Now the title of this post may lead to some initial confusion. Some of you may be asking, “what is a ground pin?” For those of you who are more familiar with plugs may be asking, “why would you even cut one off?” And, unfortunately, some may be asking, “what’s the big deal with cutting it off?”
Let’s cover some basics. For those of you who are not up to date on plug anatomy, we’ll start simple.
2-Prong vs. 3-Prong Plugs and Outlets
Two-prong plugs have two flat pins and are compatible with 2-prong or 3-prong outlets. This type of plug is found on a range of household appliances, from vacuum cleaners to your coffee maker—even computer cords. The 3-prong plug, which people also call a NEMA 5-15P, looks a bit different. Notice how the plug has two flat pins and a third, rounded pin. The rounded pin is called the ground pin. This type of plug is used for hair dryers, power tool chargers, power strips, and a range of other consumer products.
Now, look at your outlet. If your house or office was built after the 1920’s, your outlets should have three holes (the outlet for a NEMA 5-15P is called the NEMA 5-15R). Two are side by side and one is at the bottom, forming the “mouth” of the outlet’s face. This mouth is referred to as the grounded hole and perfectly fits the ground pin. Now, if you live in an older house with outdated electrical wiring, your outlets might only have to prong holes. Uh-oh.
You Can’t Cut This: The Ground Pin Is There for A Reason
You may notice that two-pronged equipment works just as well as 3-pronged equipment in these outlets. Maybe you only have access to 2-prong outlets but are stuck with a 3-prong device. Or perhaps you realized that you bought a 2-prong extension cord instead of one with 3-prongs. You figure the equipment you are using will work just as well without the ground pin and decide to cut it off. What’s the harm?
You might not think cutting the ground pin off your 3-prong cord isn’t a big deal, but it’s quite dangerous. While the ground pin may not impact the functionality of the equipment, it will impact an important safety feature.
Understanding Electrical Currents and Power Requirements
Prior to the 1920’s, most outlets only had 2 holes: a neutral slot and a hot slot. Electricity flows in a circuit, from the hot slot, through the filament, and then returning to the neutral slot. The grounded pin was added for a couple of reasons:
First, people started using more currents as electricity became widely used in the United States. You may notice a product like an electric razor has 2-prongs. This is because it does not need a large amount of current. However, a desk top computer uses a 3-prong power cord because it requires a much larger amount of current.
Second, it was realized that with metal cased equipment, if a wire became loose, it would hit the metal case and administer a potentially fatal shock to anyone who touches it. However, if you install a ground pin, the heat will transfer to the ground, trigger the circuit breaker, and prevent the shock. Pretty nifty, huh?
Safety First: Using 3-Prong Plugs and Grounding Pins
The ground pin has nothing to do with how well your equipment works, but everything to do with protecting you in case a wire becomes loose. Some
people say that this is being overly cautious. After all, how often do wires really come loose? And people survived before the ground pin was introduced, so what’s with all the fuss?
Here’s an easy analogy to remember: you rent a new apartment. Upon moving in, you realize there are no fire alarms or extinguishers in your building. Concerned, you tell your landlord that this is a fire hazard. He replies that it is not. “In fact,” he says “You only need a fire extinguisher or an alarm if there is a fire. Since there’s currently no fire, you don’t need the alarm or extinguisher. Case closed.” Clearly, you realize that this is extremely flawed logic.
Cutting off the ground pin of a plug is in the same realm of pragmatics as your landlord. Remember that safety features are there for a reason. We have seat belts in our cars, fire extinguishers in our apartments, and locks on our doors to protect us from unexpected circumstances. Ground pins protect us from unexpected circumstances as well, like damaging shocks and household fires.
Safe Alternatives to Cutting the Grounding Pin Off 3-Prong Plugs
So, the next time you’re tempted to cut off a ground pin, pause and think about the dangerous consequences. Instead, buy a converter for your 2-prong outlets or consider updating your wiring. In addition, using power strips or adapters can mediate the dangers of 2-prong appliances.
Quail has everything you need to power your devices safely in 2-prong and 3-prong outlets. Visit our online shop or send us a message if you have questions about grounding pin safety or need help selecting a product.