Short grounding wires

[terphenyl]

An open basement ceiling has an octagonal box that serves (and has) the basement ceiling lights with three conductors coming in/out of it, and the copper grounding wires were wrapped around the metal cable holder (one on each side) and cut, so the grounding wires on each are not much longer than one inch or so. I'd like to add a single conductor to a wall switch to the box, and I'm wondering how to hook up the new grounding wire. Normally, I'd have the new wire go through one of those special grounding wire wire nuts to a box screw, with the other grounding wires wrapped around it in the wire nut, but the others here are too short. Adding a wire nut/new pigtail to the older ones, and then another wire nut to link them all together will fill the box. Is there a different way of extending grounding wires such as a brass crimp connector?

[dpb]

On 4/15/2011 6:58 PM, terphenyl wrote: ...

Sure, any approved connector can be used. But, there's no reqm'nt that you _must_ use a wire nut; you can just twist and tape; wire nuts are just the quick 'n easy way.

[Dean Hoffman]

How about a set screw wire nut? Picture here:

Run the wires in from opposite ends and leave the cap off.

[RBM]

**They are required to be held together by an approved splicing device, or screwed to a metal box.

[RBM]

Buchanan makes a small brass crimp connector. They call them "splice cap crimp connectors" . We call them beer barrels

[aemeijers]

One of you code wizards please jump in here- this place, like most of the places I saw built growing up, has the boxes grounded that exact same way, and the devices are grounded via their mounting tabs to the metal box. It USED to be code-legal, at least here in midwest. When did it become not legal? Is old work grandfathered, or are you supposed to screw around redoing the old wires whenever you open a box? Other than in damp locations where the touch points could get corroded, or if they were installed improperly and don't make good contact, why would the old way provide any less protection?

[JIMMIE]

Sounds like a small split bolt might work. I have a few of these with a tapped hole on the backside so that you can screw them to the box.

Jimmie

[RBM]

** One would have to know when this was installed, to know what the requirements were at the time. Typically electrical wiring is grandfathered, if it was done properly to begin with, however it's advisable to correct any issues at locations where you're upgrading or extending

[hrhofmann]

I puzzled as to why you would add a single conductor to a wall switch. Then what happens past the wall switch, how does the wire continue on, or whatever.

[Dean Hoffman]

I read it as the OP just wanting to extend the equipment ground(s).