Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Cables, Power, Tweaks, Speakers, Accessories (DBT-Free Forum) › What can I do without grounded wire outlet?
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

What can I do without grounded wire outlet?

post #1 of 4
4/9/07 at 7:44pm
Thread Starter 
I realize there are no grounded wire outlets place in my living room. I haven't schedule an electrician to check if there is one in my living room. I wonder whether it's harmful if I plug my power cable into regular socket (w/o grounded wire slut) with an converter. Since I have no clue with electricity, please excuse me for my explaination. Please give me some suggestion and advice to solve this problem.
Reply
post #2 of 4
4/10/07 at 12:01am
Its dangerous if you obviously either a. seriously overstress the circuit b. have a major surge. Both of these, although very unlikely could kill everything on the circuit.
Here are some easy solutions:
a. Cheap surge protector, should be okay. Most modern equipment is designed so that a fuse will blow if there is a problem, but with a surge protector on an ungrounded outlet, your protector will die on the surge and your equipment wont.
b. Call the electrician up and plunk down the 200 bucks to have 3 outlets grounded.
c. Use a 3 to 2 converter. They dont sound good and itd be a good idea to check to see if that screw in the plate is actually grounded, but if it is, this solution is both cheap and safe.
d. If you're as dumb as I am, you can run a ground out your window . I did this for a couple months in my bedroom, but its not a very good idea for obvious reasons .
Reply
post #3 of 4
4/10/07 at 2:59am
Thread Starter 
Do you know how much electrician usually charge for grounded wiring for one gang box (a set outlet with two sockets). Do you have any suggestions of good surge protectors.
What's difference between regular socket (two slots) and grounded socket? Is there any sound quality difference between those two socket?
Reply
post #4 of 4
4/10/07 at 4:34am
The third ground is mainly a safety thing. Simplified, basically it allows for a path for current to flow should there be a problem with insulation or equipment. One example is if there is a live wire touches the metal casing of a component, the current flows through the 3rd wire (ground) rather than the person touching it.

It is closely related to the neutral contact, which is the 2nd contact and the partner to the live contact which completes the circuit.

The only real sound quality difference you would notice with these two systems is if there is EMI/RFI shielding. For such shielding to work, the shield (metal case) needs to be grounded, which is performed by the 3rd pin.

As for solutions, Akathriel's x2
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Cables, Power, Tweaks, Speakers, Accessories (DBT-Free Forum) › What can I do without grounded wire outlet?