# Installing light fixture.....ground wire?



## yummy mummy (Sep 11, 2006)

I am about to install my light fixture, and the crossbar has a ground screw on it. 

Should I attach the ground wire from the fixture to the ground screw on the cross bar only, or should I attach it to the ground screw and then bring it to the box and attach it to the other grounds all together?

Thanks.

I know how to attach the other wires of the fixture. 

Thanks


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## Termite (Apr 13, 2008)

The bar (or hickey as we call them) with the green screw needs to be grounded, especially if you're using a plastic box since the box itself isn't grounded. Usually you can loop the ground that comes off the fixture itself around the green screw on the hickey and then run the tag end into the box and tie it to the circuit's grounding conductor with a wire nut. If you don't have the length, pigtail an additional ground wire out of the nut to ground the hickey.


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## Termite (Apr 13, 2008)

Be sure to use wire nuts, wal-nuts, or buchanans on the grounds...Simply twisting them does not meet code. They must be tied with a mechanical means.


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## yummy mummy (Sep 11, 2006)

The box is metal with a green screw in it also.

There is enough wire to go around the screw in the bar and into the box.

Yes, most definitely, wire nuts on. Wire nuts on everything.


Thanks KC.


(I'm getting there, I am about to finish my priming. I am finding that of all the building steps that I have done, painting seems to be going the fastest.....)

My next big job is tiling..........


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## Termite (Apr 13, 2008)

It certainly won't hurt to be extra safe and ground the hickey even on a metal box.


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## jamiedolan (Sep 2, 2008)

thekctermite said:


> Be sure to use wire nuts, wal-nuts, or buchanans on the grounds...Simply twisting them does not meet code. They must be tied with a mechanical means.



Around here at lowes the klien crimpers for buchans are on sale for about $17. I really like the crimp on's. They save space and comply with code as I'd said. I twist the grounds together very well, so they would never fall apart, but the crimps are so easy to use and they keep it code compliant. 
Line up all ground wires and ground wire pigtails do not twist them slide on a non insulated crimp on, now. With the crimp on on the wires twist the entire legnth of wires. Now use the klien crimp to crimp it. Make sure to use the tool position for non insulated crimps. It's nice and neat. On you can use a Wago or wire nut as I'd said. Green grounding wire nuts are good too but use a lot of space in the box. 
There is also a value pack with a klien crimped striped and screw driver together on sale too at home depot.
Jamie


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## jamiedolan (Sep 2, 2008)

thekctermite said:


> It certainly won't hurt to be extra safe and ground the hickey even on a metal box.


I do. And I also tie in the ground wire from the fixture as well even though I almost always use metal boxes. If you use metal boxes use green grounding screws. There are 2 sizes of crimp on, by a Pack of each.
Jamie


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## yummy mummy (Sep 11, 2006)

thekctermite said:


> It certainly won't hurt to be extra safe and ground the hickey even on a metal box.


Will do it. :thumbsup:


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## Termite (Apr 13, 2008)

jamiedolan said:


> Around here at lowes the klien crimpers for buchans are on sale for about $17. I really like the crimp on's. They save space and comply with code as I'd said. I twist the grounds together very well, so they would never fall apart, but the crimps are so easy to use and they keep it code compliant.
> Line up all ground wires and ground wire pigtails do not twist them slide on a non insulated crimp on, now. With the crimp on on the wires twist the entire legnth of wires. Now use the klien crimp to crimp it. Make sure to use the tool position for non insulated crimps. It's nice and neat. On you can use a Wago or wire nut as I'd said. Green grounding wire nuts are good too but use a lot of space in the box.
> There is also a value pack with a klien crimped striped and screw driver together on sale too at home depot.
> Jamie


I haven't seen the Klein version around here, and am curious if it is the 4-way type that does a really neat job...Like these...








I'd like to score a pair of these!


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## jamiedolan (Sep 2, 2008)

thekctermite said:


> I haven't seen the Klein version around here, and am curious if it is the 4-way type that does a really neat job...Like these...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Ouch the ones you have shown in that photo sell for $90!! 

Unfortunatly they (kliens) are the more basic style that just does one crimp. Still seems very secure. And I think you have seen how I twist the grounds, nice, neat and secure, but I still use the crimp.
Are those 4ways pricey? I haven't seen them before.
Jamie


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## Termite (Apr 13, 2008)

I figured the 4-way would be expensive, but I still want one. They do a beautiful job of putting that crimp on. Like you, I think I'll have to make due with one-way crimpers.


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## jamiedolan (Sep 2, 2008)

thekctermite said:


> I figured the 4-way would be expensive, but I still want one. They do a beautiful job of putting that crimp on. Like you, I think I'll have to make due with one-way crimpers.


I just pulled out the Klien and tried making multiple crimps. 2 crimps, 1 on each side seems to work well, but getting to a third crimp just kind of wrecks it. This is the one I tried the 3rd crimp on just now and it is kind of a mess.

































I can't put any more weight into my tool pouch :laughing: It is already 20+ pounds.  Guess I could replace my Kliens with the 4 way. The Klien crimps seem very sufficient for ground wires, which is almost the only thing I use them for. I used one once on some short CCC's in a box, I felt it was more secure than a wire nut, then I heat shrinked them. Now I use insulated butt splices if a wire in a box is too short. I had my dad mount many of the boxes, and he ends up leaving too little slack way too often. :furious: But he does a very nice job mounting boxes. He glued blocks behind most of them with PL's Poly-adhesive then screwed into that. They will never move.

Jamie

Jamie


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## rgsgww (Jul 5, 2008)

I love that adhesive, It glues it right on the brick. When mounting in brick, you can fill around it with epoxy.


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## jamiedolan (Sep 2, 2008)

rgsgww said:


> I love that adhesive, It glues it right on the brick. When mounting in brick, you can fill around it with epoxy.


I haven't find anything the Poly adhesive doesn't stick to. Even seemingly non-porous surfaces bond together, presumable due to it's solvents. 

Jamie


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## rgsgww (Jul 5, 2008)

jamiedolan said:


> I haven't find anything the Poly adhesive doesn't stick to. Even seemingly non-porous surfaces bond together, presumable due to it's solvents.
> 
> Jamie



Just don't get it on your hands for too long.


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## jamiedolan (Sep 2, 2008)

rgsgww said:


> Just don't get it on your hands for too long.


I read the warnings. My dad didn't, he had cheap gloves on when using a poly foam, and he found out how hard it is to remove. :laughing:

To everyone else, The poly adhesives are great, bond most anything, great for mounting blocks in the wall so you can mount an electrical box to them. Use care, as you can't remove the stuff from your skin or anything else once it is set.

Jamie


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