if the outlet is not grounded, then the screw won't do anythign beyond help hold them in place. he also will not have a ground protection, so surge strips(there is a difference between a surge and a multioutlet) won't protect his stuff. also some electronics actually will not work without a ground. newer Directv RX won't work, i know because i plugged one up to a known good outlet but using a 2 prong extention cord. it would not power up but when plugged in to the outlet directly it would.

This is so frustrating. My son is renting this old house that is very close to campus (so he thought it was a great deal). But it sounds like the landlord doesn't keep up on anything. What really scares me is that its all gas.
Anyhow......my thoughts are that the electrical system is crap too.
Being not very smart with electrical things myself.....how can my son tell if the outlet is grounded? Will it have a copper wire somewhere inside the outlet? If he carefully took off the face plate, could he see from there what he needed to, to know if its grounded?
Is it always code to have grounded outlets now?
I have the feeling his landlord isn't going to like us much, since we just won't tolerate him slacking off on safety.
Thanks for your help.

You'll have to look at the surge strip, but some have MOV's between all three wires. While a ground will help things, it's not strictly required.

It isn't so much that the wiring in the house is "dangerous", it's just outdated and can be better, if (and only if) the landlord spent a large chunk of change to have the place rewired. If he's a grumpy old man who is happy as long as he can plug in his television and RCA Victrola, he doesn't need "any of those new-fangled gadgets and stuff". So in his eyes, why spend the money?

If your son doesn't know what he's doing, I would suggest he not try to take the outlet apart, especially since he's renting, and can't turn off the power.

The simple answer you're looking for is: The grounded outlet adapter and power strip will work with the computer, but he shouldn't make the assumption that it's protected.

3/2 grounding adapters can't be sold in my jurisdiction. They would lull the homeowner into a false sense of security that now the circuit is protected from a hot wire short. If the box itself isn't grounded, then how could the 3/2 adapter be of any use?

Buy an adapter and an outlet tester. That should tell you if the outlet is grounded.

Here is a link that might be useful:

Thanks everyone.
dennisgli.......so I would put one of the 3/2 grounding adaptors into the 2 pronged outlet and then plug in the 3-pronged tester, right?

Before you buy either, you can test the receptacle for grounding if you have or can borrow a voltmeter. Set the voltmeter to 250V AC (unless it's autoranging), place either the red or black probe in the short slot of the receptacle and then touch the other probe to the screw holding the cover plate on. If it reads around 120V, then the box is grounded. If it reads from zero to about 25V, the box is ungrounded. It may read up to 25V if the receptacle is part of a multi-wire shared neutral circuit.

Yes, that is correct. You install the adapter with the screw and then you plug in the tester. It will tell you if you have a grounded outlet.

Homes with very old wiring (knob and tube) will not have grounded boxes and so the screw that the adapter is connected to will not be grounded. A little newer wiring will have armored cable which provides a grounding path for the metal box.

Don't get too weirded out... generations of students have made it through without grounded outlets - your kid will be fine.

Since you have misgivings about the condition of the housing, do make sure there is a working smoke detector on each floor - put a new battery in it yourself. Also make sure there is a working CO detector - buy it and install it for him. That way you can sleep better knowing that he will be okay.

Thanks bigbird and Jake.

Jake.......thanks for that encouragement! That's what I've been trying to tell myself over and over. (millions of students have survived). And I actually lived in worse conditions in my young adult years! haha

The landlord said he has smoke detectors, but I told my son to put new batteries in them. I'm also sending a CO detector with him. They truly do save lives, and they're so easy to have.
Thanks again.