Hi, i have recently moved from the us to japan into an older traditional style japanese home and brought my american laptop. I purchased a 3 to 2 prong adapter so i could plug it in, but the outlet cover screws are too short to fit the ground wire between the screw and the cover, so i arranged it like this. https://ibb.co/album/xS7CKR
Is this safe and correct or should i do something differently? Please advise, thank you.
P.s. sorry for using imgbb, imgur wasnt working for me on my phone.
14 comments
Also, please click the album as there are 3 pictures and not just the one showing on the post
Lol, that socket does not have ground. Ground is overrated anyway, so use just as is.
It is very common in older houses. I don’t think anyone will tell you it is “safe”. There are risks involved with ungrounded electrical devices.
I haven’t had any issues (yet) after years of running many powerful electronic devices ungrounded, but I won’t say it is safe.
You dont really need a ground in Japan, except when electronics ar enear sources of water.
Just plug in your laptop using the adaptor, leave the ground wire to dangle (or cut it off).
Also, take a good look at your pics, or the actual outlets. Do you see how the two slots are different sizes, with the left one being a little bigger? Wiring/electrial is done a little differently here, and that’s what you’re seeing there. (maybe someone else will give a proper explanation)
Not an electrian – but you should be careful of the voltage. You probably don’t need the ground wire for a laptop, but if you’re unsure – you can ask the staff at any Bic Camera (or other large electronics store) for advice.
Bring the US plug/adapter with you and they can advise, for free. If the voltage is too high, you may need a transformer. With it being a laptop, you’re probably safe – but go ask if in doubt.
lol, there is no ground on that socket.
You don’t need ground for most electronics, including for your laptop.
If you want/need to change the 2-prong outlets to the US 3-prong outlets, they sell them at home centers.
You don’t need a ground for your laptop. If this were something like a washing machine, the ground would be important. For electronics like laptop power adapter bricks, it’s not.
Your laptop power brick will probably be something that the Europeans call a “class II device”, so it has two layers of insulation (hard outer shell for puncture resistance, soft inner layer for fall resistance) and no exposed metal parts, so it may be operated without a ground connection while the case is intact.
Uh do the two prong to three prong power strips not work?
You can buy a little adapter or you can just rip the third prong out. Ripping it out with pliers has been easier for me than trying to cut it off.
I haven’t had any issues so far doing this.
The only ground wire in your apartment is on the outlet that you plug your washing machine into.
It is 99.99% safe to simply use a 3 to 2 plug adapter without connecting the ground wire for a *laptop*. It is extreme overkill that your laptop manufacturer decided to use a grounded 3 prong plug.
It only matters with heavy industrial equipment and when working around water.
In Japan, even my power tools use 2 prong plugs.
I just bought a power bar that has 3 prongs for its orifices but its own cord has only two prongs. Have used it with No problems for more than 8 years now.