Fiver-rah's Journal: Grounding outlets?

I have a question. I'm in Ann Arbor, visiting friends and the law school. I found a place to live for next year. It's relatively nice. There's only one problem. It's an older house, and none of the outlets are grounded. Now I have issues plugging my beloved computer in somewhere that doesn't have grounded outlets. There should be a way to safely and effectively ground these thingies. Anyone here know how to do it? Or have any nice references for me?

Thanks!

Rental?

[turg]

I assume this is a rental? If so, the answer would seem to be "Ask the landlord to upgrade the outlets." That's always worked for me.

Re:Rental?

[Fiver-rah]

This is probably a great solution. But it doesn't give me the ability to feel like a handyman. Handywoman. Whatever. :)

Re:Rental?

[Foochar]

If the wiring is already there and the outlets are all that need replaced then it is fairly simple. The problem is that the wiring to the circuit pannel (breaker box) probably doesn't have a grounding wire in it. And since it is residential I highly doubt that there is metal conduit running from circuit pannel to outlet box either.

The other thing, as this is a rental, is do you have access to the circuit pannel? While professional electricians will replace a live outlet without even thinking about it, i

Solutions

[FortKnox]

Go to your local electronic store (preferably not Radio Shack, unless you have extra money to burn), and get the 2 prong->3 prong plugs. Basically, the ground gets tied into the screw on the outlet, giving you a pseudo-ground. It isn't the best ground, but its workable. Another option is to get a 2-prong to 3-prong surge protector (they do exist!). It will make sure your computer is safe (if anything burns up, it'll be the protector, not your mobo).

But the best option was already suggested. Tell y

Re:Solutions

[Foochar]

You have to watch those 2 prong to 3 prong outlet adapters. First off the screw needs to be tied into some form of ground, some are some aren't, you need to check this (You can do it with a $2 cicuit tester)

The other thing is that you can't just plug those adapters in, even though all of us have done just that. If all you do is plug it in, you are basically just cutting the grounding pin off of the elctrical cord. You actually need to take the screw out of the center of the wall plate and place it over

Re:Solutions

[perfessor multigeek]

Another approach if there are only a few things that need to be grounded (like a beloved computer) is to get a converter like that, attach one side to a surge protector, but instead of hooking the ground loop to the screw, sanding a piece of the plumbing bare and soldering a length of wire between ground loop and pipe. I know that some of the places I've seen in Ann Arbor used steam heat, so perhaps a radiator pipe would do it.

Of course, this will still be a makeshift and not as good as a real ground.

Then

Re:Solutions

[red5]

but instead of hooking the ground loop to the screw, sanding a piece of the plumbing bare and soldering a length of wire between ground loop and pipe.

If your house electrics are installed properly everything is grouned to a cold water pipe. You also have a grounding rod but that just a supplemental ground. We just use a clamp of this (much like a car battery) soldering is a little overkill.

GFI

[baby_head_rush]

One solution I've heard, is to replace regular outlets with the GFI type outlets. (The ones with the little red and black reset switches.)
I was told (IANAE) that these will switch themselves off if there is a power surge. It would not be grounded, but should stop a surge.
If there's no grounding wire to attach to the plugs I'm not sure a landlord would be willing to pay for one to be run.

Telephones

[perfessor multigeek]

I know that this won't make you feel any better, but if the outlets aren't grounded it's almost certain that the phone lines aren't either. If you're intending to be secure from such things, make sure that when you *do* have grounded outlets, if you use a modem, that you plug the modem in by way of one of those surge protectors (Tripplite makes good ones) that include passthroughs for phone lines (a.k.a. RJ-11).

Rustin

IAMNAEC...

[red5]

I am not a licensed electrical contractor but my daddy is.

There are a lot of possibilities depending on what type of wire you have (Fuses or breakers, nob and tube, romex, etc).

Assuming you have a somewhat modern house. IE breakers and no nob and tube. There are three possibilities. All of them involve buying new grounded outlets.

1) Your place is has all metallic conduit (the pipe that the wires run through) in which case the box is grounded. Simply substituting the outlet with a your new grounded out