I am installing multiple electrical outlets in a rec room using romex and metal outlet boxes.
When I ground the boxes, do I need to make a 4 wire pigtail from the incoming and outgoing romex, a wire off the grounding screw of the receptacle, and a wire off of the grounding screw on the box?
Is this the proper procedure?
Thanks in advance for your help.
Rob
On 9/6/2010 10:22 AM Rob Kiz spake thus:
That is certainly *a* proper procedure. There are other ways to do it that amount to the same thing; sometimes "real electricians" seem to like to crimp ground wires together to save time. But this is the way I'd do it, connecting everything together with a wire nut (probably a red one).
I generally take one ground and wrap it around the box ground screw, then make up the pigtail. You may be able to use self grounding receptacles, and eliminate that wire
yep, if you're playing the code game.
Not good batteries. I would send battery to Voltman Batteries in Mansfield Ohio. They are real fast, ( sent mine out on Monday, got back on Friday) work good. $45 total for 12V. Check them out online..
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Since this is a homeowner project and you want the easy way to go, get a small bag (5) of the green wirenuts with the built in pigtail. Then you loop the incoming wire under the box screw like RBM says and twist up the incoming and outgoing ground under the greenie. The pigtail goes to the receptacle. It is stranded so the device is easier to push back in.
*** PIGTAIL *** I hope PETA didn't hear that.... They charge you with animal abuse. :)
Yes, this is almost how I do them. I get green wirenuts that have a hole in the end (greenies). Wrap the incoming wire around the box screw, tighten screw. Take that same wire and fasten the outgoing ground wire to it lower on the wire, leaving 5 or 6 inches of bare wire. Attach the green wirenut where the two are coming together. The long end goes thru that wirenut hole, and goes to the outlet green screw. To do this, you need at least 10" of cable stripped on the incoming wire (or the out going one, it dont matter). I prefer 12" of wire. That way you have plenty to work with.
This works well without a lot of excess wires filling the box.
There is a photo on this website:
The advantage of the greenie with the built in pigtail for a homeowner is you don't have to be as careful dressing the bare wire. It is insulated with a spade terminal on the end. It is also stranded so getting things back in the box is a little easier. For a few outlets, the cost difference is insignificant. I can understand a pro working to a bid on a hundred outlets will want the cheapest way that is code compliant. In this case that would be a yellow wirenut with a pigtail using scrap wire from the job.
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