Well it’s a basic question my house does not have grounded receptacle (1960 build) and I have electronic equipment that has a 3 prong plug. So is there any risk of using a surge suppressor with a 3 to 2 adapter. Plus the outlets are beakite/plastic so there is no metal to ground to.
Thanks
Replies
A surge supressor requires a ground to provide protection. You will have to run one back to the panel I believe. Hopefully one of the regular real experts will chime in.
Edit: As Caseyr pointed out most newer stuff will function on two wire however as I said in first paragraph the surge sup. needs the ground to get rid of the surge. I prefer to get one of the ups battery backups. It usually beeps before I see any changes in light intensity before a power outage.
Another thing about having the ground is if something goes haywire in the item the fault goes to ground, not just the case. You also will minimize interference on the line with a ground normally I believe. Also all grounds in the building should be tied together, phone, cable, power. At least that is the rule here.
Bob
Edited 4/30/2006 1:04 am ET by rasconc
You nailed it ..just fine.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Damm, I miss that stuff
Back around 1990, we found that our computers, for some reason, needed an actual ground in order to function properly. I did the supposedly approved method of running a separate ground wire to a regulation ground rod from the recepticals that had computers on them. I haven't heard of this being a problem with more recent equipment, however.
I think you should run a ground to the outlet where the electronic items are used. The only thing electronic with a ground in my house is the computer.
Our house was builr in 1960.
Had 2 prong plugs
all metal boxess, that were grounded.
the ground wire was connected to the box on the outside of the box
bobl Volo, non valeo
Baloney detecter
This is the only case that it is legal to run a separate wire from the receptacle to the "ground" (if the box is not already grounded via BX or conduit).
That wire can run to the panel ground bus, to a place on the ground electrode system (IE, one of the elctrodes), or to another box with a ground that goes back to the panel/ground electrode system.
Or of course replace the circuit with a grounded circuit.
DO NOT RUN THE GROUND WIRE BACK TO THE NEAREST WATER PIPE (unless it is within the first 5 ft of where it enters the building and is metallic underground and at least 10 ft long underground). It used to be common to run a ground wire to the nearest cold water pipe. But that is no longer legal. For two reasons. One you can't be sure that it is grounded because of the large usage of plastic piping. Secondly it can be dangerous to anyone working on it.
In my experience, any house that was wired with 2 prong outlets, was done in the days when water lines were ALL metal conduit. PVC pipe started to be used for water lines long after the use of 2 prong outlets was discontinued
locolobo
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
That was true WHEN the house was built.Howver, it is not true that the house where the grounded outlet is to be added NOW has all metalic pipes or will continue to have them?That is why the NEC no longer allows the nearest water pipe to be used for a ground.
Not to mention the sometimes used piece of strap iron holding the corroded wire to the corroded pipe. My house had black plastic pipe to the well and copper supply after it came in the house about a foot.
Edited 4/30/2006 6:31 pm ET by rasconc
As was already said, surge suppressors need the ground because that's where they direct the surge to. And the ground needs to be a good solid one, so depending on the armor of BX cable is not your best choice.
Why not have an electrician install a couple of grounded circuits? You could also install a whole house surge suppressor in the main panel as additional protection. It would also provide protection for all the other appliances in your home that have electronics in them. They only cost about $50.
Remember that no surge suppression is ironclad. If lightening strikes near your home or the power lines some miles away you'll likely be protected, but if it hits your house your electronics are probably toast despite any protection you have.
Speaking as an electrical engineer, computer geek, and general handyman, electronic equipment (that comes with a 3-wire cord) should have a proper ground. Not as critical as it was 20 years ago, but still important.
At the very least, if you don't install a grounded outlet, you should use a GFCI to protect yourself and your family from being electrocuted.
Surge protectors are essentially worthless if not properly grounded.