DIY ground probe?

[mike31154]

Originally Posted by mark

The only pin that's connected is the ground

Yes, thanks, understood. I'm just thinking out loud that folks should ensure that whatever receptacle they plug the grounding probe into is indeed properly wired, especially in older homes. All it takes is for a hot wire inside the receptacle to short to the ground connection and you could end up with high voltage feeding back through the probe into your tank. My home is around 1960s vintage and I'm in the process of upgrading the wiring. A number of new three prong receptacles had been installed into boxes without grounds by one of the previous owners. So although the receptacles looked like the grounded kind, they were not! Some of my bedroom receptacles were two pin only.

For those thinking of installing a grounding probe, if you're not absolutely sure regarding the integrity of your household wiring, at minimum get one of those receptacle testers which indicate if the receptacle is properly wired. For true peace of mind, get an electrician and/or trip the circuit breaker, pull out the receptacle you intend to use and inspect the ground connection. I probably wouldn't plug the grounding probe into a power bar or receptacle multiplier either.