# What Happens If Ground Wire Is Bare/Exposed



## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

Shouldn't do anything. They are exposed inside the box. 

As long as it isn't touching the hot or neutral (you would know) it is fine.


----------



## coolguynick (Jan 28, 2016)

Windows on Wash said:


> Shouldn't do anything. They are exposed inside the box.
> 
> As long as it isn't touching the hot or neutral (you would know) it is fine.


Thanks! And sorry for sounding like a newbie at this but how would I know if it somehow touched something it wasn't supposed to? It's been working great for a day but we'll be having a kid in the next month and I want to make sure the house is safe/no fire hazards.

Appreciate your help.


----------



## joed (Mar 13, 2005)

Most ground wires are bare in house wiring. What you are seeing is normal.


----------



## coolguynick (Jan 28, 2016)

joed said:


> Most ground wires are bare in house wiring. What you are seeing is normal.


Thanks! I guess my question is around what happens if one of those ground wires touches a hot or neutral?

Is there a risk of fire or anything?


----------



## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

It should have tripped the breaker at the point, but I am not an electrician. 

Let those guys comment for sure. There are a handful in here that are super smart and helpful.


----------



## Daniel Holzman (Mar 10, 2009)

If the ground wire touches the hot wire (the actual copper, not the insulation), that would cause a dead short, and the current from the hot would flow through the ground, back to the panel, and back to the supply with almost no resistance. This would trip the breaker, that would be your clue that there was a serious problem.

If the ground wire touched the neutral, there would be no obvious effect. When the circuit was energized, current which normally flows back to the panel via the neutral would be split between the neutral and the ground wire, but the ground and the neutral are bonded at the panel, so the neutral return current would flow back to the power company supply normally. The only problem with the ground carrying current is that by code the ground wire is only supposed to carry current during fault conditions, the ground is not designed nor is it supposed to carry current under normal operating conditions. However, you would be unaware that the ground and neutral were sharing the current, and there would be limited risk of problems, aside from a code violation.


----------



## coolguynick (Jan 28, 2016)

Daniel Holzman said:


> If the ground wire touches the hot wire (the actual copper, not the insulation), that would cause a dead short, and the current from the hot would flow through the ground, back to the panel, and back to the supply with almost no resistance. This would trip the breaker, that would be your clue that there was a serious problem.
> 
> If the ground wire touched the neutral, there would be no obvious effect. When the circuit was energized, current which normally flows back to the panel via the neutral would be split between the neutral and the ground wire, but the ground and the neutral are bonded at the panel, so the neutral return current would flow back to the power company supply normally. The only problem with the ground carrying current is that by code the ground wire is only supposed to carry current during fault conditions, the ground is not designed nor is it supposed to carry current under normal operating conditions. However, you would be unaware that the ground and neutral were sharing the current, and there would be limited risk of problems, aside from a code violation.


Thanks! Looking at my first picture those white wires look like "Neutrals" and they're tied off properly...so from everything pictured I don't think I'm at risk of any scenarios you mentioned. 

Let me know if I'm missing anything 

Thanks again.


----------



## joed (Mar 13, 2005)

No risk


----------



## KPDMinc (Nov 7, 2016)

theres another un-insulated ground in that box too. It will not hurt anything...


----------



## dmxtothemax (Oct 26, 2010)

QUOTE [what happens if one of those ground wires touches a hot ]
ANS - Breaker will blow.

QUOTE [ Thanks! what happens if one of those ground wires touches a neutral ]
ANS - if you have a gfci it may trip, if you have no gfci probably nothing.


QUOTE [ Is there a risk of fire or anything? ]
ANS - Very small risk.

But if it really bothers you ?
put some sleeving on the wire.

:vs_cool:


----------



## coolguynick (Jan 28, 2016)

dmxtothemax said:


> QUOTE [what happens if one of those ground wires touches a hot ]
> ANS - Breaker will blow.
> 
> QUOTE [ Thanks! what happens if one of those ground wires touches a neutral ]
> ...


Thanks. It's GFCI. 

So are you saying I have a small risk of a fire or everything looks good?


----------



## KPDMinc (Nov 7, 2016)

coolguynick said:


> Thanks. It's GFCI.
> 
> So are you saying I have a small risk of a fire or everything looks good?


its all good. button it up, youre done. If you were to look at every single electrical box in your house, and all the neighbors up and down the street, you will see bare copper ground wires in all of them. guaranteed.


----------

