Plug adapter?

[no704]

Has anyone ever actually used a ground plug 120v adapter and actually grounded it?

 

[whateg01]

I've seen them used. In my current house, I have grounded outlets so no need for adapters, but I do wonder if all of them are actually grounded.

 

[dscheidt]

Has anyone ever actually used a ground plug 120v adapter and actually grounded it?

The house I grew up in had grounded two slot receptacles, which meant the center cover screw was grounded. My had installed two to three prong adapters permenantly, holding them in place with that screw, in a few places, like for the stereo.

 

[BrandonV]

The house I grew up in had grounded two slot receptacles, which meant the center cover screw was grounded. My had installed two to three prong adapters permenantly, holding them in place with that screw, in a few places, like for the stereo.

This is exactly how they're supposed to be used but often you'll find the screw either not making a good connection due to the contact between the yoke and box and/or the box is not grounded.

I figure the majority of these are never verified for proper grounding at all. One of those things that can be used safely and gets a UL stamp but often is not.

 

[no704]

I understand that they are ment to have the center screw grounding them, just never seen anyone do it. I have.

 

[KansasArt]

Just do what my dad did…..cut the ground pin out of the plug. Problem solved! ️️

 

[Crazyjake8493]

Has anyone ever actually used a ground plug 120v adapter and actually grounded it?

99% percent of the time they aren't used correctly. The screw tab is meant to create a grounding path through the box in which most cases the box isn't actually grounded, so the screw is used to hold the adapter into a receptacle that's worn out and should've been replaced 10 years ago.

When I worked at Lowes we sold tons of those adapters and I was surprised the store even carried them.

 

[Innovate1]

When I worked at Lowes we sold tons of those adapters and I was surprised the store even carried them.

Not sure why you were surprised. If they were NOT selling that's when they would stop carrying them.

 

[TractorJeff]

I have a few of those around IN CASE, I ever need one! But its been 40 years since I have needed one???

 

[grounded-b]

I once was in an electronics class and we were using oscilloscopes with a grounded cord and plug. The instructor had us use the ground adaptors with the ground clip intentionally cut off, so the oscilloscope would be isolated from ground for safety ??

 

[whateg01]

I once was in an electronics class and we were using oscilloscopes with a grounded cord and plug. The instructor had us use the ground adaptors with the ground clip intentionally cut off, so the oscilloscope would be isolated from ground for safety ??

That's a different, very specific, application than most consumer products. Nice thing about battery operated equipment nowadays is that it's always ungrounded unless you provide a ground lead

 

[Innovate1]

I once was in an electronics class and we were using oscilloscopes with a grounded cord and plug. The instructor had us use the ground adaptors with the ground clip intentionally cut off, so the oscilloscope would be isolated from ground for safety ??

There a couple different reasons that might be done. But not for safety. That's a dangerous trick used to probe circuits where the signal reference is not ground. Makes the whole frame of the scope hot so better not touch anything with your other hand while adjusting the knobs. Safer to use an isolation transformer to power the circuit you are probing and ground the scope. Or use a signal isolator - there are pretty good ones out now for reasonable cost.

 

[dave*99]

I once was in an electronics class and we were using oscilloscopes with a grounded cord and plug. The instructor had us use the ground adaptors with the ground clip intentionally cut off, so the oscilloscope would be isolated from ground for safety ??

Safety would not have been achieved.

Funny story:
My HS electric shop teacher had kids build clones of the Radio Shack Color Organ that was popular back in the day. Many did not work initially and the teacher had to troubleshot them. They were powered at 120V and had no transformer at all. He would mistakenly put the scope ground clip on the incoming line (120V) and blow the end off the clip.

I saw him do it 3 times. If he lifted the ground with one of those plugs, the scope chassis would be at 120V and the kid leaning on the scope would had gotten lit up. But the ground clip would have survived.

Everyone in the school called him Sparky Lang.

 

[Innovate1]

Many years ago I worked with a tech that put his soldering iron into a live circuit a number of times. We joked that we were going to put his soldering iron on an isolation transformer and give him some rubber gloves so he could work on things without having to shut them off. I think he must have just lost track of what he was doing and left it on after checking operation.

 

[whateg01]

Many years ago I worked with a tech that put his soldering iron into a live circuit a number of times. We joked that we were going to put his soldering iron on an isolation transformer and give him some rubber gloves so he could work on things without having to shut them off. I think he must have just lost track of what he was doing and left it on after checking operation.

I worked with a guy who shook so normally had one of the rework operators or another tech do stuff for him. He got tired of waiting for somebody to free up so decided to solder in a new cap himself. When he couldn't hold the soldering iron steady enough, he stuck his finger on the tip to steady it - for a moment.

 

[Zeke]

99% percent of the time they aren't used correctly. The screw tab is meant to create a grounding path through the box in which most cases the box isn't actually grounded, so the screw is used to hold the adapter into a receptacle that's worn out and should've been replaced 10 years ago.

When I worked at Lowes we sold tons of those adapters and I was surprised the store even carried them.

They still do.

 

[Wrench97]

Has anyone ever actually used a ground plug 120v adapter and actually grounded it?

Yea my dad use to put the outlet cover screw through the metal tab on the adapter.........................of course this in a early 1800 farm house wired who knows when with no actual ground any where near the outlet or box.....................................

 

[theoldwizard1]

The house I grew up in had grounded two slot receptacles, which meant the center cover screw was grounded.

Yep ! 2 wires plus ground to a metal box. Center screw connected though the ears to the grounded box. That was my house when I bought it. I replaced all of the outlet with 3 prong.

If you have an older house with NO GROUND wire, but you have appliances that have 3 prong plugs, the best solution is to replace the old 2 prong plug with a GFCI outlet. This is safe and code legal. They even give you a sticker to place next to the outlet stating the there is no ground.

 

[Crazyjake8493]

They still do.

And they always will. It's just a shame considering 99% of the people buying them are using them incorrectly.