Electrical advice

[smashweights]

Here's my situation: I've got the Duc stored in a detached garage that only has a light bulb socket for power. I was gonna pull the battery, but after about an hour of hacking my way to the ill-conceived battery location, I gave it up. The bike already has a quick disconnect for a battery tender installed, so I'm wondering: I have a 2-prong socket adapter in the light socket and an extension cord running down to plug things in, but the Battery Tender needs a 3-prong. Is it gonna be safe to buy a 2-prong to 3-prong adapter and run the battery tender for a few hours once a week to keep the battery topped off? Obviously the ground connection wouldn't be connected... The other option is could I ground the adapter to something like the garage door metal and would that make it serviceable?

[Gump]

It would be fine without the ground.

[Scruit]

If the charger has a metal case then the ground actually does something. If it has a plastic case then 2-prong will be fine.

If you want to connect the ground then do it correctly - take out the light housing and check to see if there is a ground wire in there.

If so, option 1 is to wire up a double-outlet in the recessed box, then get a light that you can plug into the other outlet.

Option 2, IF you can get to the knockouts on the side of the box, is to run another wire to another box you install, and put an outlet there.

Don't improvise a ground - if you need it, you need to do it right.

Edited December 16, 2012 by Scruit

[ohiomike]

Grounding is very important, but you can probably get away without one in your application. Heck I have done work on farms where its scary with all the stray voltages everywhere because they do not have good grounded systems. Most of the old homes were without grounds. Knob and tube wiring was groundless. Its better and safer overall with a ground, but in your case I wouldn't worry too much about it.

[Gump]

Not being a duesh but if it has a metal case it does what? Allows for a path back to the service panel IF there's a problem rather than a different path such as your arm?

[Scruit]

Not being a duesh but if it has a metal case it does what? Allows for a path back to the service panel IF there's a problem rather than a different path such as your arm?

That's what I meant by "if it has a plastic case then 2-prong will be fine" Is there's a short to the case in a plastic case then you won't get fried. Metal case has to be grounded - that's just common sense.

Another option is to buy a battery tender that already has a 2-prong plug. $20 later, you're finished, no wiring.

[ReconRat]

I have an old Craftsman electric drill that has a metal body on it, and a two prong plug.

It's older than most people on this forum.

It will regularly shock the shit out of you.

(I learned to wear gloves.)

And this is after repeated rebuilds to get it to stop doing that.

I should bring it along some day. We could have fun electrocuting each other.

[Gump]

That's what I meant by "if it has a plastic case then 2-prong will be fine" Is there's a short to the case in a plastic case then you won't get fried. Metal case has to be grounded - that's just common sense.

Another option is to buy a battery tender that already has a 2-prong plug. $20 later, you're finished, no wiring.

Good. Just making sure you weren't a ground nazi basing things off of fear and bologna.

Got a few old metal drills like that. They keep you sharp.

[smashweights]

can't modify the socket, it's an apartment garage

[smashweights]

isn't there a way to connect the small ring for the ground to . something to ground it to something? does the battery tender plus unit need grounding anyway?

[QuikAccord]

The ground in electrical circuit is a path for the voltage to travel back to the source (In this case the electrical panel) in the event there is a short circuit in the device plugged into the outlet or the circuit wires themselves.

[Scruit]

can't modify the socket, it's an apartment garage

Then my advice is to buy a tender with a 2-prong plug. Both of mine as 2-prong.

Don't jury-rig a ground. That's like fixing your seatbelts with zip-ties.

[QuikAccord]

I don't live for from you and I would happy to help you.

[smashweights]

thanks for the offer, but I'm not sure whatI need help with yet. scruit, what tender do you have?

[Scruit]

One is made by Oxford. I'll get the other brand name when I get home.

[smashweights]

Thanks for the suggestion, Scruit. I hadn't even thought to look for a 2-pronged charger, in spite of the fact that it's a ridiculously simple solution... Going to return the Battery Tender Plus I ordered from Amazon and pick up a NOCO Genius charger that uses a 2-pronged plug. Should have thought of that first!

http://www.amazon.com/NOCO-G1100-Automatic-Battery-Maintainer/dp/B004LX3AXQ/ref=cm_cmu_pg__header

[Scruit]

Perfect.

[max power]

It would be fine without the ground.

This.

[bshultz0930]

psht... its only 110v.. it doesnt hurt that bad.. lol

[Gump]

We do realize that nothing would happen unless there's a problem? Do we realize they sell millions of those little grey adapters and hardley no one ever connects the little ring to the outlet screw? The advice above is sound but a little over paranoid.

[Gixxus Christ!]

Yeah. Unless you plan on keeping your tender in a bucket of salty water or urinating on it frequently the ground probably isn't needed, it just gives the electricity a pathway to...you guessed it the ground in there is a short between the guts and the metal body. If something goes wrong inside there and shorts out bad enough to the outlet it will trip the breaker anyway but I seriously wouldn't worry about it, its taking 110 v 20 amp AC service and stepping it down to 12 v .5 amp DC. Just don't rub your balls against the case after soaking it in piss and you should be ok.