I went to install a dimmer switch yesterday. Electrical wiring in some older homes does not have a ground wire for outlets ans switches and some older homes have ground wires that are bonded behind the electrical box.
How To Wire A Light Switch Smartthings
No ground wire in light switch box. In many cases especially in older houses with metal boxes the metal box may be grounded even if you dont have a ground wire. Remove one of the long screws that holds the fixture in place. The house was built in 1991. The box could overheat and start a fire or someone could get a shock from touching it. Dont rely on metal sheathing or an exposed ground wire. When you have a ground wire and there is no place to attach it then place a wire connector over the end coil up the ground wire and push it back into the electrical junction box.
Going without a ground wire if the light switch has a screw for a bare ground wire but your electrical box doesnt have one youre ok just leaving that screw empty and connecting your other wires to the hot screws. Light fixtures and the ground wire. Connecting the ground wire to a metal electrical box will energize the box in the event of a short circuit. Anyway a friend suggested i connect the ground wire on the dimmer to the metal switch box to ground it. I checked another switch. Disconnect your lighting circuit at the main service panel.
Wrap the wire around the screw then cinch the nut down to hold it. If the box is not metal and a ground wire is not available in the fixture box then you can still install the key less light fixture. Dont ground to the electrical box. Ground wires and ungrounded fixtures and boxes. If your light switch spark box is made of metal its likely that the bare copper ground wire youre looking for is wrapped around the wiring cables sheath and held in place by the clamp holding. Thread an 8 32 nut onto the screw.
If the box is metal then attach the fixture ground wire to the box. I thought a ground wire was required by the building code. Never cut the ground wire off. Last and least if theres no screw present in the box to connect a ground wire and no place to put a screw heres a workaround. You can add a ground wire to your electrical box in the ceiling for an extra measure of safety when replacing a ceiling light. Turns out the old switch didnt have a ground wire attached.
Gallery of No Ground Wire In Light Switch Box
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