Can you throw a big UPS onto a 2-prong/non-grounded outlet?

[Flyback]

I don't know squat about electricity.

Basically I want a UPS (1500 VA) and I want to plug it into a wall outlet that only has 2 prongs (older house) which means it doesn't have the ground prong.

How bad is this if I convert the cable using an adapter?

What does the UPS lose in terms of its functionality? Does it impair the UPS from effectively doing its job? (Both filtering the power, regulating it, battery backup and also to avoid getting zapped electronics from lightning)

a bajillion thank-yous

 

[Zepper]

If you plan to plug a computer into it or any other grounded equipment, yes you need a grounded outlet to plug the UPS into. I have a 16 gauge grounded extension cord that I used to use to plug my PC in upstairs as there are no grounded outlets up there. I brought the power up the stairwell from the basement... Also the surge protection part of it won't work properly without a solid earth ground. The UPS manual will likely say that you must use a grounded outlet. If you have a cold water pipe near where you are and it is continuous metal from there into the ground, you could run a ground wire from that in a pinch.

There are devices in your PC that generate static electricity (drives mainly) and only a true earth ground can bleed that off.

.bh.

 

[Flyback]

Originally posted by: Zepper
If you plan to plug a computer into it or any other grounded equipment, yes you need a grounded outlet to plug the UPS into. I have a 16 gauge grounded extension cord that I used to use to plug my PC in upstairs as there are no grounded outlets up there. I brought the power up the stairwell from the basement... Also the surge protection part of it won't work properly without a solid earth ground. The UPS manual will likely say that you must use a grounded outlet. If you have a cold water pipe near where you are and it is continuous metal from there into the ground, you could run a ground wire from that in a pinch.

There are devices in your PC that generate static electricity (drives mainly) and only a true earth ground can bleed that off.

.bh.

Thanks. I've decided to use an extension cable from another room.

 

[cubby1223]

I did it once one semester in college - there were only two grounded outlets in the entire house - one in the kitchen & one in the bathroom. Neither anywhere close to where my room was.

 

[corkyg]

You can usually use a three pole grounding adapter to a two slot plug, connecting the grounding eye to the plug's center screw. That might be better than a long extension cord.

 

[corkyg]

You can usually use a three prong to two prong adapter with a grounding eye. Plug it in and put the cover plates center screw through the grounding loop. That will ground you the the internal plug box and usually, the conduit. That can be grounded to a water pipe.

 

[Zepper]

The adapter with wire or ground strap to outlet screw trick works ONLY if the outlet box or frame is grounded. Many old houses don't have grounds, period. You can try that and see but you also have to have the polarity right - get one of those outlet testers (a 3-prong plug with LEDs on it to show the condition of the outlet) to be sure - under $5.00 everywhere - on sale around here for $2.00 or less some times. This house still has tube and insulator wiring for a lot of the ground floor. There is some conduit in the basement so I ran a ground wire to that for the new refrigerator...

Someone put 3-wire outlets in the ground floor with no actual ground wiring - that's against code and a safety hazard so I've been replacing them with commercial grade, polarized 2-wire outlets a few at a time. Those things really get a grip on the prongs (as Borat demonstrated to "Jayson" Leno on his show a while back...).

.bh.