How To Ground And Bond A Metal Electrical Box
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 13 ก.พ. 2021
- In this video I will show you how to correctly bond a metal 4 square box. I want to be clear that you need to use a separate ground screw and a wire that is separate to the ground from your incoming power. Once you figure out how to bond a metal box it will make you confident in your electrical abilities.
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I work Home Depot electrical sure I’ve learned a lot since being there but at the end of the day I sell parts not the service so any DIY folks that come in asking for advice I’m sending them here haha
One of the best comments that I have had. I really appreciate you watching and commenting and sending all of your people over to me. Have a great day ☺
imagine a world where you could do both.
you must be that DUUUUUUDE I spoke with the other day. LOL
Thank you for helping out a fellow TH-cam, currently installing some 12/2 mc to add outlets for lighting our new shop and indoor riding arena, have a pretty good understanding but the here and there tips that I’m picking up from you are going to make a big difference. Thank you!
My pleasure I appreciate you watching and commenting.
You make it look easy. Great job, you answered all my questions! Keep the videos coming.
Awesome I appreciate you watching and commenting ☺
I installed a ceiling fan last night and this video was super helpful. I ended up grounding to my electrical box and used this pigtail method. Thank you!
Awesome. Thanks for watching and commenting ☺
Thank you very much. I'm in my electrical trades class during high school and just started yesterday doing this stuff and I've been watching amazing videos like yours. Thank you.
Awesome congratulations and my best advice is to follow the code and keep an open mind to whatever anyone shows you.I learn something new everyday. I appreciate your comment and watching ☺
Hey - just wanted to thank you for this video. Always been too uneasy with electrical - but after watching this, decided to update a electrical box in the basement following your video. Last owner wired the basement in the 80s - no ground wires or screw, metal boxes. I'm gonna check out your other vids too now. Thanks.
Good deal man, I appreciate the time you took to watch my videos. Have a great day ☺
You are so good!!! Clear explanations, good examples and providing the names of the parts and the tools in your information. I will watch more of your videos. I learned a lot.
Awesome I appreciate it ☺
Thanks to this video, I NOW know what I did wrong! Thank you for sharing with the rest of us DIY'ers.
Definitely my pleasure and I thank you for your comment and watching
After watching this, I opened up a metal receptacle box in my basement that I needed to work on. The ground wire was wrapped around the ground screw and the two ground wires were merely twisted together with no wire nut. This was done by a professional electrician! Re-did the way you showed here (along with your ground nut video). Thanks!
Awesome glad that my video helped you. Alot of guys especially older ones in my experiences do it like that. Is it right no, but unfortunately they do it like that for so long that they believe it's right.
Thank you for the clear explanation and example. I've the confidence to redo my bathroom and bedroom without fearing I'm going to mess up.
My pleasure thanks for watching and commenting ☺
Fantastic video. That plus the Q & A section answered all my questions. Thank you!
Awesome.. I appreciate you watching and commenting ☺
Then you so much for these videos!! I'm in a mechatrontics program and electrical makes my head spin, these are great!!
I appreciate your comment. Thanks for watching ☺
Just subscribed. Nicely done. Omg - Its about time someone illustrates and provides a sample on “how to,” especially the CORRECT way. Tired of hearing different people say “you’ll be fine” your whole house is grounded. “You don’t need a ground.” Smh. Great job. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you and welcome to the mountaineer outdoors family. I really appreciate you watching and commenting
Great video! This video explained exactly what i needed to know. Thank you!
My pleasure thanks for watching and commenting ☺
Thank you so much. This video is extremely helpful for those who are learning the ropes like me.
My pleasure thanks for watching and commenting ☺
Awesome tip on bending hook in ground wire. So simple. Wasnt aware of that method. Thanks
Thank you for your comment and watching ☺
Great video! I have a square bit (robertson #2) screw driver for these green ground screws. It holds on the tiny screws without falling. I also have a tiny robertson #1 to drive set screws for devices.
As for the direction of the hook. I forget sometimes, but it's the reflected version of the question mark. So "no question" is what I tell myself to remind of the orientation.
Those Robertson are good. And they way you remember on how put the wire on is genius. Thanks for watching and commenting ☺
Nice video. For all the more curious folks out there the box in this video doesn't need to be bonded to the box because he is using BX wire(metal sheathing is the ground), I am of course assuming it goes to the panel or another 4x4 that is bonded. I also might clear up that your ground screw does not need to be a green machine screw, the code book states the screw only needs to be green for the devices(switch, outlet etc..) the bonding wire needs to be green or green w yellow stripe but only if insulated. Bare wire is fine for this application. Most of use just buy pre made 12 gauge pigtails that have a green screw but if you can't find any you have an alternative. Some but not all jurisdictions allow self grounding receptacles instead of the grounding pigtails.
Very well said thank you for your comment and watching
Thanks for this video. Answered my question about if I needed to ground if I was just using junction box as a pulling point.
Glad that this helped you ☺
Thank you for making this video, it helped a bunch, I had no idea how to bond jump and 1900 box lol.
My pleasure thanks for watching and commenting ☺
That’s awesome video I will do it when working on it
lol, i really appreciated the outtake intro, that was nice!
😂 😂 Thanks. Have a great day ☺
Hey and thanks for the video, super helfpul!
Question: what is the last piece of ground wire you attached to it for? Is it to simulate if you had a receptacle or branching of to another box?
Yes a receptacle
Very clear information. Thank you.
My pleasure thanks for watching and commenting ☺
Clear and entertaining; thank you.
My pleasure thanks for watching and commenting ☺
Great video .cant wait for the next 👍
I appreciate it. There are alot more on the way for sure
Great video. Do I have to use a metal box and mc cable for my basement where there are no finished walls I can mount it to? Could I just build a wall segment and mount it flush to that so I can get away with using plastic?
Excellent info! Thanks!
My pleasure thanks for watching and commenting ☺
Nice. I like your sense of humor! Is it against code to put stranded 12ga wire onto a receptacle screw? Or do you always need to solid wire?
No you can pull it to the Recep but you will need to add a fork terminal or add a wire nut and a solid piece of wire to it
It definitely takes more time, and I have had to do this with my old house that seems to need custom work at every turn, but have had to drill and tap new holes for the green grounding screw with metal j-boxes. Not ideal for making good time, but what else to do.
Better safe than sorry for sure.
Very nice video. I found out just today that the electrician that wired this house back in 1994 didn't bond the box for my electric cooktop and it is a box just like the one in your video (no raised dimple for the ground screw). It is mounted to the back panel of the cabinet. I think if I just try to screw the ground screw in, it will likely strip the box like you mentioned. But wouldn't running a drywall screw through the hole also screw up the threads for the ground screw? I was thinking of marking the hole, then taking the box off and drilling out the back of the cabinet where the ground screw would go.
So the short answer is yes, mark the box take it off the wall then drill out the spot. Running drywall screw will mess up your threads.
The best video! Thank you.
My pleasure thanks for watching and commenting ☺
Hi i am installing a outdoor weather box running conduit It is a 60’s built no ground wire from my power source. I will have a GFI receptacle wired properly to protect remaining receptacles your thoughts on the ground wire. Thanks for your videos I have learned how to bend conduit from them 👍
My opinion is this. Can you drive a ground rod to your garage and add that ground wire to your garage panel? Then you can replace the wire from the your panel in the garage to your receptacles and all will have a ground. You adding a gfci will satisfy the code but it is not creating a ground.
Mountaineer Outdoors thank you for the reply much appreciated. This wiring is from an existing 2 wire feed to the porch area were I am going from the two wire feed to a metallic box than emt and boxes. I anticipated you would recommend a ground added. So the home panel is very inaccessible as far as the wiring distance to the outdoors. I visioned adding a ground rod than run the ground to the weather receptacle box . Your thoughts.
Thank you for all you do !!!!
So do you have a panel in the garage??? if you dont and your planning on adding a ground rod, I would run it to a grounding bridge block which you can google to find exactly what I am talking about. That way you can add more ground wires to items. Although it is not code to run a ground wire outside of a conduit or a romex to feed devices.
@@MountaineerOutdoors thanks again mike for your reply
Always my pleasure ☺
Cool, thanks for the help brother.. the bending the hook part helped me a ton!! That stupid 12/3 ground popped off on a cheap light socket and this little trick did the 'trick
Awesome glad to hear that this helped you. I appreciate you watching and commenting ☺
Thank you for your video. I have a 1970s home with an electrical outlet that has AC cable running into it (hot/black is copper, neutral/white is copper but the armored cable has a thin aluminum ribbon that connects to the ground screw on the outlet. I want to add another electrical box in my shop and tie it into this outlet with the AC (the new outlet has a 14/2 Romex). When I bring the Romex copper ground into the original metal box, should I ground it into the metal box? Should I take the aluminum ground from the AC cable and screw it to the original box too in a separate spot? I do not want to tie an aluminum ground together with a copper one.
You definitely can do it just as you have written here. Thanks for watching and commenting ☺
Excellent video. What is the drill attachment you used that slides to hold the drywall screw?
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I like the video. I agree with everything except in certain situations when you have surface mounted boxes and you are using your raceway as the egc then no bonding jumper is required and the yoke contacting the box or yoke and cover contacting the box acts as the bonding jumper per NEC 250.146. I may be wrong but I see this type of installation often.
I don't think using conduit is considered a egc anymore. As far as the yoke you have to take off the Insulator tab behind the screw or make sure you are using a self grounding device
@@MountaineerOutdoors It is still acceptable to use the raceway as an egc per NEC 250.118. Although it is uncommon for electricians to do so as it is not well known. But I have seen it which prompted me to figure out why someone would not run a separate egc.
Yep your correct I looked it up. I was always taught that that was the old way. I wouldn't want to depend on that being my ground for sure. I really appreciate you teaching me something and giving me the code number.
I’m glad I was able to give some insight into proper grounding. Although you are right about not relying on the raceway as your egc. I wouldn’t want to trust it either.
Definitely I have seen rigid and emt both broken and come apart which at that point your ground is gone.
A smaller cap could also be applied to the additional wire to protect against exposure.
Thanks for your helpful videos ! I live in an older apt that does not have a ground wire , would adding a ground wire to the metal box alone provide protection?
Do you mean adding a wire that's starts at the ground rod or steel to the box? Or do you mean just from the box to the Recep? If it's older I may be in bx which they use to use the bx outer jacket as the ground?
You changed the name of your TH-cam channel and I couldn’t find you. Now, I am glad I did so resubscribed
Awesome, welcome back 😂. I changed it to niche down my channel a bit.
Great video. Thank you.
My pleasure thanks for watching and commenting ☺
Great video! Do you prefer the screw on connector more than wago? I will be doing this to my entire house and am unsure where to put the wires once in the main panel. The original installer was stupid.
I don't trust wagos I hear alot of good things about them just do not trust them.
In my (admittedly limited) experience using wagos in electronics low-voltage wiring, wagos don’t generate the same amount of compression force, so can’t stand up to strain the same way a properly twisted wire nut join can.
Thank you for your help!
My pleasure ☺
Great Video! I always do a mid strip in my ground wire, loop on the box ground screw and then use my excess for the switch or receptacle. Old timer taught me this, but i heard its against code. though im not sure why it would be, less connections / less resistance. How ever i do waste more wire doing this with MC cable because i pull two feet into box so ground is long enough. whats your opinion?
I believe that as long as it's not broken and in good condition send it. As far as I know most people do that and never been busted any inspector. Great question. Thanks for the comment and watching ☺
Beautiful wire stripping technique! Dual strippers are a great idea. Question: I've found that the threaded holes for ground screws will fit #10x32 machine screws. Is it a code violation to use any old steel machine screw if it's the right diameter and thread pitch, or does it have to be green?
Absolutely not it doesn't have to be green as long as it's a machined screw 10-32 is perfect.. Great question
My inspector will never allow a standard 10/32 machine screw for a ground wire due to the head is too small. Have used a 1/4" machine or hex headed cap screw with a ring terminal to ground say larger boxes ( 10 by 10" ) that do not have a tapped ground thread. As long as you remove the paint on both sides of box it will pass inspection. We always used a lock washers on screws or bolts used for grounding. If you are running 120,208 or 240 volts to nested combinations knockouts ( ex = 1/2 & 3/4" KO ) and using say 1/2" EMT conduit if you pull a ground wire you do not have to bind ever box to ground but usually do anyway.Hated when union sparkies pulled say #12 wires thru a 1900 box w/o any splices they seldom left any slack so they could have an extra penny in scrape copper. Then you would be forced to cut the wire at pipe exit then pull new wire from that box to first box downstream of it. Was great when they did this to 120 volt emergency red receptacles that feed critical equipment. Had to do a 3 Page write up then move starting time either back before or after 6 o'clock.
Do you still have to run a ground wire to the ground on the outlet? Thanks for the great video!
For Klein lineman pliers, what size do you recommend for home or DIY use? 8inch or 9?
D213? Or D2000?
My honest opinion is this. Hold both in your hands and which ever one feels the most comfortable buy them. You need to be comfortable using them. I prefer the 9 inch they fit my hand the best. Good luck and thanks for watching and commenting ☺
Question: Make a video where you explain when you HAVE to use a ground bushing connector when coming into a box. I normally only see them in main panels and sub panels. But I know there is a code that explains that are required when using either eccentric or concentric holes.
Great idea for a video. I'll definitely work on it
@@MountaineerOutdoors
Is it ready yet?
😂 😂 Nope unfortunately
Can you use this to ground an outlet in an older house that doesn't have a ground wire?
Appreciate the info. Is that bend twist, twist again and the bend the wire to form the wire hook true of any conductor that is screwed to a switch outlet etc. ?
Yeah I was wondering the same thing. I would think you would do that on the box to get a very secure ground connection, and it wouldn’t matter as much then doing just a normal hook on a receptacle or switch. But we need the pro to tell us!
Yes
Thanks for the informative video. If your ground wire comes into the box as a bare copper wire, is it okay to use that for bonding the box instead of green plastic coated?
Absolutely!! and good question. Thanks for watching and commenting
Question what if you have times that has an uninsulated ground wire. Can you still use it in metal boxes,using this method?
Yep ground it still
I have I detached Garage with no sub panel. Two UF Cables ran under ground to the garage. One 12/2 and one 12/3. Just replaced all mc cables and added new metal boxes. Does the pigtail in the first box create a chain of proper ground for every other box with a pigtail? Biggest electrical job I’ve taken on, so I’m trying to cover all my bases. Thank you!
Anywhere there is a device (switch or Recep or junction) has to be be grounded with a pigtail. I'm guessing the 12-3 is for a 3 way from the house to the garage? Always go the extra mile to make sure that you are safe. Redundancy is the best policy
@@MountaineerOutdoors yes there is a 3 way switch for the outside security light. I’m headed to go pick up some ground screws right now! Thank you so much for the quick reply and great video! Subscribed!
My pleasure and I appreciate your subscription.. Welcome to the mountaineer outdoors family ☺. Have a great weekend
Would the same grounding technique apply if you use a metal box on metal studs in a detached garage.
Yep grounding and bonding is very redundant.
If you're using a 4 gang box with 2 receptacles would you then pigtail the 4 grounds in one wire nut? (1 to ground the box, 1 from main box, 2 separate out to each respective outlet)? TIA
Yes you can wrap one of the grounds around the screw which will eliminate a separate wire from the box to the wire nut. And yes then you would run the two separate lines off that to your receps or switches. I hope that makes sense
So if a hot touched the metal box. Fault current would travel through that bonding wire through the receptacle back to your main panel?
I see pictures of panels that have a bonding wire connected from the inside side of the panel to the door of the panel? So how does that keep the whole panel from being energized?
I think I understand this question...the fault would travel out through the ground wires to earth or water ground and take the fault from you.
Learned a whole lot from your videos. Potentially dumb question: If attaching metal junction box to a metal stud, is there a chance that a fault would electrify the entire metal stud/building for a split second? Thank you.
Good question. The building steel is or should be grounded so it will definitely ground itself out. I doubt you would ever feel it.
@@MountaineerOutdoors Thanks!
My pleasure ☺
Awesome video with explaination! I have a question on 11:06 where you introduced a new (3rd) green wire. I am installing Ring fllodlight wired pro camera which comes with 3 wires and mounting bracket but no green screw. If I understood correctly, here in my situation, this 3rd green wire will be my ring camera wire ? Thanks!
I'm having the same problem. I thought it was always just me.
For light fixtures you do not need to pigtail the green. Just put all green wires together
Just omit the other green wire and put all green wires together
Hi I'm actually in the middle of doing this in my home, quick question so after you have bonded the ground pigtail and wires from the home, is the 3rd ground wire supposed to simulate the extension of the wire? My case I have to extend my cable by a foot.
I don't get it either.
I say use whatever screws you want, however, the contention is that drywall screws with the steel boxes create oxidation reaction and the screws rust. I use sheet metal screws. If code calls for a specific screw and an inspector checks, he can cite that as an impropriety.
Thanks for the great video. I have a question now, if i have an outdoor receptacle that does not have a ground and I'm unable to run a ground to the electrical box that is not grounded can i just make my own ground near the location of the receptacle with a grounding rod?
No by code you cannot. That could cause a whole lot of issues down the road bottom line is no
@@MountaineerOutdoors thank you. I figured that was the case. Do you have any videos on how to ground the whole system? I really just need this one outdoor outlet to be grounded.
Thank you for the video. You earned a subscriber in me. Couple questions though. I will be doing this with splicing Romex cables. But I understand there’s no insulation for the ground. Would it be the same method? Also can I use WAGOs instead of wire nuts?
Welcome to the family. And yes same method and you can use wagos. I'm not the biggest fan of them but they are U. L. Listed. Thank you for your comment and watching ☺
Question or you... if you ran 4 X 6 gauge THHN wires for a 240V outlet, how do you ground the box? It is or a single device and the 6 gauge cable is way too thick to ground on that little grounding screw. Thanks again for the great information..
Working on a video for this very thing
@Mountaineer Outdoors great lessons, I've learned a lot. I have a question I live in a 1962 house that have 2 Wire Outlets which are Open Ground. How can I make them into 3 Wire Outlets? Oh, I live in MinneSnowta too.
Rewire them or gfci
@@MountaineerOutdoors Oh boy, thank you so much. Now I need to figure out wiring or gfci.
th-cam.com/video/GyJNMG0JTE8/w-d-xo.html
What are the ramifications of improper bonding in residential settings?
Are you referring to code issues? If so you won't pass... For everything else you can run into water pipes that have power on them, appliances that have power on them. And possibly shock or death. You need to make sure that it's bonded
Is there anyway to flush mount a metal box like that? We are building a shop with 7/16 OSB on the walls and are required to use metal boxes, but we want the box inside the wall so the outlet/switch is flush.
Yes get a plaster ring. Then it will be perfect. They come in different sizes
Instead of using a pig tail ground wire, can you use the source ground wire by stripping a small section of it, wrap it clockwise around the painted ground screw lol, crimp it close, secure it and connect it to the load ground?
Great video. Is it ok to use a silver screw with a washer instead of a green screw
As long as its a machine type screw with at least 2 threads into the box your are fine. code on that is 250.8 (A)
Amazing video but how would u go about grounding with bx armored cable I understand it has its own bonding wire so how do we go about grounding an outlet or switch if the bx armored cable doesn’t have a copper ground
You will have to run new wire or use a gfci
Wouldn’t the outlet box or switch box itself be bonded can I just add a green screw with wire for the ground since it’s bonded with the bx armored cable I don’t know if I’m making any sense but hope it clear
So what you are saying is partly right. Bonded switch to box yes grounded no. I'm not sure the exact code right off but it's not legal anymore. I will have to look at it when I get home this weekend and I will let you know what I find out. From my experience though it's not and even though I probably showing ground I wouldn't trust it too many variable..
@@MountaineerOutdoorsI would appreciate that so much I’m working on my basement all my wires are bx armored cable with bonding
I want to add outlets when I test it all says correct wiring and when I test for proper ground reads 120 volts when I have the tester on black and white wire says the same when I put the tester on the black wire and the metal outlet box and would it be wise to splice and switch to romex
Two questions, (1) What is your opinion on how some electricians instead of doing a box ground pigtail they strip the sheath and loop the ground wire on the grounding screw? (2) Are there any 1900 boxes that come with 4 screw tabs so that when you put the industrial cover it actually secures at all the corners and not just on opposite corners, leaving the other two just as holes? Thanks for your reply. -Cheers
1 totally fine 2 I don't believe so at least none that I have seen.
Quick question - if I add a metal box extension to a properly grounded metal box, does the extension need to be grounded separately or will it be grounded through the metal to metal contact to the box? Thanks!
Great question, it would be grounded by the original box.
@@MountaineerOutdoors Thanks! Your videos are the best!
I appreciate it ☺.
Do I do anything different if I am screwing the box to a metal (aluminum) stud? Can I still ground it the same way?
Yep
Great video !!!
I appreciate it alot thanks for watching and commenting ☺
The 3rd short piece (that was tied together on the wire nut) of ground wire is what you tie to the ground screw on the device going in the box?
Yep
If you have splices from more than one circuit going through the same junction box, do all of the grounds have to be pigtailed to the box or just one of them?
Good question, but only one.
your videos are good. a question when I have metal cable like the one you are using but it only has black and white the same procedure is done for the ground I have a project to do at home but it would be great if you answered my question thank you greetings from Connecticut.
I am confused so there is no ground. So it's old bx wire. What exactly are you asking me I'm kinda confused?
yes, it is armored steel cable from an old house that I have, but it is with these cables that have only two wires inside, black and white. Thanks for answer.🙏
They use the bx as your ground. You just need to make sure that if Your panel is grounded it is all the way to that bx your working with.
Thank you
Is there any code violation for using the bare copper wire instead of the green one?
No but you must use a green screw
im new to all of this. im making a 30amp extension cord to run off my generator. im using 10G 30AMP extension cord as my wire. cutting the 3 head off it and making a 4 way box. i dont have any Grounding Pigtails. Could i use some of the Green wire out of the extension cord to make up a grounding pigtail ? Thanks
If it's stranded I would make sure you use a fork terminal then insert that under the ground screw.
Is the metal conduit necessary for proper grounding? Does the conduit have to be attached to anything in particular at the other end?
If you use metal conduit it's in tact from the panel to your box. This answer your question?
What is the Article 250 verbiage regarding bonding by means of the MC outer layer sheath/connector, or conduit especially RMC?
I worked industrial plant maintenance electrical for decades but did very little if any installations. I do however remember back in the days when a separate ground wire was not required when connected to metal raceway. Do you know when that rule changed and or the Article that addresses that topic/issue?
Thank you.
I'll have to look. But in conduit you can absolutely use the conduit as a ground without any extra ground wire. I personally don't think that is a good idea but perfectly legal
Could you also strip a mid point of the ground wire and bug the box ground wire to that middle section? With the end of that original wire then going to ground of the receptacle? It would make for one less wire to add
Thanks for the video!
Yes and I appreciate your watching and commenting
@@MountaineerOutdoors awesome thank you, didn’t know if there was a lower limit on wire gauge to what you can bug. Appreciate the video
I am an industrial electrician, from hard learned lessons never use 3 piece welded boxes on exposed work they are to easily broken, use only one piece drawn boxes for exposed work.
Fs boxes are good for sure
I have an odd setup I’m finishing. NM12-3 run into studs and then EMT for exposed beam in garage. Prior homeowner ran NM sheathed in 1/2”EMT which I know is wrong. So I have the 3 wires unsheathed inside the conduit part. The ground is bare ; is this a code failure? Should I run a separate green sheathed 12 gauge ground back to panel and hook my metal boxes and EMT to this 15 feet of EMT, connections and 3 outlets, 1 junction metal boxes? I have used bare ground but I do have sheathed ground wire available. Must I use a sheathed ground in each box or is it ok for bare ground? I’m currently hooking up the ground service wire to the conduit and boxes. The prior setup had no grounds at all to any of the EMT used. Also used handy boxes with no room and no pigtails and no bends. I successfully used your bending videos to bend my 1/2 EMT properly and have mad respect for anyone that does that shit regularly. 3/4” short was brutal to bend offsets. I got it though thanks to your advice and tips.
Dang what a good electrician he was 😂
I would run a sheathed 12ga through EMT and ground each steel box and rec. I would think running bare ground in EMT or MC would be against code but I’m interested to see what Mike has to say.
@@AlmostItalianBrothers yeah I do have access to a code book online, I find it easier to get straight answers from electricians on YT...lol...seriously though. If you want 1 million views and criticism just post your electrical video on YT and let the good times roll. I’m at a point that I can run my separate ground wire now and even pull out the bare ground and replace it with a single green ground for all the EMT run. I would just run the green ground back to the box in the stud wall that’s feeding the EMT. I have access now before i insulate and drywall so I want to be better. I have other shit that isn’t pure code but its safe. I just want a safer install. I’ll take your advice and pull some green sheathed ground wire. Removing the bare ground. Easy enough now...impossible later without ripping out drywall.
@@AlmostItalianBrothers as a side note about ground wire, I have an old 1962 split level and the dryer was just 3 wire 10 gauge. Since I had access to update the plug and the wiring back to the panel I added a ground wire and zip tied it to the service wire along its run also labeled it in the panel and brought it to the 4 wire plug for my dryer. Nice to have it be a 4 wire setup even though I know it isn’t really necessary but it is safer.
Ok by code you cannot run a ground wire separate from your wires in the conduit. You can bond the conduit with the ground you have already in your romex. You can run a bare ground wire inside the conduit with any hiccup. I will check for sure but 99% sure you can.
@@MountaineerOutdoors thanks so much for the information.!!
My house was built in 1929 and my wiring runs through the attic and all the lights all run off each other.I took one of the lights out of one of the rooms and was going to put a junction box in it’s place and there’s no ground wire just a old cloth black and white wire.Not sure what to do.
Do you have knob and tubing?
You don't need to twist your wires together if you use the proper wire nut(ie Ideal TWISTER wire nuts) and the Mc ground wire can be wrapped around the screw in the box if it is long enough. There are several right ways of doing that. Your way is right also. Drywall screws are usually more brittle and bush league for mounting boxes,IMO. Thanks, Russ, 28 years in the Electrical Trade.
I appreciate this comment and watching ☺ have a great day
Just bought a house and all metal electrical boxes are grounded via a ground wire and ground clip. The outlets are not grounded, but in using an outlet tester, it shows the outlet is wired properly. I need to install new outlets because the previous owner painted the outlets and you can see they are old. Do I need to get a ground wire to the outlet or is the ground wire that is connected to the clip to the box okay, since the tester shows the outlet is wired properly (both amber lights to the right are on and red light off on the tester).
Good question. So make sure you get self grounding receps. And/or you remove the plastic or fiber washer that hold on the screw to the receptacle so it makes metal to metal contact. Sounds like you have an older home? They use the bx or conduit as the grounding conductor which is totally fine.
Im in an old house from the 60s. Its 12 guage wire running through it but there is no ground. Can i just ground the receptical straight to the box or should i run a new wire with a ground from the fusebox
If it's conduit yes but you need to verify it's connected still. Over time alot of the pipe does come apart. Pipe is technically a ground if it's in tact
I decided to change a receptacle and found that metal box was wired like a plastic box, no ground wire to the box. I found a 10-32 threaded hole, so I did what you showed and everything seems fine. My question is, doesn't the receptacle itself ground the box by virtue of the mounting screws and contact with the box as long as the romex ground wire is connected to ground on the receptacle? When I tested the receptacle with a tester before and after it read "correct" and not "open ground"
So technically yes the yoke of the device im will ground it you will need to remove the little paper squares on the screws. If you have a metal box though it is still good to keep the ground on the box as well. As for the open ground. Open ground means that from the receptacle to the panel it's broken or not hooked up inside the panel. It doesn't have to do with the screw in the box. Hope that makes sense
@@MountaineerOutdoors Thanks for quick response and clarification of open ground.
Always my friend..
What was the reason for that 3rd wire you twisted woth the other 2 in the last part of the video?
For a receptacle or a switch
Hi, I’m replacing some two pronged receptacles in an older home and found that the wires in the metal box do not have a ground wire, just two b/w hot. Would it be sufficient to bond the ground bolt on the receptacle to the metal box itself?
No the only way to satisfy the code is to put in a gfci or another 2 prong receptacle.
@@MountaineerOutdoors what is a gfci? I too have a ceiling box with only b/w wires and no ground wire. If I do a ground install like you did in the video would that suffice?
Ceiling box is it a receptacle.
@@MountaineerOutdoors not entirely true. if the wires were run with BX, emt, rigid and so forth. the armor is bonded at the panel and it constitutes as an egc.
True
Does it matter how old the metal box is for adding a ground wire to it and can I use any screw that fits or if it already has a screw even if it isn’t green
Code says it has to be machine screw.. Green is irrelevant as long as it's a machine type screw. The age of the box doesn't matter either
If you are plum out of ground screws, can you paint a regular screw green?
It honestly doesn't have to be green just machine type screw threads
What fitting connector could be used to secure the installation of one metal electrical box directly on top of the other?
Thanks
Are you referring to back to back or back to front?
@@MountaineerOutdoors bottom to top '"one metal electrical box directly on top of the other"
So you can Ground to the 2x4? Also what the 3rd free floating green wire for?
You cannot ground wood and the 3 rd wire is a pig tail
@@MountaineerOutdoors I looked thru several of my homes. Everyone one of them have the ground wire into wood 4x4s. Every video I seen also uses 4x4 to screw in the ground wire. So I going to say they do ground into wood.
can you use bare copper solid wire for the ground wire?
Absolutely
Hear me out what do you do if it’s a double outlet and another 12/2 wire going to the next outlet ? And do you treat the bare ground the same as a coated?
Grounds are grounds unless you have isolated grounds then it's different. So tie them all together. Unless they are definitely isolated grounds
Could rubber washer insulators be used with a wood screw on either side of the box wall?
Not to ground the box. Has to be of machine type
Isn't the ground screw when installed in the metal box touching the stud behind the box? Is that ok for a ground?
If you are using boxes like I have it's raised up. Are you referring to boxes that don't have them? If so it could be
Is there anything wrong with a ground wire connecting/making contact with a junction box in more than one place? I've got a light fixture install going on...I can't prevent the bare ground wire from touching the side of the metal romex where it enters. I will connect the ground wire to the fixture's ground screw... just wondering if it will matter that then the wire will touch the box metal in 2 spots. Thanks
Nope ground wire touching the box is totally fine
@@MountaineerOutdoors much appreciated 👊
Do u have a video on how to ground receptacles on old wiring? Like old wiring in a old building.. 🤔
th-cam.com/video/2I4HrJRZklM/w-d-xo.html