All Questions
1,077 questions
0
votes
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answer
148
views
Grounding for exterior cable/phone interface boxes
I have a cable and phone (currently unused) media boxes on the outside of the house to which the service is connected from the alley aerially. The picture does not show the conduit that goes between ...
- 7,584
0
votes
1
answer
458
views
Replacing a 4-gang standard switches with smart Kasa switches
I am trying to replace a 4-gang standard switches with Kasa smart switches.
How do I connect all the neutral white wires from the switches to the white neutral bundles in the box?
There are too many ...
- 47
2
votes
1
answer
208
views
Can I use a 6AWG ground wire for a 100A feeder that has a section SER 1-1-1-3 and a section THHN?
I'm running a feeder to a 100A sub-panel. The total run is about 90 feet. 60 feet is in an attic, and I'm planning to use Aluminum SER 1-1-1-3, the other 30 feet is through a 1.5" PVC conduit on ...
- 707
1
vote
1
answer
371
views
How to Ground flexible metal conduit (FMC)
I’m looking to run 3 circuits 20A 120VAC (3 wires per circuit; H,N,& G, 12 gauge THHN) together through 3/4” FMC. Circuits will have ground fault and arc protection breakers. Residential basement ...
- 11
3
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Does adding an explicit ground wire to EMT conduits provide any advantages?
I am well aware that NEC allows the EMT conduit to be used as grounding conductor.
In my home, there is no dedicated grounding wire through the EMTs. I know this is fine.
When I recently got HP/HPWH ...
- 1,700
1
vote
0
answers
110
views
Does a subpanel at boat lift need grounding rods?
I have a boat lift that is wired with 8/3+insulated ground (240v). I want to add a subpanel at the lift to install a 120 outlet and future overhead lights. Initially, I will have a GFCI 240 breaker ...
- 11
2
votes
1
answer
5k
views
Common ground wire for multiple circuits with different wire sizes
I'm wiring my workshop and want to use a common ground wire for multiple circuits. I've found several answered questions here about using a common ground wire but I haven't found one for my specific ...
- 41
0
votes
1
answer
74
views
How far does my grounding wire wander?
I don't know if my question is even answerable, but I'd appreciate any insight.
My home was built pre-1960. There is a grounding wire that goes into the ground (obviously) around 6 inches from the ...
0
votes
1
answer
217
views
Ground has power
Half of circuit works other half doesn't, until I use ground wire instead of neutral with black wire. Why does white wire read only 53V? All wires are hooked up the way they were previously and there ...
- 1
0
votes
0
answers
212
views
14 volts on bare copper ground wire at light switch with breaker off & low volts on hot wire with breaker on
so I have two light switches on each end of our hallway that controls the hall lights (3 way switches). For years it hasn't worked or one of the switches were bad, because you could wiggle it, and the ...
0
votes
1
answer
292
views
splice ground wires together in conduit bodies
Is it against code to crimp(Bond) ground wires together inside conduit bodies or to extend the ground. a city inspector(Bronx) stated it was not up to code and I'm unable to find any information on ...
-2
votes
1
answer
78
views
Are Marbonite tiles good electrical insulator
I know whenever we handle Circuit breaker or Main Supply lever at home.
We have to wear a footwear which is non-conductive and insulated glove.
My question is , As far as I'm aware a tile which is not ...
- 117
1
vote
1
answer
631
views
Can I ground only part of my house?
Background:
My house was built in the 50s (I think) or thereabout. Hence the electrical wiring reflects the understanding of that time and is not the way that current (2023) code and safety ...
- 139
2
votes
2
answers
3k
views
How do I properly ground a 12V off-grid solar system?
I have a 12V DC system I just built (see image below), which I intend to ground to the DC negative side (see dotted green lines) but not quite sure if it's correct / best-practice.
From what I've read ...
GG Grubar
1
vote
1
answer
58
views
Grounding in a main panel and indoor subpanel
Our outdoor main panel does not have a ground bar, but there is stranded bare wire that leaves the panel and goes through conduit into the ground. We want to add breakers to this box for a spa panel, ...
- 11
0
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Running power to detached garage
The time has come for me to run power to my detached garage. A little bit of background - I am well versed in all aspects of home improvement, am fairly comfortable and have done my fair share of ...
- 247
1
vote
1
answer
325
views
How do I properly ground metal conduit (outdoor application)?
I am trying to add an exterior outlet to the rear of my house using an existing circuit that was once wired to a floodlight, and want to make sure I am grounding the circuit properly with my ...
- 11
3
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Can I use bare aluminum wire for a ground in conduit?
Can I use #8 bare aluminum wire for a ground with 3 insulated #8awg wires in PVC pipe? I have this wire just lying around. Or should I use all insulated wires?
1
vote
3
answers
122
views
Grounding rod conflicts with circuit tester
I built an off-grid shed with solar system. The output from the solar panels goes to a charge controller, then to a 12V LiPO4 battery. I convert the 12V from the battery to 120V ac using a 1500W ...
- 11
3
votes
1
answer
339
views
Should I oversize conduit and grounding wire size?
I'm getting ready to place my materials order and have a few last details/checks I could use help with. This is for installing a subpanel in a detached pump house. I'm putting a 60 amp two-pole ...
- 121
2
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Add Junction Box for Double Oven
California house built in the 1960s. Here's the existing junction box for the ovens. Ovens are busted and needed to be replaced
Right away, I am confused:
Red looks like 8 AWG
Black, White look ...
- 145
3
votes
3
answers
624
views
NEC gurus: What does condition 2 mean in the exception to subsection 250.32(B)(1), to not run an equipment ground in a feeder to an out building?
I'm trying to understand the exception in the NEC, subsection 250.32(B)(1), which gives permission to use the grounded conductor as the ground fault current path. Apparently, in earlier code cycles ...
- 1,056
0
votes
1
answer
174
views
Is my ceiling box sufficiently grounded?
I just installed a new (ceiling fan rated) metal ceiling box (something like this) and a new ceiling fan. After completing everything, I just remembered that I forgot to explicitly ground the ceiling ...
- 1
3
votes
1
answer
327
views
Two prong outlet with a bare ground wire attached to the neutral?
This is not the "normal" problem of a bootlegged ground.
We have a standard old outlet box with some cloth wires, but also some bare (I think) aluminium wire hooked up to the neutral.
See ...
- 131
0
votes
1
answer
65
views
Is this an outdoor ground rod?
This is outside my house. I can't find any wires going to it. Is this a ground rod? Is it safe to run new ground wire from the house to it? Due to the rust, should I remove it and install a new 8ft ...
- 209
2
votes
1
answer
360
views
Size of conductor from UFER to main panel upgrade
I am doing a service upgrade from 100 to 400A. I recently passed the mandrel inspection for the conduit. The power company, PG&E, now wants a meter release from the city. I met with the city ...
- 983
0
votes
1
answer
120
views
Dead Electrical Leg - Ground or wire-nut and “Abandon”/Tuck?
I have a mess of a “finished” basement in CA (California) that was wired atleast 4x 1922, 1940-50, 1980 and again in 2020, before I came to own the pile of garbage.
I am redoing a lot of the wiring ...
- 125
11
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Is this outlet safely grounded?
I was replacing one of the outlets in the kitchen in my home and I noticed the ground wire goes to a screw on the back plate of the outlet box, and a green ground wire runs from the same screw on the ...
- 113
1
vote
2
answers
90
views
AWG for grounding Romex circuits that meet EMT
Consider 3/4" EMT running from a main panel to a workshop. It has THHN wires for a 240V 30A circuit and a 120V 20A. The EMT is the ground.
In the workshop, the EMT ends at a metal box, and from ...
- 133
2
votes
2
answers
543
views
How do I connect a separately run equipment ground to a grounding electrode conductor? [duplicate]
Jurisdiction
Kentucky, USA; 2017 NEC / NFPA 70
Background
I live in a house built in the 50s that was originally wired with ungrounded outlets. Many parts of the house have been rewired, but a room ...
- 123
0
votes
2
answers
752
views
Self-grounding clip
If a receptacle has a self-grounding clip and is being installed in a metal box, but the metal box does not have ground, does the clip itself provide ground?
- 1
1
vote
0
answers
65
views
2 out of 3 sets of (black) wires in receptacle are hot
I am trying to replace old receptacles in my 1952 home.
None of the receptacles have ground wires, so I am replacing the first ones on the line to protect the ones connected to the load using a GFCI ...
- 11
0
votes
2
answers
266
views
Ground bus for sub panel?
I am replacing an old fuse box in our (detached) garage with a modern breaker panel. What I've discovered is that the breaker boxes I can get from Home Depot have a neutral bus in them, but no ground ...
- 123
5
votes
3
answers
3k
views
Is this form of self grounding outlets really safe?
I am installing some of these outlets (link to lowes.com or link to amazon.com) which claim to have automatic grounding.
It looks to me like the grounding is provided solely by that little strip of ...
- 981
0
votes
1
answer
134
views
Safely dealing with an "open ground" temporarily
We have a few outlets with an open ground (the power does work). But because of the bad heat right now, I can't ask an electrician to go up in the attic to investigate until the winter.
I'd like to ...
- 103
2
votes
2
answers
475
views
Can I wire smart switch to two panels?
I've seen some similar questions but not my exact situation (forgive me if I missed it).
I am wanting to replace a switch that controls the light in my swimming pool with a smart switch.
Background...
...
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2
votes
1
answer
45
views
Separate structure subpanel electrode grounding - Rod count and separation requirements
Having a subpanel replaced in garage (60 amp). No prior electrode grounding exists, which needs to be added. Most information I've come across cites use of 2 electrodes, minimally spaced 6 feet apart ...
- 21
0
votes
1
answer
272
views
Can I reuse the old dryer wiring for a generator plug? it's missing a ground
My generator needs a four wire connection but the dryer plug is only a three wire type. Can I just run a new ground wire along the path of the dryer wires? I know that electrically it would work but ...
3
votes
3
answers
597
views
Is GFCI and surge suppressor needed on a grounded 3-prong plug?
Recently a plumber installed a VIQUA IHS12-D4 Whole Home Integrated UV Water Treatment at our cottage. It plugs into a standard wall electrical socket with a 3-prong plug. The socket and panel are ...
- 209
5
votes
1
answer
514
views
NEC 250.148: Can I splice separate circuit grounding wires to a junction box's grouding wire, resulting in a single grounding wire exiting the box?
Working on my first electrical project (laundry room conversion), so all of this is new to me.
I'm splicing one 20A and one 30A circuit within a steel junction box to transfer from NM-B to THWN-2 for ...
- 67
0
votes
2
answers
557
views
Ungrounded outlet, power strip with ground LED, mild shocks
I moved into an older house with mostly ungrounded circuits. I do plan to upgrade the electrical system to install a proper ground, but I needed to get my workstation up and running right away for ...
- 154
2
votes
2
answers
498
views
Do I remove the screw keeper on a self-grounding outlet?
I'm installing Leviton 16252 Backwire Outlets into properly grounded metal boxes. These are self-grounding outlets, so I will, thankfully, be leaving the green screw alone.
At one mounting screw is ...
- 48k
0
votes
1
answer
251
views
Would bonding the neutral and ground wires together inside the main service panel cause a GFI breaker to trip?
To avoid routing the ground to a separate bus bar to keep a workman-like appearance, can the neutral and ground be bonded inside the main service panel and then sent to the plug-on neutral bus bar ...
- 409
1
vote
2
answers
125
views
Why don't plug-on ground panelboards seem to exist?
If I understand correctly, plug-on neutral panelboards allow GFI/AFI breakers to be installed without running a separate neutral wire (pigtails) from the breaker to the neutral bus bar, and they have ...
- 409
0
votes
1
answer
699
views
Grounding stranded aluminum wire to junction box - 240v, for stove
I am attempting to replace a 110v outlet with a 240v outlet. This outlet is behind the stove in my kitchen. It was formerly powering a gas range, and this new outlet will be used for an electric range....
7
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Is it a problem that ground was used a neutral for a 120v branch off a range circuit?
Condition: My house is 37 years old and our kitchen remodeler (not an electrician) did the following. He tapped into one of the oven’s 120 volt legs to power a 120 volt duplex receptacle. There is no ...
- 71
0
votes
1
answer
174
views
Why does one wire cause entire service panel to be hot? [closed]
There is one 20 amp breaker with one small black wire connected to it. When flip this breaker on then everything in my service panel is showing to be hot/ live volts. Every wire, neutral, ground... ...
0
votes
2
answers
61
views
Subpanel grounding add ground
I have a 100 amp subpanel and is fed with a #2-3 AWG so i have no grounding just a neutral. Instead of replacing the wire because it is still good, can i just run a seperate ground wire #8 from the ...
- 1
3
votes
1
answer
288
views
Ensuring building ground is safe and code-compliant
Summary: My electrician plans to install 2 ground rods and a continuous ground wire to the front spigot where the water enters the home. How can I make sure that it's legal and code-compliant?
One ...
- 71
1
vote
2
answers
159
views
Is my plan to update ground rods at my service panels reasonable?
My older home is currently grounded with what looks like two lengths of old rebar driven vertically in the ground. I know that the last time the grounding was touched was over 20 years ago, and I ...
- 439