All Questions
1,077 questions
5
votes
1
answer
1k
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Can a single metal electrical box use two ground clips?
Inside a metal electrical box, can I use multiple ground clips (one for each conductor), or is it required that all ground conductors be twisted together and pigtailed into the same clip?
- 10.4k
3
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Is it possible to detect from the power outlet if there would be current that needs grounding?
In my house we have 2 outlet power sockets (no earth) and whenever I charge my laptop I would get electric shock from the laptop when I am touching ground like if I hold laptop on my lap and touch the ...
Ahmed
6
votes
3
answers
2k
views
How to use grounded European plug of coffee maker correctly in middle east countries?
I have bought a coffee maker with a European plug which doesn't have a grounding pin like our plugs here in Israel have. Here is a picture of the splitter I use and the European power plug:
As seen ...
- 163
11
votes
3
answers
5k
views
Is an ungrounded GFCI outlet safer than a plumbing-grounded non-GFCI outlet?
I'm in the United States. I have a handful of three-prong outlets that have been grounded to the underground water main just as it enters the crawlspace. All of the ground wires are home runs to the ...
- 2,445
4
votes
4
answers
28k
views
GFCI not tripped, but no current downstream
I have an outside shed with a non-GFCI outlet and a light fixture. Only the light is controlled by a switch. The shed is wired off of an outside GCFI outlet. Everything, including the outlet, was ...
- 472
3
votes
1
answer
1k
views
What is this orange clip my ground wire is connected to?
I am trying to replace a dome light with a nice small ceiling fan. When disassembling the old light, I notice an odd orange/clear clip connecting the lights ground to the house. What is this called, ...
user6769
5
votes
2
answers
8k
views
Why does my computer have a ground fault only when a peripheral is attached?
I have a weird problem regarding grounding:
I have a computer, printer and a LCD screen connected to the electric outlet through a power strip. My computer is zapping me when I touch the body so I ...
- 175
2
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Potential wall socket fault
I'm remodeling a room and sorting up a rat's nest of questionable electrical practices... boxes hiding in the wall, wall fixtures being used to branch circuits, etc.
At this point, all of the hard ...
- 892
4
votes
2
answers
122k
views
How do I know what size grounding conductor is required?
Is there an international standard that specifies the size of the grounding conductor to bond a metallic part of the installation to a grounding bar?.
And to connect the grounding bar to the ...
miguelao75
6
votes
1
answer
21k
views
How can I determine if my receptacles are grounded, and how can I fix it if they are not?
My upstairs office has 3-prong outlets, but according to my surge suppressor, they are not grounded. I took one of the sockets off to inspect how it was wired, and it seems to have a ground wire ...
- 205
3
votes
3
answers
20k
views
Can a grounding issue with newly installed light fixtures cause a short circuit/blown fuse?
I have installed three lights (60 Watt Bulbs) on the same line (wire) connected to one light switch. The fuse blew when I hit the switch. I’ve connected all of the white to white and black to black....
- 31
3
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Japan: Can I ground a dishwasher by connecting it to a sink?
This is a question about electrical safety in Japan. I know this isn’t a Japanese forum, but my Japanese isn’t up to much, and everyone I can ask either knows nothing about electrical safety or ...
- 145
6
votes
3
answers
11k
views
How can I add a grounding conductor to my early 20th century electrical system?
I live in a old house (built in 1918), and because their was no electricity back then, all electricity was added after, and weird enough, nothing has a ground.
So, I'm having problem with my washing ...
- 186
7
votes
3
answers
33k
views
Can I extend an electrical ground wire with a copper wire crimp?
I am working with an electrical socket and I need extra length on the ground wire. It doesn't seem unreasonable that I can attach an extra three inches to the existing one and attach it with a copper ...
- 5,912
47
votes
7
answers
290k
views
Why does this receptacle have the ground tied to the neutral?
I was replacing some outlets in my house with tamper-resistant ones, and came across one where the white and ground were wired together, as seen in this picture. Why? Is that okay or appropriate ...
- 882
11
votes
6
answers
38k
views
Acceptable ground to neutral voltage?
First of all I'm pretty sure I know the theory behind the effect. I know about the inductive and capacitive coupling, about 3-phase balance problems and about ground bounce, so this question isn't ...
- 539
6
votes
4
answers
24k
views
What could cause the ground wire on my baseboard heater to burn?
On the photo below, you can see that the ground wire as burned.
Description of what i know:
the wire is connected on a 240V line to my baseboard heater
the wire seems to be a AWG 14/2
I don't know ...
- 481
4
votes
4
answers
9k
views
How can I upgrade a 3 wire appliance receptacle to a 4 wire receptacle?
I have a cabin, wired for 220 and even has a sub-breaker near the outlet. There are 3 wires to the connector (two hots and the neutral). The range-top that I want to hook up is a 4-wire model (2 ...
8
votes
3
answers
4k
views
How can I ground old 2-prong receptacles? (120V)
I have several old receptacles that are 2-prong. There is armored cable running from the breaker panel to each receptacle. What do I need to do in order to install and properly ground new 3-prong ...
- 6,471
7
votes
2
answers
11k
views
How can I determine if my outlets can easily be grounded?
I'm not sure what to do here. I just moved into a building and my outlets are all 2 prong outlets. Here is what I know of for sure:
All the outlets are 2 prong outlets
The bathroom outlet has the red/...
- 385
6
votes
5
answers
46k
views
Does a grounding wire from a breaker panel to an outside grounding rod need to be in conduit?
I've got a breaker panel in my detached garage (it is not a sub-panel, but is a primary forked off just past the meter). The panel seems to be wired correctly- the neutral and ground bars are tied ...
- 5,155
8
votes
1
answer
3k
views
Does a device with a two prong plug need surge protection?
I have an iPhone and iPad whose power adapters are both two-prong. Since I cannot ground them in a surge protector, is it necessary that these devices even be used with a surge protector?
user2676
2
votes
1
answer
15k
views
Is earthing required for a submersible water pump?
I have a submersible water pump with a power cable that ends with a three-pronged plug with a protective neutral contact. Having a matching outlet is problematic - there are only unearthed outlets at ...
- 9,697
2
votes
1
answer
2k
views
How can I make a fake ground output?
I'm having problems with my electrical oven: I get shocked when I touch it. I think the way to solve this is to connect the ground wire it has (the green wire) to ground?
The problem with that is ...
- 129
0
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Does a fridge thermostat need a ground connection?
I've recently replaced the thermostat in my fridge with a new unit with a much higher temperature range (this unit specifically).
The unit I took out had a ground connector & the original wiring ...
- 103
6
votes
1
answer
8k
views
Should I bond a water softener's in/out pipes?
Our house was built in 1997. The pipes are copper (including the city water supply pipe). Some time after the house was built, the previous owners installed a water softener. The softener parts are ...
- 3,473
32
votes
5
answers
508k
views
Is it ok to have mixed grounds and neutrals on bars in a breaker box?
So to continue my line of electrical questioning (and perhaps narrow down my flickering light problem), I took a look through the two panels in this house. There is a 200amp main service in the ...
- 5,155