DIYbanter - View Single Post - Basic Grounding Wire Question in Receptacle Box

Nate Nagel

On 06/04/2010 09:11 PM, wrote:
On Thu, 3 Jun 2010 22:33:07 -0400, wrote:

wrote in message
...
Hi. I'm replacing an old switch for a ceiling fan that only had 2
wires; a black and a white. The new switch has 3 wires, a black, white
and a green grounding wire. The wire coming into the receptacle box
area through the wall has 3 wires, a black, a white and a bare copper
wire and the bare copper wire is just connected to a screw on the
metal receptacle box.
My question is when I install the new switch that now has a green
grounding wire, what do I do with it or how do I connect the new green
grounding wire to the receptacle box. Can I just wrap it around the
screw that the bare copper grounding wire is wrapped around and have 2
wires connected to that one screw? If not, where does that green
grounding wire on the new switch go and how do I do it?
Right now everything is connected and the ceiling fan& light works
fine except that I don't have that green grounding wire on the new
switch attached to anything (just wrapped it in electrical tape for
the time being) and I want to make sure it's safe.
Many thanks to all. Very much appreciated.

There is probably another 10/32 tapped hole that you can put a screw in and
wrap it around, or you can just cut it off as the screws attaching the
switch to the grounded metal box are sufficient for grounding purposes.

Except on some switches where the mounting tab is NOT connected to the
"ground". Still, on a switch, the ground is not terribly important.
Some lighted switches will not light without the ground connected-
apparently. A Lutron DV103P, and a Lutron DV100P, when installed in a
plastic (non-grounded) box, and the green wire not connected to
ground, does not light up. The green wire on it is simply resistance
welded to the tab (which is also the heat sink - should really NEVER
be installed on a non-metallic box)

Unless you are using steel or brass switchplates...

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel