# Ground



## load (Jan 23, 2015)

Have a basic wiring question.  What is the purpose of a ground wire (bare copper) if the white wire goes to the same bar in the electrical panel.  I am wiring  some light fixtures that do not have a dedicated ground screw.  There are four screws with each pair connected.  Thanks


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## bud16415 (Jan 23, 2015)

The white wire is caring current the bare wire is a safety ground that should go to your fixture or junction box etc. If something fails and the power goes to the base of your light fixture path to ground is that bare wire and not you when you grab it. You can get away without it by code if the power leg is a GFIC controlled. 

That&#8217;s the layman answer the pros will be along to give you the official answer soon.


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## load (Jan 23, 2015)

The reason I asked because this is what I am wiring,  Do I Have the wrong type


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## speedy petey (Jan 23, 2015)

Those fixtures do not require a ground since they are all non-metallic.


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## bud16415 (Jan 23, 2015)

If the box in the ceiling is metal then you should screw the bare ground wire to the bottom of the box. If you have one.


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## kok328 (Jan 23, 2015)

I always test to see if the metal box is grounded before assuming.


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## load (Jan 23, 2015)

Going into plastic box's.  One more question,  How would I wire in some plugs in between the light fixture.  Would it be better if I went with fixtures that have plugs on the fixture


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## CallMeVilla (Jan 23, 2015)

Plugs in fixtures are not the best way to go.  What/where is this light being used?  If you want a receptacle plus a light, the wiring is simple ... what I am guessing you do not want is a receptacle that gets turned off when the light is turned off.

Can you sketch a basic drawing of the way you want your circuit to operate?  A switch for the light and a separate receptacle?

HURRY!  We are all sitting at computers waiting for your answer!


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## speedy petey (Jan 24, 2015)

load said:


> Going into plastic box's.  One more question,  How would I wire in some plugs in between the light fixture.  Would it be better if I went with fixtures that have plugs on the fixture


It depends on the location. The keyless fixtures with a receptacle on them are tedious at best. Most places that will use them, barring an attic, will require GFI protection for receptacles.

Where are they going?


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## load (Jan 24, 2015)

CallMeVilla said:


> Plugs in fixtures are not the best way to go.  What/where is this light being used?  If you want a receptacle plus a light, the wiring is simple ... what I am guessing you do not want is a receptacle that gets turned off when the light is turned off.
> 
> Can you sketch a basic drawing of the way you want your circuit to operate?  A switch for the light and a separate receptacle?
> 
> HURRY!  We are all sitting at computers waiting for your answer!



Sorry for the delay.  Basement open ceiling.  You are correct  Pic not the best Thanks


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## nealtw (Jan 24, 2015)

Best to run two, one for lights and one for outlets, when you kick a breaker you still have lights.


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## CallMeVilla (Jan 24, 2015)

Arguably one of the worst pics ever submitted on this site.  You get some kind of award.

I did what I could with color/contrast enhancement and it is STILL Egyptian.  Can you try again using these symbols?


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## CallMeVilla (Jan 24, 2015)

I put together this simplified version of the symbols.  This might be helpful.  Make sure the wiring connects to each device and draw the lines to indicate wiring.


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## speedy petey (Jan 24, 2015)

I agree with Neal, one run for the lights and another for the receptacles. The receptacles WILL need GFI protection if this area of the basement will be unfinished.


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## load (Jan 28, 2015)

speedy petey said:


> I agree with Neal, one run for the lights and another for the receptacles. The receptacles WILL need GFI protection if this area of the basement will be unfinished.


 Sorry for the delay.  Work.  Decided to go with the two runs,  Made one run ungrounded with lights and a grounded run for receptacle with a GFI box.  A little more work but I like this idea best.  Thanks for all the reply's and ideas


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## nealtw (Jan 28, 2015)

load said:


> Sorry for the delay.  Work.  Decided to go with the two runs,  Made one run ungrounded with lights and a grounded run for receptacle with a GFI box.  A little more work but I like this idea best.  Thanks for all the reply's and ideas



I think we missed something here, I hope the lights still have a ground going to each box Even if you don't use them on those fixtures.


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## bud16415 (Jan 28, 2015)

In the old days on the farm in the barn we used to use those porcelain fixtures now plastic with just two wires like knob and tube and you didn&#8217;t even cut the wires you just stripped a spot and put it under the screw head. Looked like car dealer lights. Now every location has a plastic box and wire nuts with a pigtails. Continue the safety ground even if it&#8217;s not used for anything.


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## load (Jan 28, 2015)

nealtw said:


> I think we missed something here, I hope the lights still have a ground going to each box Even if you don't use them on those fixtures.


 Referring to early post, using plastic boxes and plastic fixtures (see pic in post} no ground required according to one poster.  These fixtures have no designated ground screw.


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## slownsteady (Jan 28, 2015)

The bare ground should run through - intact - for future use if metal fixtures are added to the line. Do you still have the ground wire in the cable? Just tie them together at the jboxes.


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## nealtw (Jan 28, 2015)

All wiring requires a ground for when someone pokes a wire with a nail or cuts it by mistake. I have never seen a box of any kind that does not have a ground screw and a strip of metat to one of the screws that holds the fixture or switch. What was ment here was as that fixture was plastic there was no need for a ground, which will be need when you change to a desent fixture. What wire did you use?


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## load (Jan 28, 2015)

I am getting confused. speedy posted no ground required as all components are plastic, slowand steady what I think is no ground just wire tie for future use  Did not understand nealtw was kind of saying two things ground and no ground. Wire 14/2


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## nealtw (Jan 28, 2015)

14/2 has a bare wire, what did you do with that?


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## load (Jan 28, 2015)

Wire tied to cover bare wire and shoved behind fixture


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## nealtw (Jan 28, 2015)

Fair enough if you have no boxes without ground screw. Sorry if I sounded exited about this but I was. I was afraid you had run some wire that didn't have a ground. You did ground the switches?


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## load (Jan 28, 2015)

Sure did.  Ran that second line with ground all the way around


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