NECRO plugging computers into ungrounded outlet - what's the worst that could happen?

[vshah]

Just moved into a new place, and the room that I want to use as my study only has ungrounded/2 prong outlets.
What's the worst that could happen if I use an adapter on the plug and hook up all my computers to a power strip?

I've already opened the box and checked, there's no ground wire coming in.

Curiously even the 3 prong outlets in the home show a "site wiring fault" light on my apc surge protector. and I can't see a ground wire coming in to the breaker box in the basement.

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

When I was in the Philippines they have no grounded outlets (well wherever I was they didn't), all that happens is that sometimes the computer might shock me more often or I'll feel a tingle because of the electricity. Sucks, but wasn't a too big of a problem for me.

 

[Zedtom]

Is this a house or condo/apt? If a house, talk to your neighbors and find out if your house is the exception or if the whole subdivision is out of compliance. If you are in an older house you may have some new wiring to do. Did you just buy? Was there an inspection?

If you are renting, tell the landlord to get with the program for the sake of his fire insurance.

 

[rasczak]

pzzzt.

 

[natto fire]

The worst I could think of is that a wiring fault could make the case electrically hot.

 

[lxskllr]

If you're near a cold water pipe, you could run your own ground.

 

[natto fire]

If you're near a cold water pipe, you could run your own ground.

Yeah, if you do go the adapter route you might as well establish a ground. Or you can get on your landlord as it is against code to have grounded outlets installed without them actually being grounded.

Did you open the panel up, or just noticed there was not a bare copper ground going into it?

 

[vshah]

this is a rented top floor of a duplex house.

didn't open up the panel, just couldn't notice a ground going into it at all.

unfortunately the study room is on the opposite side of the house from all of the plumbing.

 

[terry107]

You can pick up one of these for 10 bucks and know for sure what's wrong. Show it to the landlord too and get him to fix it.

 

[Sheep]

When I was in the Philippines they have no grounded outlets (well wherever I was they didn't), all that happens is that sometimes the computer might shock me more often or I'll feel a tingle because of the electricity. Sucks, but wasn't a too big of a problem for me.

I encountered the same in Thailand. I'd call it a tingle more than a shock.

 

[Lifted]

When I was in the Philippines they have no grounded outlets (well wherever I was they didn't), all that happens is that sometimes the computer might shock me more often or I'll feel a tingle because of the electricity. Sucks, but wasn't a too big of a problem for me.

Same here. While living in Thailand and Malaysia I would get tingles all the time touching appliances in my kitchen. That was in a brand spanking new condo just a few years ago.

Building, electrical, plumbing, etc., codes are more of a guide in asia, a guide to how many bribes you'll need during construction.

 

[Number1]

If there is nothing wrong with your computer nothing is going to happen.

 

[Rubycon]

A metal chassis should ALWAYS be properly earthed. Any kind of fault causing it to become energized can cost you your life particularly if you're touching something else that is grounded when you touch it. (Fork in toaster while touching sink syndrome)

Or just wear gloves like these:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6NYz5FoqmQ

JK, that is pretty dumb but neat to watch.

At the very least get a GFCI plug.

 

[Kaervak]

Replace the two prong outlet with a GFCI receptacle. I did exactly that with the main outlet in the computer room here. It's far from a perfect replacement for a rewire, but it's better than nothing and it is to code for existing wiring. Don't forget to put the little sticker on the wallplate stating "No Equipment Ground"

 

[Red Squirrel]

I would never plug a grounded device into an ungrounded outlet. Personally if I moved in such a house I'd probably go around changing all the outlets and running new wire (I'm assuming it's knob and tube or something like that)

At the very least, at least use a GFCI. I made an adapter to go from 2 prong to 3 prong for the Christmas tree stuff (timers only have 2 prongs) and I used a GFCI. If there's any current that leaks to ground, it will trip.

 

[Tsaico]

You think that sounds scary, a buddy of mine from Brazil was asking me if any hardware stores sold electric shower heads here in the states.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_heating#Electric_shower_heads
You put live wires in a shower head to heat your water as it passes through the shower head. He showed me a picture of the one he has in his house and I couldn't believe it was safe to use...

 

[Red Squirrel]

You think that sounds scary, a buddy of mine from Brazil was asking me if any hardware stores sold electric shower heads here in the states.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_heating#Electric_shower_heads
You put live wires in a shower head to heat your water as it passes through the shower head. He showed me a picture of the one he has in his house and I couldn't believe it was safe to use...

LOL yes I've seen these. I could not believe it was for real.

There was one I saw where you literally have to splice it inside the shower, there's not even a junction box or anything. It's just two small wires that come out maybe 6 inches and then you wire nut them. I wonder why it's not UL approved? :biggrin:

 

[Lifted]

You think that sounds scary, a buddy of mine from Brazil was asking me if any hardware stores sold electric shower heads here in the states.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_heating#Electric_shower_heads
You put live wires in a shower head to heat your water as it passes through the shower head. He showed me a picture of the one he has in his house and I couldn't believe it was safe to use...

How is that any different than this water heater (from same wiki page) which is pretty popular all over?

 

[natto fire]

I would never plug a grounded device into an ungrounded outlet. Personally if I moved in such a house I'd probably go around changing all the outlets and running new wire (I'm assuming it's knob and tube or something like that)

At the very least, at least use a GFCI. I made an adapter to go from 2 prong to 3 prong for the Christmas tree stuff (timers only have 2 prongs) and I used a GFCI. If there's any current that leaks to ground, it will trip.

In a rental? Seriously?

OP: I would talk to the landlord, and I think the danger is being a bit exaggerated, unless you commonly hold onto your case while touching grounded objects. You already have some leverage with the landlord by pointing out the improperly installed grounded receptacles.

As far as metal cases always needed to be grounded, I could see that if the appliance in question was designed for a 3 prong plug, but what about the millions of metal cased appliances that only have two prong, or are insulated chassis?

 

[Red Squirrel]

In a rental? Seriously?

Oh I missed that part.

In that case, just make a bunch of these for each appliance point and plug the power bar into it:

Can also do something cleaner, and go something like this but with the first outlet a GFCI and a 2 prong cord.

Use 14 or 12 awg cabling that way you know you can run the circuit's capacity through it safely.

Keep in mind though that surge suppression is useless without ground, so if you can find a way to run a ground that's even better.

 

[crashtestdummy]

Make you own grounding to your pipes?

 

[Modelworks]

Worst case a wire comes loose in the power supply and touches the case metal making it at the same potential as the wall outlet. IF that were to happen with the HOT wire though chances are it would fry the power supply since the ground output of the ATX supplies are connected to the case.

Overall don't worry about it. Appliances have existed for decades without grounds and people didn't start dying left and right because of it. The NEC is very easily swayed even when am idiot does something like put a knife in a wall receptacle. Grounding is used now as a precaution of what could happen, not of what is likely to happen.

If this were a wet area I would be concerned, but unless you bathe with the pc, I wouldn't worry.

 

[Modelworks]

Make you own grounding to your pipes?

Against code to do this, a home if grounded can only have 1 ground point and that has to be at the service entrance. Multiple ground sites create more problems than they solve.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Against code to do this, a home if grounded can only have 1 ground point and that has to be at the service entrance. Multiple ground sites create more problems than they solve.

Yeah but in a case like this it's better to have a ground than to not have one. Sometimes you have to violate a code to follow another. For example in an old house where they did not use 12awg wiring for the kitchen. Code calls for 20 amp outlets in a kitchen, well if the wiring is only 14 awg you are better off putting in 15.

Now the PROPER way of doing it is to rewire the whole thing so it follows both codes but since it's a rental, you have to compromise.

 

[oynaz]

Yup, let's use some random pipes as ground. Of course, in case the problem turns out to be serious, this can put lethal potential on the pipes in everybody else's apartments, but fuck those guys. That'll teach 'em!