electrical
I purchased a small freezer and the instructions state to plug it into a three prong outlet. In my garage there is a 2 prong outlet that I use with an adaptor. Is it safe for me to plug the freezer into the 2 prong outlet with an adaptor?
Is it safe if I plugged it into one of those outlet strips? I would be plugging the strip into the two prong outlet with an adaptor.
Thank you in advance! E
If you're talking about an E26 lampholder (the medium screw-in base widely used in the US), there are only two electrical contacts: live is at the back of the lampholder and neutral is the screw thread. While the light fixture itself should be grounded, it's not available via an adapter.
In an outdoor situation, ground protection is even more important than indoors; if your exterior circuit also includes exterior receptacles, it should already be covered by a GFCI. As I said in an another answer, that breaks the circuit if there's a ground fault, but without a ground connection, any current is going through you to ground, instead of through the ground lead. So no, it's not safe to use a two-prong to three-prong adapter and leave the ground on your lights disconnected.
I have seen exterior light fixtures with a grounded electrical outlet built into them; if you were able to change the light fixture, that would be the safest way to go.
I like power strips similar to this for work areas. They are nice because they have an on/off switch, which if mounted in an easy to reach location could save life and limb.
Using a power strip like this should not be a problem, as long as you don't run too many tools at once. And it should conform to most codes, as it would be classified as an extension cord (I think).
Best Answer
One way to do this, that is National Electrical Code compliant. Would be to replace the two prong receptacle, with a GFCI receptacle. While this does not provide an effective fault current path, it should prevent electrocution in the event of a fault.
Technically to be code compliant, you'll have to stick a "No Equipment Ground" sticker on the GFCI receptacle. There should be one in the box that the GFCI receptacle comes in.
Those three prong adapters that connect to the faceplate screw, do not provide an effective fault current path. And therefore would not allow a fault to be cleared by the breaker.
The "correct" way to do this, would be to install a code compliant grounding conductor and three prong receptacle. Though since the receptacle is in a garage, GFCI protection is required anyway.
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