply be done and comply with code." It also may mean that he simply doesn't want to fool with the job. In either case, you deserve more than a cryptic response. I'm suspecting that you may be maxed out on the number of circuits for the size of the electrical entrance, and that once the old circuitry is touched, it'll no longer be grandfathered in, and have to be completely ripped out and replaced. But that is just a guess.
I agree. An electrician who does professional work has to do it to code, and in many places that work has to be inspected. "It can't be done" may be shorthand for "It can't easily or cheaply be done and comply with code." It also may mean that he simply doesn't want to fool with the job. In either case, you deserve more than a cryptic response. I'm suspecting that you may be maxed out on the number of circuits for the size of the electrical entrance, and that once the old circuitry is touched, it'll no longer be grandfathered in, and have to be completely ripped out and replaced. But that is just a guess.
Oh, I hope not. I know we have some kind of weird split on our circuitry. Our power comes in on two lines because years ago half the power was fed to the houses here. The second line was added back in the 70's to bring the power up to code BUT you would not wire a new house this way. So you may be right about things being grandfathered. This guy did not want to touch the existing outlets and didn't.
I am not an expert, so talk to a computer service person also. Most computers have their power go directly into a power supply which converts the ac to 12v, 7v, 5v & 3v dc.
A newer power supply with plently of safety circuits would help solve any problems. The most danger would be in blowing the power supply and not the rest of the computer.
I am not an expert, so talk to a computer service person also. Most computers have their power go directly into a power supply which converts the ac to 12v, 7v, 5v & 3v dc.
A newer power supply with plently of safety circuits would help solve any problems. The most danger would be in blowing the power supply and not the rest of the computer.
This is also true. And a surge protector before the computer would also help to suppress surges heading to the PC and protect it.
However, the best solution really is to actually ground the outlets in question. though there are 2-prong to 3-prong converters that allow you to use outlets that aren't grounded. I can't imagine a situation in which thats remotely safe... but it'd be an interim solution while you figure things out.
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) but there are no grounded outlets near their room. We live in an older home and my husband is sure we don't have conduit so we can't just use the screw in type. 
I've had it forever and I'm not sure where I got it from- maybe an old roommate or my parents.
