Isolated Ground Dedicated Outlet ??

[keathp]

Hi,

I am new to this group. This looks like a great forum and I have a question. (actually a couple but I will start here)

I am finishing half of my basement and, as for electrical, I am installing five recessed can lights w/ 3way switches, four outlets and, although I was not familiar with this, I am installing a Isolated ground dedicated circuit for a computer outlet. I'm not sure if I am correct in the name of this. The one with the orange triangle on it.

I have read and think I have a pretty good understanding of the theroy of the Isolated ground outlet. I will be using 12/3 NM on a 20A breaker. I will use the 3rd insulated wire as a ground, direct from outlet to ground bar in the panel. Okay, here's my question. the bare ground wire that is in the 12/3 wire, where do I attach it at the outlet end? I am using a plastic outlet box and from what I've read it looks as if it should be attaced to a metal ground box or conduit, which I hadn't planned on using either.

Thanks in advance for any help.

[Java_Bob]

here you go

Installing an Isolated-Ground Receptacle

http://www.passandseymour.com/pdf/F08-F09.pdf

[keathp]

Thanks Java Bob, the one thing that I still don't understand is the bare copper wire, in the link you sent it shows to connect to the receptical box. I was planning on using plastic recepitcal boxes w/o conduit. Does this type of circuit only work with metal boxes and conduit?

[HayZee518]

you ain't got a metal box so you can't ground the box - I had to wire a telephone room in a hydro electric generating station in massachusetts where the circuits were derived from a transformer. all the circuits used rigid conduit and metal in concrete masonary boxes. In your case you are gonna need to run a new single cable a 12/2 with ground from your box all the way from the receptacle. if you presently have a wire in the box back track and disconnect it at the previous box and remove the whole cable if you can. if it is part of a string of outlets, use wirenuts to keep the string intact. wire the recpt white to nickel, black to brass, bare ground to green screw. at the panel black on breaker, white on grounded neutral strip and bare to neutral strip. all this amounts to is a ground wire that is unbroken from the receptacle to the panelbox. grounds with splices create spikes that can be picked up by sensitive electronic appliances.

[Speedy Petey]

Isolated ground receptacles in a residence are totally useless, and used in a plastic box they are illegal and can be dangerous because there is no way to ground to yoke of the device.
Even your method of using the red wire as a ground is quite non-compliant.

Just use good quality standard receptacle and you are fine.

[keathp]

Okay thanks. So would it be worthwhile to run a sperate standard circuit dedicated for the computer, or just wire all of my outlets together (8) on one 20A circuit and use a good surge protector?

[Speedy Petey]

Computers by themselves don't draw much so a dedicated circuit is kind of overkill.

A good surge suppressor is key. A good UPS is better.

[keathp]

Thanks Speedy Petey, that sounds like what I will do. Sounds pretty basic. But, what is a UPS??

[Speedy Petey]

Uninterruptable Power Supply.

It's a battery back up for your computer. They are great because they all have surge suppression built in and give you some peace of mind that an outage will not cold shut down your computer.

APC is about the biggest brand. They can be had anywhere, Staples and Office Depot type stores are the most convenient places to get them.

[keathp]

Great!! So here's what I'm going to do in my basement project as far as electric is concerned.

1 20A circuit with 8 outlets using #12 wiring.

1 20A circuit with 8 recessed can lights using #12 wiring.

Ditch the dedicated circuit idea and go with a UPS at the outlet for my computer.

How does that sound?