Different wall socket....

S

SSlaytanic

Limp Gawd
Joined
Dec 31, 2005
Messages
179
My wall outlet for my PC is 2-pronged. I use a 3-prong adapter for the 2 surge protectors that connect everything next to my PC.

I have had my PC connected to a surge protector connected to a 3-pronged adapter in a 2-prong outlet for about 2 years, and nothing ill has happened.

My specs are as follows: XP 2800+, 9800 Pro, 1GB ram, and a 480W PSU. I have never seen any shortage of power or anything.

OK... so the real reason I made this thread: are there any consequences of me doing this? 3-pronged adapter in a 2-pronged slot for a PC and my network? Will there be any bottlenecks?
 
The third prong, or "mouth," is for grounding. It is extremely important for appliances that consume a lot of power. You shouldn't be running a computer on a 2-prong outlet.

The building you're living in must not be up to code or something, hopefully you have at least one grounded outlet in the room.
 
I'm guessing he is an old house with no ground wiring. They do make adapters that ground to the screw that hold the faceplate on. I've never run into this problem myself, so I don't know what to recommend.
 
I would talk to the landlord/buildling owner about upgrading the wiring, especially if other rooms in the buildling are similarly ill-equipped.
 
I have a 3-prong outlet in my kitchen... does that mean the whole circuit to my house is like that, but with a 2-prong plate on the outside? Or... does each outlet have its own 'setup'?
 
Well let's hope your kitchen circuits are separate from wherever your computer is plugged in. It's possible that your kitchen was upgraded(since that's much more of a safety issue than other rooms) while the rest of your house wasn't. It's also possible(but not likely) that you have three-pronged outlets in the kitchen, but those still aren't grounded. It's also possible that your two-pronged outlets have a ground wire running to the boxes. If that's the case, then it's just an issue of replacing the receptacles.

In any case, go get a cheap plugin receptacle tester at the hardware store. This will tell you if your outlets are wired correctly. Then check to see if you happen to have a ground wire behind those two-pronged outlets(I doubt it, but it's possible). If not, then you should look in to upgrading the wiring.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top