Old NM/Romex with Small Gauge Ground

brgmgb

I had two ungrounded receptacles fed from a single 14-2 NM/Romex. When I opened the junction box, I found two issues. The first was that all of the ground wires for the other branches were just twisted together with no wire nut. I fixed that as well as added a ground screw to the metal box.

The other issue was that the ground wires on the branches were all smaller gauge wire. They looked to be 16 gauge. Did NM/Romex used to have undersized ground wires? Should I be concerned?

Julius793

Yes they used to be smaller but not a concern.....I've lost quite a few dykes to these undersized grounds :-)

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Code05

IIRC, full sized grounding wires for circuits using #14, #12, and #10 were first required in the 1971 NEC.

AllanJ

You can keep the wiring as-is but you may not extend the circuit to additional receptacles, etc. while relying on the existing cable with thinner ground to complete the path for the new wiring back to the panel.

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Julius793

Article # please!!??

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Electricity will kill you if you give it a chance

rjniles

Not true. You can not extend non grounded circuit. This circuit has a ground and can be extended.

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Location:
Coastal South Carolina

Techy

But it doesn't meet the minimum size for a ground as per 250.122


Could be considered as 'not a ground', up to AHJ.

Julius793

Doesn't make a difference it's grandfathered in as a grounded circuit.

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Techy

It's only grandfathered if you leave it as is, down here.

Once you 'change' it, it must meet current code.