# Grounding using plastic boxes?



## gone_fishing (Jan 5, 2008)

I am rewiring my gutted garage using the blue recepticle boxes. These do not have the ground like metal boxes. How do I ground the circuit? 

Thanks!


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## InPhase277 (Feb 9, 2008)

gone_fishing said:


> I am rewiring my gutted garage using the blue recepticle boxes. These do not have the ground like metal boxes. How do I ground the circuit?
> 
> Thanks!


With the bare ground wire inside the cable.


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## gone_fishing (Jan 5, 2008)

So, just keep twisting the grounds together along the circuit?


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## joed (Mar 13, 2005)

Yes and connect to the receptacles and switches. No connection to the box when plastic.


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## handifoot (Feb 19, 2006)

The bare ground wire connects to any conductive material, like the metal yokes on the recepticals and switches with the green ground screw and runs back to the ground bar in the service panel and then, most likely to grounding rod(s). This is to protect any parts of equipment from becoming energized in the event of a short.

As the blue boxes are plastic, there is no need to ground them. Should you use any metal boxes, include them in the equipment grounding path with a pigtail to a ground screw within the box.


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## kbsparky (Sep 11, 2008)

gone_fishing said:


> So, just keep twisting the grounds together along the circuit?


To an extent, yes. But you still have to use a listed, pressure-type connector, such as a wire-nut, or crimp sleeve to be _Code_ compliant.

And be sure to use a pigtail from those grounding crimps or wire-nuts to any green terminal on your switches or receptacles. :yes:


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## Stubbie (Jan 7, 2007)

> The bare ground wire connects to any conductive material, like the metal yokes on the recepticals and switches with the green ground screw and runs back to the ground bar in the service panel and then, most likely to grounding rod(s). This is to protect any parts of equipment from becoming energized in the event of a short.


The effective ground fault path has nothing to do with ground rods or any other earthing electrode. The bonding of metal parts in a branch circuit to the EGFP is to clear ground faults and shorts as the fault current seeks its source. Ground rods are for lightning and other high voltage events.


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## handifoot (Feb 19, 2006)

Sorry stubbie, you are the pro here.Just that it gets a little confusing to me as the bare ground wires and the white neutral wires are connected to bars that are bonded together which in turn are connected to the ground rods.


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## Stubbie (Jan 7, 2007)

No problem handifoot. My point was only to clarify. System neutral current and fault current seeks the source.... the transformer center tap. It does not flow to the ground or earth via the grounding electode system. The neutrals and grounds are bonded at the neutral bar so that the current can utilize the service neutral to return to the source. I made a diagram to try and illustrate this.....


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## handifoot (Feb 19, 2006)

Thanks Stubbie, I really appreciate the time you take to educate folks like me:clap:


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