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I live in a rented house and it's electrical wiring doesn't have a ground line. I'm using 3-pin plugs with 2-pin converter. I have desktop computers, laptops, wireless routers, network switches etc all plugged into this ungrounded line. Touching any metal parts on this devices proves the current on their body. I didn't measure the current using meter but electrical testers always shows off. Can this ungrounded line cause damage to the electronic devices I mentioned?

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closed as off-topic by Leon Heller, Samuel, Scott Seidman, Matt Young, Daniel Grillo Jun 12 at 1:26

This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:

  • "Questions on the use of electronic devices are off-topic as this site is intended specifically for questions on electronics design." – Leon Heller, Scott Seidman, Matt Young, Daniel Grillo
If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.

    
a down vote - that's very nice of you. but providing a reason would nicer. –  Nero theZero Jun 11 at 22:29
2  
I was just about to downvote as well, but I was trying to figure out what exactly what was wrong with your question. You've smeared the wrongness out quite well, it's hard to pin point. The gist is, what are you talking about? Touching metal parts 'proves the current on their body'? What? Electrical testers 'shows off'? –  Samuel Jun 11 at 22:34
    
@Samuel: do I have to be an electrical engineer to get some helping advice from them?! didn't know that, sorry my mistake. –  Nero theZero Jun 11 at 22:39
    
@Samuel: Oh, look someone wiser just understood what a layman like me is talking about and came up with some helping suggestion, without proving that he can down-vote a dumb question. Learn from wherever you can. –  Nero theZero Jun 11 at 22:50
1  
You're welcome for the feedback. Apparently you prefer anonymous downvoting. –  Samuel Jun 12 at 1:12

2 Answers 2

up vote 3 down vote accepted

The ungrounded line is more likely to damage you than the equipment.

Find something in the house that is grounded, like a metal water pipe that goes underground, and tie the ground line on your two to three prong converter to that.

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thanks man, for the helping suggestion. –  Nero theZero Jun 11 at 22:36

Plug all your equipment that has 3-pin plugs into a power bar with 3 pin receptacles - that will connect the grounds and exposed metal parts of those devices together, so you won't feel shock when you touch two devices at the same time.

If possible, the ground of the power bar should be connected to an earth ground such as a water pipe.

The safety ground system is intended to protect users from electric shock, not to pretect the equipment, so a lack of earth ground shouldn't be any risk to the equipment.

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helpful & informative. thanks :) –  Nero theZero Jun 11 at 23:21

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