Should I ground my Tice Powerblock / Titan Combo?

The Power Block is fine...it is a isolation transformer...that means the neutral is isolated from the house...which in turn reads as an open circuit (no ground) if you plug a polarity checker (in this case the power strip) into the Tice output (secondary)...that is normal.

the wires are PAPER wraped with what looks like thick string (but with the characteristics of paper) :( talk about brittle.. look at it funny and it crumbles.. Have no idea how that works.
10-06-10: Rotelmania

Rotelmania,

Apt 40 years old?.... Probably more like at least 60 years old. You should have not pulled out the receptacle/s for a look. You will definitely need to hire an electrician to access the damage done by disturbing the old brittle insulated wiring.
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10-07-10: Apmaher
The Power Block is fine...it is a isolation transformer...that means the neutral is isolated from the house...which in turn reads as an open circuit (no ground) if you plug a polarity checker (in this case the power strip) into the Tice output (secondary)...that is normal.

Wrong.....it is not fine.....

By UL the neutral cannot float. It must be connected to the main system ground of the house. In fact, in this case, there is no neutral just 2 floating hot conductors with out a reference to ground.

Obviously the Tice was never submitted to UL for testing and certification.
.

Tice Service Bulletin #5 April 1991

Subject: Connecting ground in Power Block & Micro Block.
"Static electricity buildup in digital processors and players can cause damage to their circuit components. Excess static electricity can be drained off by insuring that your digital processor or player is properly grounded. The following change should be made to all Power Blocks and Micro Blocks to ensure effective grounding for digital equipment."

"1. Remove cover and locate the green wire coming from the power cord as it enters the unit. The cut end of the green wire will be secured with a tie wrap. Cut and remove the tie wrap to free the green wire.
2. Strip back a small amount of insulation from this wire. Attach the green wire to the UNUSED green screw at the corner of the outlet. DO NOT CONNECT THE GREEN WIRE TO THE GOLD OR SILVER SCREWS.
3. Reinstall the cover BEFORE applying power to the Block."

That was all verbatim from the service bulletin....so One set of the three pair of outlets will be grounded. Use those two for Digital equipment.

Garyhead,

The Tice Service Bulletin #5 from April 1991 does nothing to meet UL or electrical code safety standards of the US in 1987 let alone 1991.

Connecting the safety equipment ground from the mains wall receptacle to the green ground screw of one of the duplex receptacles of the unit does nothing for the electrical safety for the consumer using the unit. The 120V secondary winding of the isolation transformer separately derived system is still allowed to float above ground. Neither hot contact of the duplex receptacles of the Tice unit have a reference to ground. Any device plugged into any of the 120V receptacles of the Tice Power block that use a cord and plug that utilizes a safety equipment grounding conductor will not have any ground fault protection.

Here is a quote from a book written by Henry Ott, 3.1.6 Separately Derived Systems.

Intentionally bonding, connecting, one lead of the secondary winding of the isolation transformer to earth ground, (the main grounding system of the home's electrical service), does not change the properties of the isolation transformer or the fact it still is a separately derived 120V system. What it does do is create a new Grounded Conductor, the Neutral Conductor. A new grounded AC power system derived from the main AC grounded electrical service power system it is fed from.
Jim