What are the implications of moving into a house with only 2-prong electrical outlets?

[beer]

A couple of friends of mine and myself are moving into an older house this summer/fall. Among other things, there are only two prong outlets, instead of 3.

Needless to say, all of us have computers. What is the best way to deal with this? Do we manually install a ground wire, or do we just get those adapters that take a 3 prong connection but output a two-prong? Are those potentially risky?

 

[GTaudiophile]

You risk fvcking up your precious computer hardware?

 

[isasir]

Uh, can't you just replace all the outlets?

 

[Demon-Xanth]

It depends on how the wiring is inside the outlets. In many cases it's possible to update the outlets easily. That isn't always the case though.

 

[nakedfrog]

It sucks. The house I'm about to move out of had far too few outlets, and most of them were of that sort. Have you checked to see if there's at least one outlet on every wall?

 

[Vegito]

my house is like that.. we moved in about 13 years ago..

most of the room share 1 circuit.. meaning you put too much on.. both room might jump the breaker... kinda suck.. but that baby is going down.. building a new house soon..

 

[lobadobadingdong]

get an electrician to rewire the house, I went through the same thing when I bought my place, he only charged $1800 (it was worth it since I din't have the time to do it myself.)

 

[woowoo]

Originally posted by: isasir
Uh, can't you just replace all the outlets?

Not with simple three prong plugs
GFI ($10 each) outlets only

 

[SeminoleMarine]

Check the wires in the wall to see if you can just change the outlets. You could also use the adapters, but you will not be grounded. The best thing to do is have it re-wired if at all possible.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

Originally posted by: woowoo

Originally posted by: isasir
Uh, can't you just replace all the outlets?

Not with simple three prong plugs
GFI ($10 each) outlets only

You only need GFI for the bathroom and kitchen. Maybe the garage. Basically any "wet" location.

 

[beer]

Guys, we're just renting the house. We're not buying. It isn't possible to replace the outlets.

 

[redly]

what does the electrical panel look like?

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

You could put in a modern outlet, but that wouldn't solve the fact there is no ground.

To do it right, you have to rewire all the outlet circuits. As you said you are renting, there really is nothing you can do to ground them. To make the plugs work, you could install the adapter plugs, but in reality, they will provide no grounding.

 

[Thegonagle]

Originally posted by: Demon-Xanth
It depends on how the wiring is inside the outlets. In many cases it's possible to update the outlets easily. That isn't always the case though.

Agreed. Don't do it unless you know what you're doing though. You've got to test the ground potential of the metal conduits at each and every outlet as you install them, and do not, do not, do not mix up the hot and the neutral--a common DIY-idiot mistake that can cause bad things to happen if all the outlets are wired up randomly.

 

[woowoo]

Originally posted by: Demon-Xanth

Originally posted by: woowoo

Originally posted by: isasir
Uh, can't you just replace all the outlets?

Not with simple three prong plugs
GFI ($10 each) outlets only

You only need GFI for the bathroom and kitchen. Maybe the garage. Basically any "wet" location.

And when there is no ground in the existing outlet
I may be wrong but I believe this is code.

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

Use the adapter and a good UPS. problem solved. It's what I have to do.

 

[Spencer278]

Originally posted by: JeffreyLebowski
Use the adapter and a good UPS. problem solved. It's what I have to do.

WTF is a UPS going to do? Make sure that when your being electrocuted that the power to your PC doesn't cut out?

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: Spencer278

Originally posted by: JeffreyLebowski
Use the adapter and a good UPS. problem solved. It's what I have to do.

WTF is a UPS going to do? Make sure that when your being electrocuted that the power to your PC doesn't cut out?

:laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:

 

[FoBoT]

Originally posted by: beer
Guys, we're just renting the house. We're not buying. It's unpossible to replace the outlets.

fixed

just get UPS's and plug converters for each PC.

 

[Kelemvor]

You can get the 3pring to 2 prong adaptors that have the place wher eyou can screw the ground plug into the screw on the outlet cover. That attempts to ground if via the junction box if it's metal and has conduit leading from it.

But it's all up to you. Could run a ground wire from that screw hole thing and just run it out a window into the ground I would think. heh.

 

[Dessert Tears]

I wired one of those adapters to the outlet cover screw, and it grounded fine - the box was grounded, just with a 2-prong outlet. I have some 3-prong outlets that float, so test all your outlets if you're paranoid. You can also ground to a cold water pipe.

 

[Analog]

ask Eli.

 

[MasterAndCommander]

I'd also get one of those cheap (like $5) outlet testers from Rat Shack and test your outlets to make sure the polarity isn't reversed. It will show an open ground though, which can be fixed like the posters above said with an adapter and then I wire to some metal object to act as ground.

Whenever I look at a house to purchase, I always take it with me and check out the outlets.

 

[DainBramaged]

Originally posted by: Spencer278

Originally posted by: JeffreyLebowski
Use the adapter and a good UPS. problem solved. It's what I have to do.

WTF is a UPS going to do? Make sure that when your being electrocuted that the power to your PC doesn't cut out?

lol

 

[Fritzo]

Originally posted by: isasir
Uh, can't you just replace all the outlets?

It takes like 5 minutes. Just ground the outlet to the box. Easy.