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You're probably ok, but if something goes wrong it will go really wrong. You can get those 2 prong to 3 prong asldapters that have the attachment to screw into the wall outlet screw to provide grounding, that will theoretically fix the problem, if the outlet conduit is grounded. That's what I have done in the past

Grounding is a critical element required for proper surge protection. In regard to the question about whether surge protectors work on ungrounded outlets, the answer is “no.” Surge protection equipment typically uses components called metal oxide varistors (MOVs) to divert excess current into the ground line. An ungrounded outlet does not have this third ground wire, therefore there is no place for the surge protector to divert excess current.

Don't do it.

A ground fault interrupt is totally unnecessary unless your PC is outdoors or 6 feet from the bathtub.

If your PC power supply has a grounded plug, use a grounded outlet, and make sure it's actually grounded.

Hm I've seen sources that say it's only purpose is to secure the plug into a wall, it won't provide ground but I'm not a professional

I am not a.pro either, and could be wrong

>Hm I've seen sources that say it's only purpose is to secure the plug into a wall, it won't provide ground but I'm not a professional

The post-er said, "if the outlet conduit is grounded," this will ground your connection as well. If the outlet is not grounded, it will only serve as you have commented - it will deliver power and allow your machine to run, but no surges will be diverted to the grounding circuit since there is none.

Basically, by using the 2-prong, you run a higher risk of your PC being destroyed by excess current. A surge protector will not help. A three prong adaptor will probably not help (unless the outlet box itself is grounded).

The GFCI will protect you if your PC gets energized by the circuit (e.g. if you have a metal case and the metal case gets energized).

A GFCI won't protect your PC against a power surge though. Your equipment would still get fried. (This is why an ungrounded GFCI carries a "No Equipment Ground" sticker.)

Here in the Philippines we have 2 prong outlet as standard and we just usually break off the ground prong off. BTW we are on 220v 60 Hz. -- Just saying not a pro.

Like DK said, if the outlet itself is grounded you would be fine, but it may not be. You could, depending on your setup, run your own wire from the grounding screw part to a conductive metal rod outside that you hammer into the ground. Make sure you use a fairly thick gauge wire.

You absolutely can replace a 2-prong outlet with a 3-prong GFCI marked "no equipment ground." That's code-compliant in most of the US.

As others have said, though, you still won't get the benefit of a proper ground, just the ability to plug a 3-prong cable in and a degree of personal shock protection.

Bad idea. Ground it.

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That is the point of his post. Its a 2 prong outlet meaning it is not grounded.

Just don’t do it. Not worth the cost of a new pc.

thats actualy not impossible, there is a window very close to the outlet and im on the first floor, do you have a picture or video that would better describe this?

is it possible for a two prong outlets to be grounded? i can always get a tester to see, or just ask the landlord if the wiring has been setup for ground before

hm i see, is is possible the outlet box is grounded or maybe the houise was wired for ground in the past? i just assumed the two prong outlet is ungrounded but i dont know too much.

right, i did look into the gfci outlet. so basically the gfci only protects me and no extra protection on the equipment

and how would i be able to ground it

so should i wait to move again

so is it not possible that a two prong outlet is grounded, regardless if the house was ever rewired for ground?

I've got a last resort for you. I've lived in a couple houses with no grounded outlets. I plug my UPS into one of those 3 prong adapters then run a #12 wire from that loop that's on the adapter to a water pipe. This will not guarantee a ground but it's your best best. If you're on or near the ground floor run it out a window to an outside pipe or drive a metal spike into the ground and connect to that. I once used a metal coat hanger as a rod and it was sufficient enough to ground a trailer. I stopped melting extension cords.

The reason I say a water pipe will not be a guarantee is because if there's plastic pipe anywhere in the line it will break the circuit. Hot water pipe might be best as the water heater will definitely be grounded. A cold water line is the typical ground point but it's more likely to have plastic from repairs.

"Ground" literally means that circuit is connected to the ground somewhere. If you are in something like a basement apartment in a house look in the flower bed outside for an existing ground rod. Quite often you'll find them near telephone / cable TV hookups.

I have lived a year in my current place where I have not had grounded plugs or the option of running my own ground and I've already lost one hard drive to a simple power outage.

Check your countries national electric code for what is safe and legal. I recommend consulting an electrician.

Keep in mind that if you have a house with two prong outlets, you may run into something called shared neutrals as well. Coming from someone who has the exact same issue as you.. I would do some research. This is more of a notice if you are doing the work yourself. You may find that many of the outlets share a neutral. GFCI on one outlet may trip something all the way across the house.. etc.

I re-ran many of our outlets, GFCI on some of them, but not on one's I care about.

I also recommend doing research on GFCI in general. GFCI is mechanical. It fails sometimes. It takes time (while brief) to interrupt that circuit. In many cases GFCI is up to code without a ground, and it works. But there is no true substitute to doing it the right way.

Safety could definitely be an issue here as well. Depending on age this could be knob and tube wiring which is unsafe and a pain to work with.

ok, is there anything i can do to check if the outlet is grounded? i will talk to the landlord to see what he thinks

Yes. If the box is grounded either through conduit or older wiring. You can check by installing a two to three adapter, making sure to put the screw through the tab, and then use a "circuit analyzer", also called an outlet tester, to see if there is a ground.

thanks ill look into this

The GFI will protect your equipment by killing power if any voltage leaks to ground. The ground wire is just an alternative patch back to the main board bonded to the neutral. Thus its not "grounded", but will be disconnected in the event any leak to ground is detected.