Short wire syndrome and bonding

jlmran

Two NM cables enter a switch box. The box is being replaced with a 2-gang metal box for an additional switch, along with a third cable. Both bonding/grounding wires in the original NM cables were cut short by the original installer. There is not enough length to connect the two original bonding/grounding wires to the third new one, nor is there additional cable length in the wall cavity to pull more through.

Does the NEC allow the following solution?:

1. Land the two original bonding/grounding wires beneath two separate bonding/grounding screws.

2. Land a pig-tail beneath a third bonding screw.

3. Wire-nut the pig-tail, the new bonding/grounding wire, and the bonding leads from the switches.

Thanks.

gregzoll

Through in another junction box, or replace that run of wire and call it done.

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AllanJ

Is there anything showing of the ground wires coming out of the cables.

This is what I would do: Make up 8 inch (bare) pigtails for each. Sand the exposed ends and also about 2 inches of the pigtails. Make a tight spiral on one end of each pigtail to slip over the end of the ground wire remaining. Then solder it on. These pigtails have now become extensions of the short ground wires.

But before I try this, there would have to be at least an inch of the original wire showing. About half inch to slide the spiraled pigtail end over and the other portion to clip a pair of pliers onto to act as a heat sink so as not to melt the conductors further back inside the NM cable.

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The average homeowner who lost his house in the Oklahoma tornadoes should move for good and not rebuild. Too much complexity watchdogging the contractor. Too much a chance to be defrauded.

HouseHelper

If there is enough bare wire on the original cables to go to a screw, then there would be enough to use a Wago or Ideal push-on connector. Use that to connect the old and new ground wires.

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electures

Yes. Make sure all screws are machine screws (do not have to be green)and are not used for any other purpose such as cable clamps. Now you can call it done, and done correctly.

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All responses based on the 2011 NEC.
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