We just bought an older home (built 1950), all of the outlets are two prong and don't appear to be grounded. The previous owners put a 3 prong adaptor on the outlet in the kitchen so they could plug in the refrigerator. I want to know: is this safe?, and if not, what do we need to do to make it safe?

Thanks, e.

 

This is a very common find in older homes. It is safe enough for you not to worry about.

Some problems that might occur are: if you have a surge protector or power manager on your computer and there is no ground, they will not function properly. You can not install GFCI anywhere.

The only way to completely resolve your proble is to install a copper gound rod, run a ground wire through every circuit, and install ground outlets. This is not the cheapest way, but the only way.

Some people, including me, have installed 3-prong outlets even without grounded circuits, just to facilitate plugging in grounded cords without adapters. It is not electrically sound, but there is no danger.

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MTAC - Van Buren,MO
www.carpenter.cjb.net
Home repair & Construction

"Where the character and work are always upright"

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MTAC is right, a surge protector without a grounded outlet is no protection at all for computers, etc. Ungrounded circuits are not as safe as grounded circuits, because something else might become the "ground" (you?), if there is an electrical problem. I'm not a pro electrician, but gfci outlets can be installed, and will function as gfci without a ground (they trip with fluctuations between the hot and neutral), although, again, grounded is better. The Electrical Forem Moderator is Sprky, and he can give you better info than me. Good Luck!

 

You can ground to any cold water pipe, or
ground rod, but it must also be conncected
to the service entrance ground.

 

hello,
lmao not much left for me to say on this 1 every 1 covered it fairly well and old guy correcetd the mistake. just 1 note on the water pipe its not the best sulition since alot of repairs r being done in plastic, if u dont want to rewire drive a ground rod and run a ground wire to all receps as well as the main panel, but if you r going to all this trubel its almost as easy to rewire with new romex

 

Thank you all so much for you help! We put in a new outlet for now, and plan to have the electrical upgraded as soon as possible. Since both my husband and I are programmers, we have to have the ground for our computers. Thanks again :-)

e.