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KOA
 
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Default Grounding prong broken off in electrical outlet

"Mikepier" wrote in message
oups.com...

KOA wrote:

Is it safe to try to just yank the prong out with pliers?


You can try, use insulated pliers

Or should I just install one of those plug adapters, which convert
3-prong
to 2-prong??


Its a temporary fix, but you could change the outlet to a GFI as a
permanant solution. Most jurisdictions allow this to replace ungrounded
outlets so you are protected.

The problem is, there is no way for me to remove the box, since I can
never
be certain if I have turned off power to the outlet, even if I shut off
the
circuit. The problem is a voltage detector cannot be plugged into the
outlet
to confirm no power, since it is 3-prong.


Just plug in a 2 prong device like a radio.

Could I just use a multimeter
instead to detect voltage? Or use a circuit finder to verify that both
outlets go to the same circuit?


In all likelyhood, both outlets are fed from the same breaker, but you
can check to be sure

. I can't shut off the entire house either,
since some of my circuits might run through my neighbor's circuits, so I
would have to shut off his power too.


You do not need to shut off the entire house. Just find the right
breaker to that outlet.
Worst case scenario, if you had to shut off the entire house, it is
still safer. How is it that your neighbors power is shared with yours?


Thanks Mike for the tips. The tenant who lives in the second floor apartment
was using the third floor apartment, where the problem outlet is, to let his
friend live there. He wanted to supply him with free electricity, so he
altered the third floor electrical system to run off of his, but only
rewired some of the circuits. He didn't want to pay the $10 fee to have the
third floor electricity account changed to his name, and he didn't want to
pay the extra minimal use electricity for devices which were not being used,
such as the range.