Questions tagged [grounding]
Grounding (also called earthing) refers to the practice of providing an un-energized path back to the main neutral. This is done to allow any electrical faults to flow into that circuit, instead of anyone touching the fault. Use with the [electrical] tag.
911
questions
12
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Should a device with a non-polarized plug touching hot and ground trip a breaker?
I have the following:
a NEMA 5-20 receptable (typical 20amp grounded receptacle) mounted in an exposed work cover on a metal box fed with 12ga conductors through EMF.
a typical string of holiday ...
- 235
0
votes
1
answer
87
views
Had to replace breaker box after power spike
Starting on 12/27/22 after a massive wind storm we lost power. 3 days later after using generator with no issues the main power came back on. From that moment the power started to flicker, dim, ...
- 11
0
votes
1
answer
66
views
4 prong dryer install problem
Moved and went from 3 prong to 4 prong but dryer will only run if the green is touching neutral have tried putting green in the spot of previous ground stap and dryer does nothing
10
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Is there a proper earth ground point in this switch box?
During humid, wet days, the phases of our house(two units) electrical system drift from another. Both phases go to each unit. One phase might be 90 volts while the other phase is 130 volts. After a ...
- 203
2
votes
1
answer
820
views
This 1950s metal box was ungrounded so I added a ground line. Do I need that if the wires are GFCI protected?
I have replaced all old outlets with existing wiring (no ground) on 20 amp circuits in 1950 home with new tamper resistant 20 amp decora outlets.
Before doing this I had an electrician trace for ...
- 41
2
votes
1
answer
115
views
Can I ground a detached garage to adjacent soil instead of connecting back to the panel?
I have a 50s house that has some 10/3 without ground for 240v/30a running to the garage.
It's easier to run a ground wire to the outside of the garage and to the earth than it is back to the panel. Is ...
- 21
1
vote
0
answers
28
views
Connecting two residential units grounds via metallic electrical box and armored cabling
A circuit from Unit A and a circuit from Unit B converge in a metallic box. The wiring is old armored cable containing two conductors. There is no dedicated ground conductor. Each unit has its own ...
- 257
7
votes
1
answer
1k
views
How important is a grounded stove outlet?
Apologies if covered elsewhere... My place has the old-style three-prong 240V stove outlet, two phases plus neutral. This means the stove (recent, induction) doesn't have a safety ground. The closest ...
- 21.3k
25
votes
2
answers
6k
views
Why am I getting shocked touching an outdoor faucet?
In a farm setting, my brother asked me what could cause him to get a shock from an outdoor hose bib at the pump house? He was prepping for freezing weather and disconnecting hoses from hose bibs. ...
- 20.7k
0
votes
1
answer
42
views
Need grounding adapters/power strips for CEE 7/5 French Schuko plugs or another workaround
I have universal power strips for my home PC setup as pictured. The problem is, the Schuko plugs that go into it lose their ground.
So are there any universal power strips that also have the French-...
3
votes
1
answer
223
views
Separating Ground and Neutrals in Mainpanel before installing sub panel
I'm planning to get a 100 amp sub panel installed in my garage but got conflicting opinions on a point from different master electricians. The point is one electrician is saying it's a must to ...
- 133
0
votes
2
answers
98
views
Condo grounding connections between 230v and 115v service [duplicate]
My apartment in Spain has a 230v entry power distribution panel. There is a ground wire run to all 230v outlets. The panel also feeds a large, ie greater than 30kva step down 230v to 115v floating ...
- 3
0
votes
1
answer
124
views
House grounding issue after PEX water pipes
Read through prior posts but still not fully sure, and I've had multiple electricans come by and give me different views (some say no need, some obviously want to do the work)
I just repiped my house ...
6
votes
3
answers
887
views
Why do I measure 120V between phase/neutral and ground?
In a house initially without earthing/grounding, I've make a new one using 3 copper rods 1.5m long, spaced 6 meters apart and connected by 35mm2 bare copper cable. But something is wrong.
A socket ...
- 162
2
votes
2
answers
100
views
What are the grounding/bonding requirements for outdoor-mounted power over Ethernet (PoE) security cameras?
I am planning a construction project; as part of it, I will install several security cameras mounted to the underside of my soffits. The cameras will be connected and powered via a wired network (...
- 251
1
vote
1
answer
239
views
Installing an additional ground bar in a vintage main service panel
I'm in the process of attempting to perform some cleanup in this panel and also reconfiguring and adding several new circuits. This panel is a vintage Westinghouse/Bryant Electric 100 amp main service ...
- 11
2
votes
3
answers
631
views
Can I plug an extension cord into a GFCI outlet with an adapter?
I’m setting up a bidet in America that has a three-pronged plug rated at 120V. Currently I’m using an extension cord (rated at 125V) which plugs directly into the bathroom’s GFCI outlet, but I want to ...
- 21
1
vote
2
answers
74
views
Meter Main as Subpanel
I have a meter socket box on a pole with a couple of circuits going to outside. I want to run some feeder wires to a service equipment box on a workshop structure thru underground conduit. Since the ...
- 11
3
votes
2
answers
97
views
NEC 250.148(b) vs. Luminaire Grounding
I'm always trying to learn more and improve my methods for home wiring.
Most examples I see regarding 250.148(b) simply illustrate use of a pigtail and wire nut.
(B) Equipment Grounding Conductor ...
- 2,465
5
votes
1
answer
637
views
Low voltage hot to ground - solvable by novice?
Disclaimer: I definitely do not know what I am doing and my skill level here is minimal.
Background: I want to install a smart dimmer switch for a light fixture in a house originally built around 1907....
- 153
1
vote
1
answer
73
views
Hot and ground shorted with breaker off, but has normal voltage after breaker on [duplicate]
I swapped an old outlet and a pair of switches on the same circuit today (same breaker), and used a multimeter to check the connectivity to make sure I installed them correctly.
With the breaker off, ...
- 13
0
votes
1
answer
95
views
Using a basement I-beam to ground house
I recently replaced the old galvanized plumbing in my 1946 house with PEX. I need to run an earth from the breaker box to the copper water supply pipe. The panel and water supply pipe are at opposite ...
0
votes
1
answer
62
views
old bare copper ground wire to pool pump
I am reinstalling an existing 220 V pool pump and have found that the equipment ground is a bare copper wire, not insulated as per current code requirements . A new home run to the panel is about
100 '...
1
vote
1
answer
74
views
Extending ungrounded lighting circuit
We currently live in a 1953-built house in VA. Both our hall and our living room have inadequate lighting due to the size of the rooms and the positions of the light. We are considering adding ...
- 165
3
votes
3
answers
848
views
Dimmer switches without connected ground wires
I've recently replaced all my incandescents with LEDs and found that the dimmer switches were of a type that... disagreed with the dimmable LEDs. While I was replacing the switches I noticed that 2/3 ...
- 133
1
vote
1
answer
62
views
Grounding 50+ m buried AC cable (offgrid installation): both sides? stray voltages, lightning, etc
I have buried 50 m of heavy duty 4-conductor cable for a small three-phase AC wind turbine.
I grounded the pole, which sits on a small hill near my offgrid house.
I also added surge protectors on all ...
- 113
1
vote
2
answers
122
views
Why separately ground the device case? [closed]
Why separately ground the device case?
I had some work to do to install network devices in a rack. And in the course of work, I had a question. I had a Cisco switch in my hands, on the front panel of ...
- 113
2
votes
2
answers
105
views
How to Ground Electrical on an Old House [closed]
I obtained a house in South Dakota, built in 1905. The electrical is problematic with more brownouts than my neighbors get.
I replaced the knob and tube wiring with 12/3 solid Romex and brought the ...
- 21
0
votes
2
answers
405
views
Should I use /2 or /3 cable for a NEMA 6-20R oulet?
I need to wire up a NEMA 6-20R and have both 12/2 and 12/3 cable available to me. Most diagrams I’ve seen show the hot’s to the horizontal spades (X and Y) and the bare ground to the Ground lug on the ...
- 169
9
votes
1
answer
258
views
Do the EGC and GEC both terminate at grounding bar in new sub-panel in detached building (garage)?
Edit: My rough location: Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA
There are a million questions and youtube videos on the topic, and I'm sure one of them clearly answers this question because it seems so ...
- 91
0
votes
1
answer
86
views
Ungrounded house (Sweden)
I got a very old timber house in the forest in Sweden: there is a fuse box, but everything is ungrounded. Which are my options to add some safety, at least in the kitchen?
On the web I found ...
- 143
0
votes
1
answer
48
views
Gound wire connection
I have a 1979 light switch that I am replacing it with sensor switches but I am stumped. The ground wire is attached to a screw at back of the metal box. Do I unscrew it and twist the green ground ...
- 1
0
votes
1
answer
76
views
Bathroom GFCI reading as ungrounded, but upstream receptacles test as grounded
I've got a GFCI outlet in my bathroom that tests ungrounded. Receptacles upstream of it test grounded and receptacles down stream test ungrounded, so it seems to be the breaking point.
It trips just ...
- 1
1
vote
2
answers
100
views
Grounding conversion for 200 amp sub panel
My direct bury feed is a little over 200 feet. I used 4/0 4/0 4/0 4/0 wire. I understand I need to isolate the ground from the neutral. This requires a grounding bar addition to my 200 amp QO sub/...
- 11
0
votes
1
answer
87
views
Safe voltage from Line to Ground 220V AC single phase?
[[ CORRECTION: L-N should be N-G or N-E. My mistake. ]]
I live on the ground floor of an apartment building in India. Standard Indian wall voltage is 220V AC. I'm about 5 meters from the circuit ...
- 103
-1
votes
2
answers
151
views
How I can self-ground an EU Schuko plug with a grounding rod?
Because once I touch my PC case I am being zapped, as an indication of bad grounding. I thought to place some sort of temporary grounding into the socket that the computer plugs in.
What I though is ...
1
vote
1
answer
68
views
On a outdoor subpanel can the grounding rod wire be bonded directly to the inside of the metal electric panel?
On an outdoor sub panel with grounding rods can I bond the grounding rod's wire directly to the inside of the metal electric panel, and then attach all the other ground wires to a grounding bar. The ...
- 171
1
vote
2
answers
186
views
Help resolving outlets that report Open Ground
I've moved into a 1950s house and there are a few outlets reporting an open ground (per my Gardner Bender GFI-3501 tester) . I've followed the circuit as best I can but I'm in over my head. I've ...
- 15
2
votes
2
answers
571
views
Can a neutral bar be used as a grounding bar in a service panel? [duplicate]
I am installing a new 4 position outdoor electric panel. The panel has a neutral bar that is mounted on the right side of the breakers on a plastic plate that is one piece holding the CB's as well (I ...
- 171
1
vote
0
answers
77
views
How to connect loose earth wire to hanging lamp
I bought a hanging lamp which came with two wires (L and N) connected to it, plus a loose earth wire with a "ring" attached to it (see photo below).
I would need to connect the lamp to the ...
- 111
3
votes
1
answer
171
views
100a Subpanel - Detached Garage Plan Review with Schematic
Previous Conversation below. Here is the revised plan - which now includes #6 Bare Copper wire throughout the run from main panel to new sub panel.
Is this plan good to go at this point? Would you ...
- 33
1
vote
1
answer
109
views
Current on ground conductor with main breaker off
This is a follow-up to my previous question about a bad neutral. The dimming lights/fluctuating voltage problem mostly went away after the PoCo tightened the neutral connection on my side of the meter ...
- 55
2
votes
2
answers
524
views
Main panel grounding modification (two grounds in box to single ground wire)
My old house’s main panel has two ground wires, one leading to pipes, another to a grounding rod. Because the bottom is the only easily-accessible side for new circuits, and because most of the ...
- 495
2
votes
2
answers
144
views
How do British do earthing at dockside?
John Ward has an interesting video about the British TN-C-S grounding system. This is where the utility delivers Line and Neutral, and the dwelling does not have local ground rods and takes ground ...
0
votes
0
answers
72
views
solution for missing ground wire from main Breaker
I have two sub panels. The first sub panel is fed by the main panel. The 2nd sub panel is fed by the first sub panel. The main and 1st sub were replacements from FPE panels.
My situation is ...
- 1
1
vote
1
answer
140
views
Troubleshooting a broken ground wire and an energized drywall panel during circuit trace testing
I have a wall in my garage which has (on the same circuit with a breaker) 4 outlets and an outdoor light with a switch. For the sake of this question and attempted schematic below, I will use the ...
- 111
5
votes
1
answer
538
views
How is a Ufer ground attached to the panel?
I am planning a addition to my house. I'm not sure of the current state of the house's grounding system (built in the 1890s, last updated in the early 1970's by my estimation, so "minimal" ...
- 37k
4
votes
2
answers
625
views
Utility requires EGC wire to be bonded in meter can, do grounds and neutrals have to be separated in main panel?
My utility requires a bare #6 wire to run from the the rods to the meter pan and be bonded with neutral. The wire then runs to the ground bar in the panel.
I have an old panel with only one bar for ...
- 43
0
votes
0
answers
124
views
Is there a reason the electrician didn't ground this generator voltage selector switch?
I have a cabin where the only source of power is a generator. The plugs that I can plug into it look like this:
One plug is 120 and one plug is 240. The larger box above allows me to switch between ...
- 1
1
vote
4
answers
1k
views
What if I can't drive a ground rod far enough?
We live on a pile of cobble and boulders (glacial outwash) which makes driving ground rods close to impossible. Is it permissible to bury a ground rod or a plate, and if so, what are the requirements?...
- 191