Acceptable to fix an open ground like this: ?

1753 Views 3 Replies 3 Participants Last post by AllanJ, Jul 7, 2011

Rod Barney

Discussion Starter · Jul 7, 2011

Hi I was recently installing a new ceiling fan and discovered that the circuit has an open ground, then discovered that all boxes in the circuit are open as well. I found two places in the attic where the ground wires were left un-spliced (looked like on purpose), thought that was it for sure but negative. So I assume that the ground is not connected where it originates, at the panel. Do I need to trace this cable (not very accessible) back to the panel to fix OR can I cut another run of cable (different circuit) in the attic with a known good ground, put in a junction box and tap into the ground, then run a single ground wire from that junction box to the three boxes with the open ground that are all fairly accessible?

Save

1 - 1 of 4 Posts

AllanJ

· #4 · Jul 7, 2011 (Edited)

If you need to run a new ground wire because you are unsure of whether the circuit (even with some existing ground wires) is grounded then you must run the new ground wire all the way to the panel ground bus. But if the new ground wire should reach the fat ground wire (grounding electrode conductor) between the panel and the ground rod or water pipe first you can clamp the new ground wire on there.

When several things (receptacles, etc.) on the same circuit need grounding and you strung a new separate ground wire, generally they can all join the same ground wire instead of each having its own ground wire home run running alongside the others back to the panel.

Save

1 - 1 of 4 Posts

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.

Top Contributors this Month