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From: spector@brillig.umd.edu (Lee Spector)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: How can I recognize true ground?
Message-ID: <18425@mimsy.UUCP>
Date: 6 Jul 89 20:17:45 GMT
Sender: nobody@mimsy.UUCP
Reply-To: spector@brillig.umd.edu.UUCP ()
Organization: University of Maryland, Dept. of Computer Sci.
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Question from a novice: My house has "two prong" outlets.  I've been told
that the center screw and casing of the outlet boxes is generally grounded,
so that I will have a correctly grounded outlet if I attach the wire of a
"3 to 2 adapter" to the center screw.  How do I (a vertual electronics
know-nothing) check to see if this is working in my case?

(I am doing this to comply with my computer's manual's warning not to defeat
the ground plug.  Is this really a serious problem?  Would my surge protector
(SL Waber Dataguard DG415S) be making any difference?)

Thanks in advance for your time and wisdom - all comments very welcome.
 - Lee Spector (spector@brillig.umd.edu)