In Taiwan we lived in an apartment with a two-wire electrical system run
in plastic conduit, and with plastic water pipes as well.

Despite the total inability to ground anything, our computers seemed to
survive OK.

Perce


On 12/09/04 02:45 pm Jim tossed the following ingredients into the
ever-growing pot of cybersoup:

Hi all, this is my first post on these groups so please be gentle =).

My wife and I have just moved into a rental appartment. I didn't
notice until after we moved that there are no grounded outlets
available. I'm a programmer by trade and I make heavy use of fairly
expensive computer equipment so I was a bit concerned. I informed my
landlord of my concern and he consulted his electritian who suggested
that GFCI receptacles be installed.

Now I've been doing a lot of research the last week on the subject but
it seems to me that using GFCI receptacles does not do much to protect
my computer equipment against surges for the following reasons:

1. Static electricity buildups in the computer has no "outlet" and can
either fry the circuitry or create a shock hazard.

2. This I didn't read from a user group but kind of deduced from
reading descriptions of GFCI receptacles, I may be wrong - A GFCI will
not protect your equipment from a surge simply because it works by
monitoring the difference between the hot and neutral. A surge could
occur, fry your circuitry, then go to your neutral without causing an
imbalance between the two. Any electricians out there please verify
this.

Now I spoke to the electrician and he first told me that I don't need
grounding, just a surge protector. When I informed him that I have
done research and that surge protectors use grounding to work, he
switched his story and said that the GFCI is grounded. The landlord
will only follow the advice of this electrician, who will not advise
otherwise than to use a GFCI.

I've talked to my landlord and he will not install grounding even if I
pay for it. He pretty much told me that I should move out if I don't
like it. That brings me to my question. Is using GFCI instead of
grounding that big of a problem? Am I overreacting? Moving is a
hassle and I don't want to resort to it if i'm just being paranoid. I
live in Hawaii if that helps.
I appreciate any help you guys can give me.