|   consequences of an ungrounded outlet? | f0rge
May 4, 2003 9:54 AM | | is using an un-grouded outlet a bad thing?
my current situation has my ht in my basement where the only outlet within 20 feet is un-grounded. the other day i touched the back corner of my dvd player and i could have sworn it electrocuted me. concerned i got out one of those big orange outdoor extension cords and ran it to the grounded outlet and it hasnt electrocuted me since
is there a real need for such precaution? my dvd player doesnt even have a grounded (3-pronged) plug
what about the rest of my equipment? |
| Even two prong plugs have grounded side. | Smokey
May 4, 2003 7:35 PM | | If you look at a typical two prong plugs, one slot is slightly larger than the other one which indicate the grounded side of AC (side of the transformer on the pole which is grounded). You should observe this polarity when plugging in your two-pronge equipment to AC receptacle as to follow UL guideline. If your basement AC outlet does not have this slightly larger slut, then I would avoid using that outlet all together.
Three pronge outlets are usefull when your plugs are three pronge also. |
| Uhhhh....huh-huh...you said "slut". | The Fenian
May 5, 2003 7:39 PM | | ...that rocks, like nachos. |
| LOLOLOL.... | Smokey
May 6, 2003 12:23 PM | | I do miss that show :) |
| Let's back up here, Smokey.... | Monstrous Mike
May 6, 2003 11:08 AM | | The small side of the two prong plug is neutral, not ground. The UL made the wide/thin plug to make it easier to differentiate between the live and the neutral wires.
So now, equipment like audio gear has these new plugs. This helps because since the audio equipment is not usually grounded, the live wire coming into an audio amp for example is a specific wire which is double-shielded for inside for safety. If you could hook up to power cord of an amp backwards, this safety shileding would be useless.
As well, technicians who have to work on powered up equipment can know for sure where the live wires are.
There are many powered appliances that do not have the larger live prong and therefore can be plugged in either way and operated as intended.
I would recommend that anyone who has AC outlets that are not new and do not have the two different size slots to change them to new ones. This will force equipment to be plugged in with the proper polarity.
Actually, looking at your post again, I may have said what you did only with more words. |
| You did say it better than me :) | Smokey
May 6, 2003 12:21 PM | | Neutral is more appropriate word than ground (two prong). For polarity, the neutral is at earth ground level since the neutral is tapped to earth ground at the pole (from transformer).
>The small side of the two prong plug is neutral, not ground.
I thought the small side of two prong was hot, and larger blade was neutral :) |
| Oops! | Monstrous Mike
May 6, 2003 3:07 PM | | |
| The neutral is neutral, ground is ground........... | arc_light
May 21, 2003 8:49 PM | | The transformer casing ought to be grounded through the chassis, or otherwise, but there'll still be hots and neutrals in and out of the primary and secondary windings of the transformer. The neutral is always shielded from the ground, as is the hot. |
| Even two prong plugs have grounded side. | arc_light
May 21, 2003 8:37 PM | | Uh, no. 2 prongers don't offer a ground. The switch to a larger prong on one side is a relatively recent change. It was to ensure proper polarity when plugging in a device. (providing of course that the outlet is wired as it should be)
The use of a receptacle without the larger slot is moot now when you have a plug with the larger prong. It simply won't fit. In the past when outlets didn't even offer up an opening for the third ground prong, adapters were available that let you get away with plugging a newer 3 prong cord into an old, ungrounded outlet. Over time we've converted over to the safety provided by these two innovations. |
| re: consequences of an ungrounded outlet? | arc_light
May 21, 2003 8:20 PM | | What you were "zapped" with was likely just a static charge that your contact neutralized.
Audio equipment quite often comes with chassis ground terminals to dissipate static charges, or leaks to ground. |
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