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JordanIB
08-15-2005, 10:45 AM
Hey guys (and gals),

I am in an older NYC apartment, and I am the unlucky soul to have the one room in the apartment with outlets that are not grounded.

What is my best course of action to protect myself here? I checked, and the grounding wire is not in the outlet, and the super says they are not able to ground my outlets.

Is it best to get a couple of UPS's for everything that I need to plug in? I don't really know what other solution there could be.

Please lend some advice if you're in the know on these types of issues.

Thanks!

BluffTHIS!
08-15-2005, 12:34 PM
Plugging a UPS into an ungrounded outlet isn't going to ground anything, though there are good reasons to use a UPS anyway. I assume you actuall have two prong outlets and not 3 prong without grounding. I seem to remember old type of outlet adaptors with a small metal ring protruding from them. If you plugged one of those in and then ran a wire to plumbing pipe, which is usually grounded, then that would provide grounding and you could then plug an outlet strip for your computer into that adapter. You can get an outlet tester to verify whether that ground wire is indeed providing grounding.

JordanIB
08-15-2005, 01:13 PM
I acutally have 3-prong outlets, just with a grounding prong leading to nowhere except air.

[ QUOTE ]
Plugging a UPS into an ungrounded outlet isn't going to ground anything, though there are good reasons to use a UPS anyway. I assume you actuall have two prong outlets and not 3 prong without grounding. I seem to remember old type of outlet adaptors with a small metal ring protruding from them. If you plugged one of those in and then ran a wire to plumbing pipe, which is usually grounded, then that would provide grounding and you could then plug an outlet strip for your computer into that adapter. You can get an outlet tester to verify whether that ground wire is indeed providing grounding.

[/ QUOTE ]

BluffTHIS!
08-15-2005, 03:25 PM
You should still be able to try the fix I suggested if you can find that adapter/plug.

JordanIB
08-15-2005, 04:00 PM
I will look into it (probably bring in an electrician). I think, however, that in all my research I read something that this can be extremely dangerous and can basically create an electrocution risk if you use the plumbing.

I could be way off though. A lot of this info I've been looking up is completely new to me.

BluffTHIS!
08-15-2005, 05:07 PM
The risk of electrocution comes from working with live wires while trying to ground an outlet directly. Regarding plumbing, commercial codes frequently call for two sources of ground for a main box, and plumbing is used for the water ground all the time. Only if you hooked up a live wire to a plumbing pipe could you run the risk of electrocution from water. Unless your apartment has it's own breaker box an electrician won't be able to help you, and maybe not even then if he can't run a line to a ground stake that could be put somewhere. Go to the hardware store and describe your problem and ask about the solution I suggested is my advice.

JordanIB
08-15-2005, 05:45 PM
Thanks!

[ QUOTE ]
The risk of electrocution comes from working with live wires while trying to ground an outlet directly. Regarding plumbing, commercial codes frequently call for two sources of ground for a main box, and plumbing is used for the water ground all the time. Only if you hooked up a live wire to a plumbing pipe could you run the risk of electrocution from water. Unless your apartment has it's own breaker box an electrician won't be able to help you, and maybe not even then if he can't run a line to a ground stake that could be put somewhere. Go to the hardware store and describe your problem and ask about the solution I suggested is my advice.

[/ QUOTE ]

Guthrie
08-15-2005, 07:51 PM
If you don't want to go the electrician or do-it-yourself route, just buy a heavy-duty 12-gauge extension cord and run it to an outlet that is grounded somewhere else in the apartment.

JordanIB
08-15-2005, 09:15 PM
Yeah...I was looking at the 50-footers earlier /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[ QUOTE ]
If you don't want to go the electrician or do-it-yourself route, just buy a heavy-duty 12-gauge extension cord and run it to an outlet that is grounded somewhere else in the apartment.

[/ QUOTE ]

JordanIB
08-17-2005, 11:00 AM
Ok.

Riddle me this.

I look down at my surge protector today, and the "Grounded" light is on (and the plug tester thing I've got reads it as Correct as well). I am 99.9999% sure that it was not when I first plugged in the surge protector.

What the heck???

BluffTHIS!
08-17-2005, 02:40 PM
Well if the other rooms in the apartment are grounded yours most likely is too and you just made an error in first thinking otherwise. You could buy a cheap outlet tester to be sure though if the surge protector is not malfunctioning you are likely indeed grounded.

JordanIB
08-17-2005, 02:51 PM
[ QUOTE ]
Well if the other rooms in the apartment are grounded yours most likely is too and you just made an error in first thinking otherwise. You could buy a cheap outlet tester to be sure though if the surge protector is not malfunctioning you are likely indeed grounded.

[/ QUOTE ]

Re-read the post a sec...We have an outlet tester. That's how I learned initially that my room was not grounded. And when I plugged in the surge protector, I could have sworn the "grounded" light was not on. Now it is. And the tester plugged into the surge protector says it's grounded. Hence my extreme confusion. I guess I'll check the outlet direct again when I go home.

Thanks for all your help in this thread, Bluff.

BluffTHIS!
08-17-2005, 09:26 PM
My last thought on this is if you can turn off the breaker so you don't have to work hot (or use a rubber handled screwdriver in your right hand [if you get shocked it goes down side of body that doesn't have your heart]), and check out the outlet itself to see if the ground wire is loose and the terminal screw needs tightened.