# Any risk for putting a grounding adapter for a non grounded electrical appliance **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 13, 2020, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-risk-for-putting-a-grounding-adapter-for-a-non-grounded-electrical-appliance/917944 "2020-08-13T01:10:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2020, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-risk-for-putting-a-grounding-adapter-for-a-non-grounded-electrical-appliance/917944/1 "2020-08-13T01:10:08Z")
I got some with some disability issues a set of remote control outlets like this. > **[Link2Home Wireless Indoor Remote Control Outlet Switch with 5 RCVs and 2...](https://www.homedepot.com/p/Link2Home-Wireless-Indoor-Remote-Control-Outlet-Switch-with-5-RCVs-and-2-Remotes-EM-1001HD/310485205?modalType=drawer)** > > The fastest, easiest and safest way to go smart! Link2Home offers a convenient, energy efficient solution with the Wireless Indoor Remote Control Outlet Switches, 5 receivers and 2 remote controls. No The wall outlets have no grounding outlet. The electrical appliance (fans and air purifiers) do not have grounding prongs either. but the remote outlets do. would using a grounding adapter like this pose any kind of risk if it isn’t screwed into the grounding screw? [![](https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn%3AANd9GcQm_qU_0SetXpHFGkxdyUYMmMpGIwotT_H_CA&usqp=CAU) ](https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn%3AANd9GcQm_qU_0SetXpHFGkxdyUYMmMpGIwotT_H_CA&usqp=CAU) I don’t really understand electricity, but if the appliance you’re plugging in (like a fan) has no grounding screw, does the adapter need to be connected to the grounding screw? 2 prong outlet ← 3 prong grounding adapter ← 3 prong grounded remote outlet ← 2 prong electrical appliance. In that situation do you need to ground the adapter? ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2020, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-risk-for-putting-a-grounding-adapter-for-a-non-grounded-electrical-appliance/917944/2 "2020-08-13T01:17:01Z")
Yes, you should ground the adapter. The appliance may not have a ground pin, but the remote adapter is also a device/appliance and is expecting to be plugged into an outlet with proper grounding. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2020, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-risk-for-putting-a-grounding-adapter-for-a-non-grounded-electrical-appliance/917944/3 "2020-08-13T08:00:01Z")
There is also the risk that someone, seeing a three pin outlet on the adapter, would assume that it is grounded. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2020, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-risk-for-putting-a-grounding-adapter-for-a-non-grounded-electrical-appliance/917944/4 "2020-08-13T14:28:35Z")
If the receptacle is two pin because there is no ground wire in the wires, hooking to the cover plate screw does nothing. ---
**Author:** ![LivingGhost371](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b9e5f3/32.png) [@LivingGhost371](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LivingGhost371)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2020, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-risk-for-putting-a-grounding-adapter-for-a-non-grounded-electrical-appliance/917944/5 "2020-08-13T15:46:06Z")
Generally small electronic devices that are in sealed plastic cases do not require a ground. My remote control Insteon adapters have grounding pins only to pass it through to the device plugged in. I would go ahead and use these, but fill the grounding hole with superglue or something so no one attempts to plug something that requires a ground into it.