# Outlets without the Earth



## vince0312 (May 24, 2009)

Hi guys, I am not sure if this is the right place to place the question.... I hope I picked it right?

I just moved into new place but I figured the new place's outlets do not have ground at all. All of the outlets can only allow 2 headed to get in and it is a rented place that I cannot work on putting in new outlet plate and stuff at least(not to mention adding ground to the place as it's an apartment complex) 

Most of the electronics are now included the ground(whether they use it or not they still have 3headed plug), is there any good solution to this?


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## eugovector (Sep 4, 2006)

If you don't want to pay an electrician, and your landlord won't have it done for you, I'd just use a 3-prong - 2 prong cheater. It's not ideal, but is unlikely to damage you equipment.


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

This was fairly common with housing construction in the 1920's-50's with nob and tube wiring as well as older homes using just two conductors in the 50's. Sadly there is not really any cheap solution to this other than building a cheater plug that removes the ground prong (not very safe) but no reasonable other way to get around this.


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## vince0312 (May 24, 2009)

Thanks for the replies!
Everything are pretty much connected through surge protectors, I hope they will be doing their job and caught anything dangerous.
I thought about switching the outlet plate only and makes the equipment plugged in safer(cheater plugs could fall out half way easy). The plates are like $2 each and takes me 5mins for them to switch. However I cannot locate the main switch inside the apartment and made it a little bit more complicated.
I guess I will just go with cheater plugs for the moment. Thanks again


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## steverc (Jan 5, 2008)

Many cheater plugs have a tab on them so that you can hold them in place by the screw that holds the outlet cover on.


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## bobgpsr (Apr 20, 2006)

steverc said:


> Many cheater plugs have a tab on them so that you can hold them in place by the screw that holds the outlet cover on.


And if metal conduit was used for the electrical distribution wiring there is a very good chance that using the cheater plug tab with a bolt to the center of the outlet plate may even get an earth ground connection -- be sure the bolt and tab are burnished down to shiny metal.


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## vince0312 (May 24, 2009)

bobgpsr said:


> And if metal conduit was used for the electrical distribution wiring there is a very good chance that using the cheater plug tab with a bolt to the center of the outlet plate may even get an earth ground connection -- be sure the bolt and tab are burnished down to shiny metal.


Thanks, I tried to attempt it but not going well. The main switch is not in the apartment and unable to do all that with pained outlet(They put the paint on top of the outlet plates too..... which is kinda excessive).
I would be able to switch it to a 3prong outlet plate for like $2 each instead if I could turn off the power in the house.


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