Can I do this with one wiring cap? Or could I solder them together?

I have 8 grounds in the box because I want to use pot lights, but I can't
use the pot light connection boxes as junction boxes -- there can be only
one set of wires going in. I want to avoid using separate junction boxes
because they would have to remain accessible, and the guide I'm using says
to avoid them if possible. So I plan to use a switch box at the end of the
run to distribute the power to each pot light separately.

What I have is two ganged 3 x 2 x 3 boxes and two switches. Each switch
controls two pot lights. So I have five bare wires coming into the box
(the source and 4 pot lights); one bare wire pigtail from the green
terminal on each switch; and another bare pigtail from the ganged section
of box.

What's the best way to connect all these grounds together?

--
"For it is only of the new one grows tired. Of the old one never tires."
-- Kierkegaard, _Repetition_

James Owens, Ottawa, Canada

James Owens wrote:
Can I do this with one wiring cap? Or could I solder them together?

I have 8 grounds in the box because I want to use pot lights, but I can't
use the pot light connection boxes as junction boxes -- there can be only
one set of wires going in. I want to avoid using separate junction boxes
because they would have to remain accessible, and the guide I'm using says
to avoid them if possible. So I plan to use a switch box at the end of the
run to distribute the power to each pot light separately.

What I have is two ganged 3 x 2 x 3 boxes and two switches. Each switch
controls two pot lights. So I have five bare wires coming into the box
(the source and 4 pot lights); one bare wire pigtail from the green
terminal on each switch; and another bare pigtail from the ganged section
of box.

What's the best way to connect all these grounds together?

--
"For it is only of the new one grows tired. Of the old one never tires."
-- Kierkegaard, _Repetition_

James Owens, Ottawa, Canada



I used a copper split-bolt connector for about 7 or 8 ground wires once
and it worked well. I didn't even have to bend half of the wires so
they all come in from the same direction -- just bring all the wires
together into a bundle (no twisting necessary) and clamp them tightly.

Bob

You could use an add-on neutral lug strip. These are sold at home
centers in the vicinity of the service panels, and are used to add more
neutral lugs to existing panels.

The strip has about 10 new spaces for neutral wires, each with a
screw-down lug, exactly like you'd find in a service panel. As I
recall, these were about three bucks the last time I bought a set.

James Owens wrote:
Can I do this with one wiring cap? Or could I solder them together?

In article , James Owens wrote:

Can I do this with one wiring cap? Or could I solder them together?

The solution that occurred to me is to use two wire nuts, with a short
pigtails between them. That way each wire nut would have only five
wires in it, which is common enough. However, I am no electrician, so
perhaps someone else here can comment on whether this is a reasonable
idea.

What I have is two ganged 3 x 2 x 3 boxes and two switches. Each
switch controls two pot lights.

Isn't this box going to be a little tight? By my count you have 15 or
16 volume allowances (depending on whether there is an internal wire
clamp), so you are OK according to the NEC as long as your wire is #12
or smaller. But those grounds are going to take up alot more space
than the 1 volume allowance the NEC assigns.

Cheers, Wayne

Wayne Whitney ) writes:

Can I do this with one wiring cap? Or could I solder them together?

Isn't this box going to be a little tight? By my count you have 15 or
16 volume allowances (depending on whether there is an internal wire
clamp), so you are OK according to the NEC as long as your wire is #12
or smaller. But those grounds are going to take up alot more space
than the 1 volume allowance the NEC assigns.

Box stuffing worries me, all right, but I hope I'll be OK on this one. I'm
using two ganged 3 x 2 x 3. A single box of this size would normally be
used to run one cable in and two out; basically I'm just doing that twice,
except it's one in, four out.

Thanks all for the replies, I'll look into that grounding strip to see if
Ontario code permits it.


--
"For it is only of the new one grows tired. Of the old one never tires."
-- Kierkegaard, _Repetition_

James Owens, Ottawa, Canada

(James Owens) wrote in message ...
Wayne Whitney ) writes:

Thanks all for the replies, I'll look into that grounding strip to see if
Ontario code permits it.

The grounding strip is the way to go if you have room for it.
Otherwise I was thinking that you could put O rings at the end of the
wires and bolt them togather.

On Mon, 4 Oct 2004 01:25:00 -0700, James Owens wrote
(in article ):


Wayne Whitney ) writes:

Can I do this with one wiring cap? Or could I solder them together?

Isn't this box going to be a little tight? By my count you have 15 or
16 volume allowances (depending on whether there is an internal wire
clamp), so you are OK according to the NEC as long as your wire is #12
or smaller. But those grounds are going to take up alot more space
than the 1 volume allowance the NEC assigns.

Box stuffing worries me, all right, but I hope I'll be OK on this one. I'm
using two ganged 3 x 2 x 3. A single box of this size would normally be
used to run one cable in and two out; basically I'm just doing that twice,
except it's one in, four out.

Thanks all for the replies, I'll look into that grounding strip to see if
Ontario code permits it.


--
"For it is only of the new one grows tired. Of the old one never tires."
-- Kierkegaard, _Repetition_

James Owens, Ottawa, Canada

James -

I don't know what the Ontario code allows, but the NEC specifically prohibits
solder connections for the equipment grounding conductor.

You can reduce the number of ground wires by running one of them around the
box ground screw(s) before it terminates in the connector, and using one
ground pigtail for both switch grounds - that would total 6, and you can get
a "wirenut" that will accomodate 6 #14 conductors (eg: Ideal Wingnut 454
"Blue".)

Otherwise, there's no reason you can't divide the grounds into two groups
with a jumper between and use two connectors rated for 5 #14 each - that
would be the usual solution.

The grounding strips suggested by another poster are "listed and identified"
for use in panelboards. They are not for use in device boxes and I would be
surprised if the inspector allowed that application.

Regardless of the code, I think you're over-filling the box (again - I
commented the same in your other thread). For two switches feeding four
lights, I would use a 2-Gang deep box with device ring (eg: RACO 941 at 6
3/8 x 6 13/16 x 2 1/2"). That will give you about 80 cubic inches as opposed
to 36 for the two 3 x 2 x 3 1/2" boxes. If you can't find one of those,
consider a 4 11/16" square by 2 1/8" deep box with a device ring - that will
give you about 47 1/2 cubic inches.

Good Luck,

- Kenneth

Childfree Scott posted for all of us....

(James Owens) wrote in message ...
Wayne Whitney ) writes:

Thanks all for the replies, I'll look into that grounding strip to see if
Ontario code permits it.

The grounding strip is the way to go if you have room for it.
Otherwise I was thinking that you could put O rings at the end of the
wires and bolt them togather.

O rings??? What the heck are they for this purpose? They're rubber aren't
they? For sealing?
--
Tekkie