Surge protector question

[Bobbie54]

What happens if I have a surge protector and I plug in via an adapter to my house current?

[Vermilye]

Originally Posted by Bobbie54

What happens if I have a surge protector and I plug in via an adapter to my house current?

If you are asking about the Progressive Industries EMS that Escape includes as an option, nothing. It is worth watching the remote readout to keep an eye on the voltage if you are at the end of a long run to the receptacle & using an extension cord. The EMS will shut down the power if the voltage drops below 104V, which could happen if you overload it with the water heater, AC or other large loads. Low voltage can damage an air conditioner.

[John in Santa Cruz]

some of my outlets have no grounds as the house was built in 1950, so if I use a cord on those outlets, I have to turn the EMS off.

[UncleTim]

Originally Posted by Bobbie54

What happens if I have a surge protector and I plug in via an adapter to my house current?

Forgive me if you have seen these videos. Here is one of Reace explaining the EMS unit and shore power. This video explains the answers to your questions nicely. Always worth a watch!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2NnfROATg4

[tdf-texas]

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

some of my outlets have no grounds as the house was built in 1950, so if I use a cord on those outlets, I have to turn the EMS off.

I just have to ask - does it also have knob and tube wiring as well as no grounds? I seem to remember that it was discontinued in the 50's.

NEC (National Electrical Code) required laundry areas to have grounded receptacles in 1951 with all outlets required to grounded in 1969.

I rewired a church that had knob and tube wiring. A lot of work but worth it as the fire insurance rates went way down afterwards.

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by tdf-texas

I just have to ask - does it also have knob and tube wiring as well as no grounds? I seem to remember that it was discontinued in the 50's.

NEC In (National Electrical Code) required laundry areas to have grounded receptacles in 1951 with all outlets required to grounded in 1969.

I rewired a church that had knob and tube wiring. A lot of work but worth it as the fire insurance rates went way down afterwards.

In the late 40’s and 50’s they used a cloth covered romex that only contained a hot and neutral ( No equipment) ground ) in residential construction .
Knob and tube was designed for the insulation standards before rhe energy crunch so when they started pumping the walls and ceilings of buildings full of insulation it led to problems .
The conductors in modern NM cable are required to have an insulation temp rating of 90 deg C
for the same reason

[John in Santa Cruz]

our house mostly has 2-wire PVC covered romex style cable, with a separate bare wire to the junction boxes, but not wired to the 3-prong outlets that someone before us added. afaik, NEC only applies to new construction (including remodels).

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

our house mostly has 2-wire PVC covered romex style cable, with a separate bare wire to the junction boxes, but not wired to the 3-prong outlets that someone before us added. afaik, NEC only applies to new construction (including remodels).

Years ago when metal boxes were the norm , the equipment ground was connected / bonded to the metal box and the receptacle was considered grounded through the 6x32 receptacle mounting screws . As time went by the contact between the box and the receptacle through the screws would loosen and result in a poor connection
Years ago the metal strap on switches was not required to be grounded , now it is .

[John in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by steve dunham

The conductors in modern NM cable are required to have an insulation temp rating of 90 deg C
for the same reason

today, a rare for here really hot day, the air temp is hovering around 106F, the faded pavement on my driveway is 150F+, which is like 65C... I would have measured the exterior wall temps (IR thermometer...) but they are all in the shade due to our eaves having 4' or more of overhang all around the house... Considering the normal high this time of year is lower 80s here, we're in full meltdown mode.

With 106F outside air temps, the inside is staying around 80F since we closed up all the windows this morning. Said large overhangs really help since noone around here has A/C at home.

[Vermilye]

Originally Posted by steve dunham

Years ago when metal boxes were the norm , the equipment ground was connected / bonded to the metal box and the receptacle was considered grounded through the 6x32 receptacle mounting screws . As time went by the contact between the box and the receptacle through the screws would loosen and result in a poor connection
Years ago the metal strap on switches was not required to be grounded , now it is .

My father started building our first house in 1950, and the NM wire was cloth covered with an undersized ground. The metal boxes didn't have provisions for grounding, and although he was a railroad electrician, had no luck finding a local electrician that had any idea of how to deal with grounding. At the time, it was only the boxes that were grounded; no ground pin on the receptacles. His solution was to wrap the ground wire around the NM cable outer jacket under the box clamp. While certainly not up to later code, it didn't case any problems, at least until they sold the house in 1980.

[MyronL]

When I plug into house current ...my Progressive Industries Surge Protector EMS-HW30c --does absolutely nothing, like it's supposed to.

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by Vermilye

My father started building our first house in 1950, and the NM wire was cloth covered with an undersized ground. The metal boxes didn't have provisions for grounding, and although he was a railroad electrician, had no luck finding a local electrician that had any idea of how to deal with grounding. At the time, it was only the boxes that were grounded; no ground pin on the receptacles. His solution was to wrap the ground wire around the NM cable outer jacket under the box clamp. While certainly not up to later code, it didn't case any problems, at least until they sold the house in 1980.

I remember wrapping the ground wire around the cable jacket and tightening the cable clamp to hold it in place . I also remember running around with a burner , a pot of melted solder , a solder ladle and burnt forearms .
Wearing plasterers stilts so we could go around splicing up ceiling boxes without using a ladder .
Thank God those days are over !!