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From: cb@hlwpc.UUCP (Carl Blesch)
Newsgroups: net.micro.mac
Subject: Re: Grounded outlet important?
Message-ID: <535@hlwpc.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 6-May-85 13:08:20 EDT
Article-I.D.: hlwpc.535
Posted: Mon May  6 13:08:20 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 8-May-85 01:05:43 EDT
References: <815@erix.UUCP> <16500018@ur-univax.UUCP> <482@panda.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Short Hills, NJ
Lines: 16

I believe some devices are designed so they won't work unless they
are plugged into a properly grounded outlet.  Case in point --
I tried to plug one of my department's floating portable terminals
into a non-grounded outlet (using one of those "cheat-plugs" with the
pigtail), and the thing wouldn't turn on.  However, when I took it
elsewhere and plugged it into a grounded outlet, it hummed away like
it is supposed to.  (The terminal, by the way, was a TI Silent 700
Model 745).  I wonder if the terminal is designed to send a short pulse
thru the ground wire when you turn on the switch, and if that pulse
doesn't make it to ground, the logic circuitry tells the terminal
not to turn itself on?  (Please -- no one ask if the ungrounded outlet
worked at all -- it did work, and so did the cheat plug.  I used both
with other appliances with no problem).

Sorry for the digression -- I know this is net.micro.mac!
--Carl Blesch