# Grounding Wires in plastic boxes



## ponyboy (Nov 18, 2012)

you're supposed to do something with those?


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## denny3992 (Jul 12, 2010)

In nail ons new construction.... Bucanons...

Commercial mc or pipe, .......greenies


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

POWER STROKE said:


> What does every one prefer to use to connect the grounds together in a plastic box. wire nuts or the ground connectors you crimp down on.
> 
> Power


I like the copper crimps..

Welcome to ET..:thumbup:


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## Powersource (Aug 19, 2011)

In southern Tennessee they require the green grounding wire nuts.


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## B W E (May 1, 2011)

Nuts.


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## JoeKP (Nov 16, 2009)

first pic on this thread is how I do it! http://www.electriciantalk.com/f13/todays-find-12264/


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## wireman64 (Feb 2, 2012)

JoeKP said:


> first pic on this thread is how I do it! http://www.electriciantalk.com/f13/todays-find-12264/


Plastic boxes don't need grounding joe .........


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## JoeKP (Nov 16, 2009)

wireman64 said:


> Plastic boxes don't need grounding joe .........


You don't say....


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## sbrn33 (Mar 15, 2007)

Powersource said:


> In southern Tennessee they require the green grounding wire nuts.


How do they substantiate that?


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## McClary’s Electrical (Feb 21, 2009)

wireman64 said:


> Plastic boxes don't need grounding joe .........


 

Then WTF is this for?


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## flyboy (Jun 13, 2011)

mcclary's electrical said:


> Then WTF is this for?
> 
> View attachment 20206
> 
> ...


That's to keep the cable from falling out of the box.


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## flyboy (Jun 13, 2011)

POWER STROKE said:


> What does every one prefer to use to connect the grounds together in a plastic box. wire nuts or the ground connectors you crimp down on.
> 
> Power


Wire nuts.


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## wireman64 (Feb 2, 2012)

mcclary's electrical said:


> Then WTF is this for?


Funny mcclary , if i had to guess it's some type of old work box, and the screw tightens the fins on the back. Might me an outdoor box ,is that plastic trim around it ?


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## McClary’s Electrical (Feb 21, 2009)

wireman64 said:


> Funny mcclary , if i had to guess it's some type of old work box, and the screw tightens the fins on the back. Might me an outdoor one, is that plastic trim around it ?


 
There's no clamps, that's a new work outdoor box. The screw only goes into the plastic, and there's a wire loop peg on one side. It's meant for a wire.


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## wireman64 (Feb 2, 2012)

mcclary's electrical said:


> There's no clamps, that's a new work outdoor box. The screw only goes into the plastic, and there's a wire loop peg on one side. It's meant for a wire.


Oh , haven't seen that before


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## sbrn33 (Mar 15, 2007)

It is to get you in the habit of proper grounding procedures. Duh


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## MIKEFLASH (Apr 14, 2012)

Bucanon ground crimps


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## Jim Port (Oct 1, 2007)

Canadien boxes seem to have a ground lug built in.


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## big vic (Jan 23, 2012)

Splice caps or wagos


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## NacBooster29 (Oct 25, 2010)

"I spray the box with metallic spray paint. Then drill and tap a machine screw. Anything else is hack......" Sparkyu.com


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## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

Crimps.. for multi-gang boxes... you can have a tail for each devise instead of going from one ground screw to another..

It makes for a much better install and changing a devise later on is much easier..


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## FCR1988 (Jul 10, 2011)

B4T said:


> Crimps.. for multi-gang boxes... you can have a tail for each devise instead of going from one ground screw to another..
> 
> It makes for a much better install and changing a devise later on is much easier..


Please tell me people don't go from one ground screw to another in multi gang boxes.


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## denny3992 (Jul 12, 2010)

Apparently they do, i do not!


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## arni19 (Nov 20, 2009)

Jim Port said:


> Canadien boxes seem to have a ground lug built in.


The ground lug in plastic boxes in Canada is attached in a way to self ground switches through the devices 6-32 screw..


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## McClary’s Electrical (Feb 21, 2009)

arni19 said:


> The ground lug in plastic boxes in Canada is attached in a way to self ground switches through the devices 6-32 screw..


 
I've seen them here too. A metal strip goes from the ground lug over to the 6/32 hole. Maybe they ran out of those when making these?


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## LegacyofTroy (Feb 14, 2011)

But really,,,,,,,why ground plastic?


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## crosport (Apr 4, 2010)

LegacyofTroy said:


> But really,,,,,,,why ground plastic?


 You are not grounding plastic.not all switches have ground screw so how would the metal on the switch be grounded without being attached through the 6-32 to the bonding strip.All our plastic and p.v.c boxes have a green screw attached to a strip which in turn is threaded and joined to one of the mounting holes for the devices.A metal w.p. cover for instance would not be grounded if mounted on a p.v.c. F.S. box that had no bonding strip.


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## crazymurph (Aug 19, 2009)

mcclary's electrical said:


> Then WTF is this for?
> 
> View attachment 20206
> 
> ...


 That is because you used a non metallic conductive box. If it were a Carlon Blue, you would be good to go.


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## kbsparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Crimps are UL listed the same as wire-nuts: Pressure-type connectors.

The _Code_ has no preference over either method.


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## LegacyofTroy (Feb 14, 2011)

crosport said:


> You are not grounding plastic.not all switches have ground screw so how would the metal on the switch be grounded without being attached through the 6-32 to the bonding strip.All our plastic and p.v.c boxes have a green screw attached to a strip which in turn is threaded and joined to one of the mounting holes for the devices.A metal w.p. cover for instance would not be grounded if mounted on a p.v.c. F.S. box that had no bonding strip.


Ok, thanks for dumbing it down.....show me your plastic box, I show you mine....theoretically .....your switch with non grounded terminal, which is rare (since 1988) would not be grounded if you didn't add pigtail with ring terminal from your 6/32 screw to ground wire, (don't forget to remove screw retainer ) so, whats point of grounding the box, when you can just ground switch, I guess it's a moot point from your point of view as I do not install metal covers on plastic boxes (seems stupid to me) ....


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## arni19 (Nov 20, 2009)

Pretty much no switches in Canada have a ground screw on them... This is why we have the ground screw and strip to connect to the 6-32 with plastic or PVC boxes.


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## Shockdoc (Mar 4, 2010)

Depends what I have in my pocket or pouch. If I already didn't leave a continuos loop thru the box , it gets crimped if I have crimps or it gets looped thru the screw and wire nutted.


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## crosport (Apr 4, 2010)

LegacyofTroy said:


> Ok, thanks for dumbing it down.....show me your plastic box, I show you mine....theoretically .....your switch with non grounded terminal, which is rare (since 1988) would not be grounded if you didn't add pigtail with ring terminal from your 6/32 screw to ground wire, (don't forget to remove screw retainer ) so, whats point of grounding the box, when you can just ground switch, I guess it's a moot point from your point of view as I do not install metal covers on plastic boxes (seems stupid to me) ....


Here we go.Same thing applies to lighting fixtures installed on a round plastic ceiling box.Not all light fixtures I've seen have a ground wire attached.So your fixture would'nt be grounded when mounting screws only go into plastic instead of a bonding strip attached to the box.


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## Shockdoc (Mar 4, 2010)

crosport said:


> Here we go.Same thing applies to lighting fixtures installed on a round plastic ceiling box.Not all light fixtures I've seen have a ground wire attached.So your fixture would'nt be grounded when mounting screws only go into plastic instead of a bonding strip attached to the box.


But that's only compliant if the box is 100% flush with the finish and the washer on the yoke screws are removed or costlier self grounding devices are used.


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## sayn3ver (Sep 13, 2011)

Why not just mount the metal box and be done with it? :laughing:


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## LegacyofTroy (Feb 14, 2011)

So much easier..........


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## Dan G (Dec 24, 2012)

*ma electric*



mcclary's electrical said:


> Then WTF is this for?
> 
> View attachment 20206
> 
> ...


 in my state "ma" ground screws have to b green


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## NacBooster29 (Oct 25, 2010)

Dan G said:


> in my state "ma" ground screws have to b green


Not true at all. The only required green screws are the main bonding screw, and the grounding screw on the devices... I'm in ma been here forever...


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