James Sweet wrote:
Jumpster Jiver wrote:

Rick Yerger wrote:

Our old apartment complex has ungrounded outlets. All 3-prong
appliances are connected with 3-to-2 adapters. Will this affect our
ability to use a PC power supply with Active PFC?

Sorry if this is a dumb question!



Assuming you are in the USA - 120V

If the outlet box is made of metal, test if the box is grouded. You
can do this by buying one of those testers with three neon lamps at a
hardware store. Use a 3 to 2 adapter with the ground wire of the
adapter connected to the outlet-plate screw. If the tester shows that
the outlet box IS properly grounded, then all you need to do is use a
3-2 adapter and make sure the wire or tab from the adapter is securely
connected to the grounded screw of the wall box.
Also, if the box is properly grounded you can install a 3 prong outlet
in the box and connect the outlet ground to the box.

If there is truly no ground, you should have a serious talk with
building management about hiring an electrician to update the
building's electrical system. Otherwise there is a serious danger of
electric shock or electrocution if an appliance malfunctions. The
ground is there to protect you if an appliance's HOT wire shorts to
the outer cabinet or a contol knob or any other part you would
normally touch. While it is rare it DOES happen and that's why a
ground is necessary.

MS



I have yet to ever see a case where the box was grounded but had only a
2 prong receptacle in it. If the house was built before about the mid
1960's, chances are the entire electrical system is not grounded.
Depending on how the house is built, it can be anywhere from fairly easy
to very difficult to add a ground, either way it probably only makes
sense to add it to the outlets that either really need grounding or are
easily accessible.

Some prewar apartment houses in NYC used metal studs and lath which
ended up grounding the junction boxes, which had 2 prong receptacles in
them.