does a scope need ac mains ground?

I just found out, much to my surprise, that none of the outlets where I have my oscilliscope are grounded. Would this affect performance?

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Praise God from whom all blessings flow
Reply to
1jam
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Most likely not however, I would careful about using your scope on hot chassis.

Jamie

Reply to
Jamie

It's certainly not safe but it's not going to affect the performance.

Reply to
krw

on 29/02/2012, 1jam supposed :

And how come you have 3 prong sockets with no ground connection?

Sureley thats against any jurisdictions code in this day and age. :-?

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John G
Reply to
John G

There are exceptions (grandfathered structures with a GFCI) but they should be marked as ungrounded.

Reply to
krw

Yes living in a country where 230 volts is the go and Grounded outlets have been the norm fo about 30 years and more in some areas, I forgot about the GFCI situation but as you say they should be labeled. A ground (green ) wire must go to every light fitting whether the fitting is metal or not as it might be changed at a later date. This was a recent (20 years maybe) addition to the rules.

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John G
Reply to
John G

It is generally beter to float the scope (no AC mains Gnd). If you want to test mains voltage with your scope if the probe is referenced to mains Gnd - good by probe!!!

Reply to
David J

"David Jerk"

** No way - that is very dangerous for the operator.
** Absolute bullshit.

... Phil

Reply to
Phil Allison

look out! Two down unders going at it!

Jamie

Reply to
Jamie

"Jamie the Radio Ham TROLL "

** Err - what make you so sure " David J " is an Aussie?

... Phil

Reply to
Phil Allison

Phil Allison wrote on 1/03/2012 :

Yes who said he was from the better part of the world? He sounds like a Yank candidate for a Darwin award to me.

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John G
Reply to
John G

"Better?" Isn't Australia where they sent all the criminals that they didn't wind up hanging? Where they have foot-wide spiders that want to kill you? And where God put together things from spare parts left over, and wound up with the platypus?? I mean, they named a whole *town* after Darwin...

Sure, we Yanks have our problems, but we're not doing so badly for a primitive country. There is every hope that we might have civilization here eventually.

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If God had wanted us to be concerned for the plight of the toads, he would
have made them cute and furry.
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Reply to
Chiron

We only had to take convicts after you lot could not handle the job. lol then we advanced quickly. No death penalty, Metric measure like the better part of the world, a debt to GDP ratio far and away better than most.

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John G
Reply to
John G

All true. Still, I refer you to this authoritative article:

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Anyway, Australia is one of the very few places I wouldn't mind living. All those other places have too many foreigners.

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Truth has no special time of its own.  Its hour is now -- always.
		-- Albert Schweitzer
Reply to
Chiron

Come on down sometime and enjoy.

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John G
Reply to
John G

That is extremely dangerous advice.

Especially when expressed in a public forum.

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"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence 
over public relations, for nature cannot be fooled."
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Reply to
Fred Abse

...with the name "basics".

Reply to
krw

ant to

Gnd -

=A0 =A0(Richard Feynman)

Save the probe and fry the user!

Agreed very dangerous advice! Testing AC line stuff is when you want to make sure the 'scope is grounded. I was talking with someone who hooked his 'scope ground onto the wrong side of the AC line... blew the 'scope input and the circuit breaker... but the ~$50 scope probe is still working.

George H.

Reply to
George Herold

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