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enter image description hereI am installing a Z-wave switch (I have done others), but this one is different. There are three switches in this junction box. However, only one switch is grounded (not one I am installing), and the switch I am adding needs to be grounded.

The switch that is grounded appears to go into a 6 slot wire port with other copper wires. Does anyone know if this is grounding the entire box? The other wires are painted, but if scratched they are copper.

Worst case scenario I can jump the ground over to make switch work, but was hoping to understand the wiring a bit more if possible. Here is picture (top left is the ground coming from switch.

Hopefully this is enough info, but if not please let me know.

Thank You enter image description here

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  • I think that is the end all be all question I want answered. When I install my zwave switch, do I need to ground it? Or is the setup currently grounding all the switches.
    – Jason Nielsen
    Jul 24, 2017 at 13:42
  • Can you include another picture or two of the rest of the box? Hard to see what's going on with just the one picture
    – mmathis
    Jul 24, 2017 at 14:05
  • Hopefully, this will help you a bit more. Left switch is the one that is grounded. Middle switch is one I am replacing with z-wave. The first yellow clip is what I assume is grounding the box or switches? The ground from the left goes into the yellow box. The yellow in the back is the neutral wires.
    – Jason Nielsen
    Jul 24, 2017 at 14:27
  • Sorry, not first yellow clip. It is the white clip underneath it. First yellow is definitely not ground :)
    – Jason Nielsen
    Jul 24, 2017 at 14:34

2 Answers 2

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Looks like the left switch is grounded, the middle switch is not grounded but should be and the right switch may be grounded (can't tell from the pictures). Since the box is plastic, there is no way that they are all grounded. Run a wire to pigtail the middle switch (and possibly right switch) to the ground wire.

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No, it is not, the middle switch clearly shows a green ground screw that is unconnected. This is wrong and would be a code violation.

A solution would be to pigtail the ground connection to all the switch grounds.

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  • Thank you Jon and Glen for the answers. That is what I was wondering. Looks like I will just pigtail the ground wires. The left switch was only one grounded in the switch, which I had called the electrician and question why it wasn't done. Question if anyone has opinion? Should I cut the ground wire and split it with wire nut, or just wrap copper around the ground. Again, thank you everyone.
    – Jason Nielsen
    Jul 24, 2017 at 15:21
  • @JasonNielsen Get more ground wire, and use a wire nut which is more secure than just wrapping around the copper.
    – Jon
    Jul 24, 2017 at 15:30

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