On Monday, September 12, 2016 at 3:31:31 PM UTC-4, trader_4 wrote:
On Monday, September 12, 2016 at 2:52:12 PM UTC-4, DerbyDad03 wrote:
On Monday, September 12, 2016 at 2:38:11 PM UTC-4, trader_4 wrote:
On Monday, September 12, 2016 at 2:24:58 PM UTC-4, DerbyDad03 wrote:
On Monday, September 12, 2016 at 2:14:49 PM UTC-4, trader_4 wrote:
On Monday, September 12, 2016 at 2:12:15 PM UTC-4, DerbyDad03 wrote:
On Monday, September 12, 2016 at 1:55:59 PM UTC-4, trader_4 wrote:
On Monday, September 12, 2016 at 1:48:53 PM UTC-4, Sam E wrote:
On 09/12/2016 12:13 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:

[snip]

BTW...I would get a receptacle tester and check the existing 3 prong
receptacles to see if a ground is actually present. If not, I'd check
for an upstream GFCI. If neither are present, then you have a installation
that does not meet code and could present a danger to you and your family.


Some danger, especially in places where someone may be wet. There's no
more danger than when using adapters with no ground.

There definitely could be more danger. When you're using an adaptor
and don't care about the lack of ground, you know there is no ground,
or should know it. When someone puts a ground type receptacle in
with no ground, then it appears to everyone to be a grounded type.
If you were somewhere on a damp basement or garage floor and saw a
ground type receptacle, and had a tool, an extension cord with ground
what would most people think and do?

You are assuming that the user knows about electricity. I can "almost
certainly" guarantee that I could find someone - without looking very
hard - that has no clue why an adapter exists other than to let you
plug a 3 prong plug into a 2 prong receptacle. "Oh look, isn't that
convenient".


No, I never made that assumption. I specifically said:

"When you're using an adapter and don't care about the lack of ground, you know there is no ground, or should know it. "

I was referring to all the other people who have no clue, not the original
"installer". There are lots of people who never even *think* about
the presence of a ground when they see a 3 prong receptacle or adapter.


And I was also referring to people other than the original installer
who decide to use an adapter and not ground it. Either they know
using the adapter that way leaves whatever is plugged into it
ungrounded or they should know it. When you're using something you
should know what it is and how it works.


They just "plug and play".

I'm sure there are plenty of people like that. I suppose they should
sell those adapters packaged so there is a warning on them, or putting
a warning tag on them would be a good idea. Actually IDK how they
are packaged and sold, haven't bought one in decades.


Just for fun, I went looking for an image of the packaging for an adapter.
I didn't find a package (didn't look too hard), but I did find this rather
scary image:

http://i.stack.imgur.com/jTqrx.jpg

Is it just me or are they showing the ground lug being attached to the
cover screw of a receptacle where no ground is present?

There might be a ground present, but they are doing a disservice by
not clearly showing what's there if that's what they meant. The only
way it would be grounded would be if that cable is type AC and the
cable sheath is the ground. It's clear there is no ground wire
coming out of the cable, but it's not clear if it's AC type cable
because you can't see the cable well, nor the connector fastening it.
Further down that thread, they show it again and show the cable
sheath as the ground path. But that pic by itself is very misleading
at best.




I clicked on the "Visit Page" button at G-images, and it took me to the
following discussion. The OP is exactly the type of person I was referring
to: He notes that the adapters are "handy" but he has no clue about their
proper usage.

http://diy.stackexchange.com/questio...-prong-adapter

All kinds of stuff going on there. The only answer I like is this one:


"Plausible deniability. I've always regarded these adapters as a 2-to-3-prong converter, rather than a proper grounding mechanism, and here's why:

In every outlet I've encountered without a third (ground) prong, there is no ground wire. Sometimes (my parents' house) there is, but for whatever reason the ground wire is cut off and unused. Thus, the electrical box itself isn't even grounded.

The screw holding the face plate on is electrically connected to the outlet box, and if it's not grounded, then there's not much point in using the screw holding the face plate on as a ground.

The companies who make these grounding adapters probably also know this, but they can't really get away with providing 2-to-3-prong adapter without providing some way to still connect ground. So they provide a way to connect it to something that should be grounded, but often isn't. In this way, it's not their fault if something bad happens because your house wiring is faulty.

If you do happen to have a 2-prong outlet in a properly grounded box, then the little ground tab or wire will actually provide ground continuity, as intended.

So, the answer is that the grounding tab is meant as a way to connect electrically to something that in turn should be grounded (but might not be). It's not meant as a secure attachment mechanism, though it may seem that way because of the use of a faceplate screw."

I did see that answer but I'm surprised that he didn't say one more thing:

He said:

"If you do happen to have a 2-prong outlet in a properly grounded box, then
the little ground tab or wire will actually provide ground continuity, as
intended."

He should have added:

"However, if you do happen to have a 2-prong outlet in a properly grounded
box, then the better solution is to install a 3-prong receptacle and throw
the adapter in the **** can."

That's what I would have said...more or less.