Yahoo Answers is shutting down on May 4th, 2021 (Eastern Time) and beginning April 20th, 2021 (Eastern Time) the Yahoo Answers website will be in read-only mode. There will be no changes to other Yahoo properties or services, or your Yahoo account. You can find more information about the Yahoo Answers shutdown and how to download your data on this help page.
Trending News
Is it bad to plug a 3 prong electrical plug into a 2 prong socket using an adapter?
I live in japan and every socket in my house only has 2 prong plugs. Our TV and deep freeze and other things use three prongs. I need to find a way to plug them in. Thanks!!
5 Answers
- Paul FLv 61 decade agoFavorite Answer
One example where ungrounded appliances could give a shock: It happened to mother in Argentina (220 Volts). She had both a refrigerator and a microwave oven, one near the other, both without ground (3-prong to 2-prong on wall).
I measured the potential (voltage) between the two cases and it was more than 100 Volts. This is due to internal leakage on each of the units.
Could that kill you? May be not, but I wouldn't play with it.
If you use an adapter, connect the ground prong with a wire to a faucet or any other ground.
Some appliances that come with only two prongs, in most cases they have one wider prong so it can only be plugged one way. When both prongs are of equal width it means that the appliance is "double insulated", because no internal metallic part is exposed on the outside.
- 1 decade ago
it ain't bad, just isn't grounded. rly, i havent found a difference in operation. just go buy a little adapter that has two prong plug, and three prong outlet, probly be easiest, u can get 'em cheap cheap cheap like 2/for a dollar
- Anonymous5 years ago
No, it is not a fire hazard. It might be a shock hazard! OK, probably not even a shock hazard, but a ground plug is to prevent shocks. You have been given good advice to use the grounding tab on the adapter. Even with the ground tab connected this does not guarantee there is a ground wire to the receptacle. Some 2 prong receptacles did have a ground wire to the box some did not.
- Anonymous1 decade ago
no, using adapters is perfectly safe. the adapter should have a small piece of metal coming out the back that contacts the screw that holds the plastic cover over the outlets. that screw is grounded, so by touching the screw, the plug grounds itself.
- How do you think about the answers? You can sign in to vote the answer.
- meanolmawLv 71 decade ago
your appliances now have no 'ground'.... change the outlets ....if you cannot do it, hire an electrician!...he'll be cheaper than some of the things that can happen to you and your appliances without a ground wire in place....
