Marilyn & Bob wrote:
wrote in message
...
On Sep 1, 2:40 pm, (chuckferguson)
wrote:
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Hi,
I install home computers, and recently I was in a beautiful old house to
install a machine but found there were only two-prong ungrounded outlets.
I didn't know what else I could do, so I removed the grounding prongs from
a six-splitter and plugged that into the wall. I plugged the computer and
the LCD display into the six-splitter. Can someone tell me if this is
dangerous and if so how dangerous?
Thanks very much.
chuck

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Installing a two prong to three prong adapter (or a "grounding"
adapter) is usually the same thing as cutting the ground prong off of
a cord; if an equipment grounding conductor was present then a three
prong receptacle would have been installed. I have never run across a
two prong receptacle installed on a branch circuit that had an
equipment grounding conducter present.
####

Simply not true. Many units (at least in NYC) built in the 60's had BX
wiring with two prong recepticles. A grounding adapter, while far from
perfect, would work in those cases.

Same here in MI and in IN where I used to live- from late 50s to mid
60s, grounded romex and boxes with 2-hole outlets was quite common. Made
converting the 2-hole outlets in this place easy- just made sure the
copper wound around the romex under the clamp was shiny, the clamp was
snug, and ground the outlet to the box. Magic outlet meter is happy.
Yeah, I know current code regards that as borderline, but I wasn't about
to try and unwind that 45 year old copper to run it to the screw on the
outlet. It does get brittle. Putting the ground wire under the clamp was
SOP by all the electricians when I was growing up watching them. They
said it made for a less crowded box.

--
aem sends...