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Cultivated Reef

Possibly dumb electrical question


Kendra

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OK. The tank is coming. As I read, the term "ground-fault interrupt outlet" comes up. This, I gather, is to keep me and the potential tank inhabitants from getting zapped. Does the "ground fault interrupt outlet" do the same thing as a power strip? My book also mentions that they are often already in bathrooms & kitchens, since those areas are often wet. Is a "ground fault interrupt outlet" any old 3 prong outlet?

 

One additional worry- I live in an old apartment. A book on basic wiring told me that modern electrical codes require grounding, but when I disected my living room outlet with an eye to putting in a 3 prong outlet, there was no grounding wire, though there was the little screw at the back of the outlet box where it would attach. There are 3 prong outlets in my kitchen. Could my building be grandfather claused and have no grounding?

 

Don't you wish that these basic pieces of knowledge passed to you through osmosis. . .

 

If anyone knows, please tell me (even if I'm being foolish).

Thank you to Crakeur for answering my last two posts.

In some confusion,

Kendra

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I think the ground fault interuptor outlet refers to those outlets in most bathrooms that have the little red and black buttons on them. When one of the buttons pops out, you need to push it back in to make your hairdryer work. I think it is meant to cut the electrical device off of the circuit so you dont get zapped when you drop it in water.

 

When you look at your outlet, look in the wall. Is there a big fatty copper wire thats not connected to anything? Is there one with a green (I think its supposed to be green) coating? Thats the ground wire, and it should be connected to the grounding screw (usually a green screw on newer outlets) (again, I think its green).

 

The ground wire is there to provide the electricity a path to get back to its "source". In this case, its just trying to get back to the earth. If you touch the hot and neutral wires, the electricity will use your body to get back to the earth. The ground wire is there to provide an easier path, so it doesnt have to pass through you and fry your guts.

 

If you have electrical devices hooked up to your saltwater (saltwater conducts electricity) tank without any type of grounding and something goes wrong, theres either going to be ouchies or sparks. Or both.

 

MAKE SURE YOU DISCONNECT THE CIRCUIT ON YOUR CIRCUIT BREAKER BEFORE TOUCHING ANYTHING BEHIND YOUR OUTLETS!!

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Oh, I just read your post again, and it said you don't have a grounding wire. I would suggest putting the tank somewhere in your apartment where there is one, running an extension cord from it to your tank, or calling an electrician. Better yet, call your landlord AND your local housing commission.

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Korbin is right.

There should be a ground. they might have 2-20 ga romex running. if so, then the electrical box itself is the ground.

Murphys LAW...... call an electrician.

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Thanks to Corbin & Dave. Yeah, I just found the ground fault interrupter in my basic wiring book (indexed as GFI). Nope, definitely none of those in this apartment. I think I'll call maintainance and see if they'll put one in for me if I buy it. I would love to ask them about the lack of ground wire as well, but I can't think of a reasonably suave way of putting "So I was mucking about with your electrical work, in contravention of my lease, and I happened to notice that there's no ground wire. . ."

Hopefully, if I talk them into putting this new outlet in for me they will notice it themselves. I think for my own peace of mind I may go get a voltage tester and see if my outlets are grounded. Maybe whatever Dave suggested is the case and the box is the vehicle for the grounding. . . I hope so.

Thanks again,

Kendra

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Most older houses/apartments were not built with dedicated grounded outlets. Since most things you plug in aren't grounded anyways (except some big appliances), you will usually only find that kitchen and bathroom outlets are upgraded. In new construction ALL outlets must be connected to an earth ground (usually a rod outside somewhere) or you can fudge it by connecting ground to a metal coldwater pipe. As long as there is a ground (and it is a better ground than your body) you run less risk of accidental shock. But like everybody said, if you live in an apartment have them do it.

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harbingerofthefish

If the wiring in a home is only two prong then the only answer is to

install

a new three prong outlet connecting a ground wire from the side screw

(green)

on the outlet to the metal outlet box. All two wire systems should have

metal

boxes as opposed to the plastic type used with the newer three wire

systems.

 

Most electrical codes DO allow for "grandfathering" but the only way to

safely use a three prong plug is as stated above. In other words...the

third

prong (ground) must have something to ground to. The wire added from

the side

of the new outlet (green screw) must be connected to the metal box.

 

If the box is not metal and there are not three wires the wiring is in

violation of all electrical codes.

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Well, forget talking to your landlord for now. Call your local housing commission or something and tell them your situation. They might say "There is supposed to be a ground wire in every apartment by law". Then you would have some leverage against your landlord. I'm sure they wouldn't mind you breaking your lease a little bit if you were to "pull the plug" on them. (pun intended) hehe.

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