Korean Job Discussion Forums

[interestedinhanguk]

I just moved into my new place. My building, while called an Officetel, seems a bit cheap and doesn't seem up to par with other officetels.

I just noticed that the outlets in my apartment are not grounded. The outlets are pretty much just the flat circle with the 2 pins, not the inset hole with metal tab grounds like most Korean outlets.

I took the cover off an outlet (after turning off the power, of course). It doesn't seem like one could even put in grounding with the current wiring; I didn't detect a grounding wire. I'm no electrician, but this seems fishy.

I'm a bit nervous running equipment like my laptop, external monitor, electric oven (not a toaster oven) plus small appliances.

I doubt my school will move me based on this. I work in a public school, btw and they've been great so far, but a bit clueless.

Any thoughts? What can I do?

[thegadfly]

Run stuff through power strips with a circuit breaker on them? Not quite grounding, but the breaker should trip if there is a surge....

[Confused Canadian]

I once had an "electrician" come over to replace a faulty light switch. I didn't have access to the main power breaker, so I couldn't shut it off and do it myself.

The "electrician" didn't turn off the main power, and was thoroughly confused by this 'mysterious third wire'. I had to have my wife explain to him that it was a ground wire. This information meant absolutely nothing to him.

[jc1257]

The voltage and electricity that they use in Korea and most of the rest of the world is actual more stable and less prone to surges than what is used in the US and Canada. I live in a fairly new and nice officetel and I don't have grounding either, I'd be surprised if anywhere in Korea does.

I bought a new Mac laptop over here and the power cord doesn't come with the ground. I also have yet to find a surge protector over here, though I haven't looked too much. I wouldn't worry about it too much.

[ED209]

Can't wiring be grounded through the neutral wire or a separate grounding wire?

Your apartment is grounded, but only a circuit-breaker will offer any kind of protection to yourself.

[MattAwesome]

most consumer appliances stopped using ground wires in the states anyway. it was an old safety precaution and technology has been updated, making it mostly obsolete anyway. buy a power strip, you will need the extra outlets anyway most likely.

[GoldMember]

[nathanrutledge]

Oh wow, so much misinformation...

First, outlets can either have a neutral or not. The outlets themselves are physically the same, BUT when you install them without a neutral, you remove the neutral prongs. Nothing fishy here. In most jurisdictions in the US, if you install a three prong outlet, you MUST have a neutral on it. If you can't put a neutral on it, then you only install a two prong outlet.

If there are no prongs on your plug then you have a couple options. ONE, have an electrician come in and run a neutral wire to the panel and install a new outlet. If the wiring is installed using romex, then there might already be a neutral wire in there. If it was installed using pipe, then it's possible to ground to the pipe (if that is legal here and it's done properly). TWO, don't use things that need to have a neutral in that outlet. THREE, use it as normal, taking the risks.

Surge protectors won't help you other than as a backup for the circuit breaker/fuse in the box. Besides, the power strip surge protector will probably need the neutral and without it, it won't work as it's supposed to (as a SURGE protector, NOT as a the neutral).

Using anything with a transformer - check the transformer; it probably has circuitry in it designed to protect the devise if there is a problem. So anything that uses DC power, you're probably okay. Again, check the transformer.

For everyone else - switches usually don't have a neutral lug on them, so for someone to be surprised by a third wire attached to the switch, that would be normal. Power in Korea is no more or less stable than the US/Canada. The difference is the voltage. North America uses 110-120, while Korea uses 220-230. This means that the amperage used in Korea is about half of what is used in NA. It also means that the prongs on a plug have to be further apart here than in NA, as higher voltages have a tendency to arc more. If you ever unplug a plug with a neutral, you often here a "snap" of electricity - that's the arc, and it's far more common here than in NA. Many things are do not have a neutral because it is not necessary. Things where it's necessary - items that have a metal case that could conduct electricity in the event of a disconnected wire. Things that DON'T need a neutral - EVERYTHING ELSE. Finally, it's called a neutral wire, not a ground, unless you live on a boat or in a car or somewhere else that uses DC power.

Long story short, if it's got a neutral on it, it's there for YOUR protection, not the protection of the device. Use it at your risk.

[ajosshi]