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From: adrian@ntmtv.UUCP (Adrian Brandt)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house,sci.electronics
Subject: Improper ground in house wiring?
Keywords: ground wire
Message-ID: <3667@ntmtv.UUCP>
Date: 9 Jan 91 00:50:11 GMT
Organization: Northern Telecom, Mtn. View, CA
Lines: 31

I just got one of those surge protection/EMI/RFI plugs to
plug a bunch of home entertainment system stuff into.

This do-hickey turns a standard dual 3-prong household outlet
into six surge-protected, EMI/RFI filtered 3-pronged plugs.

The unit has two LEDs on the top of it.  According to the
very brief description on the package, the red LED indicates
that surge protection is working and the green LED indicates
that the unit is properly grounded.

So, I go to plug it in and expect to see the green LED come
on and stay on, and the red one to flicker on once in a long
while to indicate surge supression.  Instead, as I plugged
it in, the red LED came on immediately and the green one
doesn't.  It stays this way whether I've got anything plugged
into the unit or not.

Now, either the red and green LEDs are reversed (not likely),
or the wiring in the apartment doesn't have the ground hooked
up properly (likely).  Does this mean I'm not going to get
surge protection?  RFI/EMI filtering?  What's a good test
to see what's going on with my power?  How do I test whether
ground is hooked up properly?  I've got a fairly good digital
multimeter...

-- 

Adrian Brandt (415) 940-2379
UUCP: {amdahl|ames|hplabs}!ntmtv!adrian
ARPA: ntmtv!adrian@ames.arc.nasa.gov