Wiring fault light

On every single surge protector/UPS I've owned, the wiring fault light always comes on when it's plugged in. In the manuals it says that means I need to have an electrician look at my outlets, as the wiring fault could reduce the UPS's ability to protect. But all my stuff runs normally when plugged in (TV, stereo, cable box, etc.).

Could a wiring fault prevent the AVR (automatic volate regulation) from kicking in during a brownout? What wiring problems usually cause the the wiring fault light to come on?

 

I'm guessing the UPS is looking for a installed "fault device " on the circut it is drawing power from. There are two types (can be combined)....
AFCI (arc fault circuit interrupter) and GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter).
See this page for full descriptions. These types of "specialized circut breakers" react to conditions normal circuit breakers and UPS are slow/do not respond to.

 

About how much would it cost to get one of these installed? And does the absence of these devices prevent the AVR from protecting my machine from brownouts?

 

This is one solution.. Combination AFCI/GFCI circuit breaker (2/3rds down the page). At your circuit breaker box, identify the circuit the UPS is drawing power from. The identified circuit breaker would be removed and replaced with the above combination device. Cost.. ??, check at your local electrical power supply outlet. This task should be done by an individual with good understanding of electrical systems. The question.. "does the absence of these devices prevent the AVR from protecting my machine from brownouts? ". Not directly. As stated early, these switches IMPROVE detection of hazardous electrical conditions. This is an advantage to any electrical circuit and the equipment attached to it.

 

Is the outlet you're using properly grounded? If you're oultlets are of the old two prong type and you're using a cheater to plug the ups in, the light will come on. If this is the case you would have to put in a properly grounded outlet for the ups. If you can't do it yourself this means hiring a competent electrician. If it were me and I had the money to do it, I'd fix it. If I didn't have the money I would start saving until I had it and then get it fixed. In the mean time I wouldn't lose a whole lot of sleep over it.

 

I had to plug it in using an adapter that converts 3 prongs to 2. None of our outlets supports 3 prongs. Is this a bad thing? Wouldn't it be OK to break the 3rd prong off?

 

Well I'm not an electrician so I don't know all the particulars here but I know it would be best if the outlet were grounded. This is why the fault light is on all the time. It's safer for you and the computer if it's properly grounded.

How about one of you electricly minded types helping out here as to the pros of a grounded outlet vs an ungrounded outlet. I pretty much understand it but as I said don't know it all for sure, so......

 

How can I tell if I have an ungrounded outlet vs a grounded one?

 

If you have to use an adapter or break off the ground prong on the power cord to plug it in it's not grounded. An ungrounded outlet has two slots in it to plug the cord into, a grounded one has three. It shouldn't cause you any problems but the odds of bad things happening when you have a short of some type increase. What the odds are of something of this sort happening are I couldn't tell you. I know a lot of people that have houses in which all the wiring is older and the outlets aren't grounded. Never known one of them to ever have a problem however. Somebody will probably chime in here that knows more than I about it. If you would decide to do something about it you could just have a new outlet put in for your PC. The alternative would be to rewire the whole house. It could get quite expensive if you did that.

 

How much would a new outlet for just the computer cost?

 

That device is not going to work properly.

Was your PC also plugged into a 2 prong outlet ?. If so it may not be grounded properly either.

Now mind you I did not say it would not work. It is just not correct.

Two prong outlet is not grounded. A three prong outlet is. ( or is supposed to be )

A 3 prong outlet has a HOT leg. A NEUTRAL leg. And a GROUND leg.

If the Hot and netural are switched it may also give and indication of a wiring problem as the hot and Neutral would also be reversed in the device.

BTW. Has anybody ever noticed that the two telephone wires work the same way ?

That is why for years now the prongs on plugs and the slots in the outlet are different sizes hoping that the wiring in the outlet box is correct.

But I would venture to say that it the device you mention is giving an indication of a problem it MAY NOT work correctly.

And by using a 3 to 2 prong adapter it for sure is not hooked up properly.

A three prong plug properly configured also assits ( BIG TIME ) to keep the static elctricity down in your PC and is also why when workiing on it it is best to leave it pluged in and keep some part of your body in contact with the metal case.

And all of these changes from the old haphaxard way if wiring a home were done for OUR SAFTEY

BillyBob

 

Yeah I have the old ungrounded outlets. I think these are the original outlets from 1949. I have to use an adapter to plug in 3 prong plugs. Every surge protector, UPS I've ever owned have given me a wiring fault light and I guess I now know why. I'd be happy to get a 3 prong outlet for my PC if I knew how much it'd cost.

 

The ups should work just fine. I remember when I bought my last ups it had a reference to this in the manual. I don't remember exactly what it said but it was basically that if the light was on it was an indicator of possible grounding problems but that it wouldn't affect the actual operation of the ups. The people I know with ungrounded outlets tell me their ups works just as it's intended to. They tell me it's never been a problem. Power goes out and the ups kicks in.

 

Sorry, I can't help you there. Best to just call an electrician and get a quote.

 

Zander wrote:

My main concern is brownouts, rather than total blackouts. Could an ungrounded outlet affect my UPS's ability to set proper voltage during a brownout?

 

I can't say for sure about brownouts. However, I would doubt that it would cause any problems there. Seems to me if the ups can't handle a brownout when it's not grounded it most likely wouldn't handle it if it were grounded.

Maybe BillBob or somebody else can tell you for sure.

 

If you home has the proper wire type it should be just a matter of changing the outlet. And tying the 3rd ( bare maybe ) wire to both the outet box ( which should actuall be done already ) and the proper terminal on the new outlet itself.

But I will say this. " If you do not know how it is best left to someone that does. "

BillyBob

 

May be a little technical, but does address some of the questions.
Advanced Power Technologies . You can also follow this Google search for many unfortunate accidents.

 

Regardless of what we think or say.

The Light on the UPS is telling us that " SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT "

It could be the Hot and Neutral are reversed. Or it could be just the lack of proper grounding.

And the grounding is important if something within the unit iself should go wrong.

I say this as by reading that a 2 prong adapter was used NEITHER unit is properly protected.

YES. I am pushing for SAFTEY. Both PC and personal wise. No if and or buts.

BillyBob

 

Shadowhawk: A three prong plug costs anywhere from $0.33 (in bulk) to $15 depending on if you buy a plain plug on up to a GFI plug.

As an owner of a house of similar age (built in 1952), I was a little concerned about the wiring. Most of my house had two prong plugs when I moved in. Only the additions had three prong plugs. You need to determine if your two prong plugs are grounded. Go to Home Depot, they sell what you need. You may have grounded plugs.

How is this possible? If you have armored cable you are good to go. I swapped out a two prong plug with a three and tested it. It said it was grounded. After taking a look at my fuse box and in the wall I realized there is a metal sheath around the old wiring in my house. This sheath runs from the outlets to the junction boxes (also metal) to the fuse box and then to the main ground.

I was able to replace all the plugs in my house for < $75. I have GFIs in the bathroom and kitchen and 15 amp plugs in the rest of the house. All but one of my outlets ended up being grounded. BTW-That price includes a wiring book, receptacle testers and new plates to go around the outlets. Just provide a pair of needle nose pliers, electrical tape and a couple of screwdrivers and you are good to go.

Just make sure you turn the power off before you get started