DIY Home Improvement Forum banner

double ground connections or pigtail in receptacle outlets?

12113 Views 15 Replies 9 Participants Last post by  rjniles
Hey y'all,

This question is for a friend (yes really). I was over at his home last night and he showed me his newlt built garage. He and his son wired it, they are almost done and need it inspected soon.

He had covers off on a few because he was told the inspector will want to peek inside. Others told him no, he'll take the covers off if he wants.

I noticed that they doubled up on the ground wire to the receptacle. Ground to the metal box and ground coming in are terminated on the same screw on the receptacle. Is this Kosher? I thought it would have been better had they pigtailed and only had one wire on the screw.

What say ye?
(WA State, if it matters)
1 - 16 of 16 Posts
One conductor per screw head. The grounds need to be connected to each other and pigtailed to the box and receptacle. Your friend has some work to do.
I noticed that they doubled up on the ground wire to the receptacle. Ground to the metal box and ground coming in are terminated on the same screw on the receptacle. Is this Kosher? I thought it would have been better had they pigtailed and only had one wire on the screw.
Do you mean like this where the end of the ground is going to the device(switch...receptacle)

Attachments

See less See more
Do you mean like this where the end of the ground is going to the device(switch...receptacle)
Not quite. No bare ground wires for one thing. He has a green wire screwed to the box ground with a spade connector on the other end connected onto the receptacle ground screw, shared with the ground wire coming in from the flex conduit.

It will work but I don't know if it will pass muster.
One conductor per screw head. The grounds need to be connected to each other and pigtailed to the box and receptacle. Your friend has some work to do.
Ooops. I apparently scrolled by your post. That's what I thought. Are bare wires a requirement or does it matter?
the other end connected onto the receptacle ground screw, shared with the ground wire coming in from the flex conduit.
so the ground screw of the receptacle has two wires under it?
Bare wires are not required, but all grounds connected together and one wire under each screw.
so the ground screw of the receptacle has two wires under it?
Bare wires are not required, but all grounds connected together and one wire under each screw.
Yes, two wires on the ground screw of the receptacle. Sounds unanimous that it won't fly. I hadn't seen it before so I was skeptical.

Thanks for the input.
These kind of wire nuts may be useful when fixing this situation:

http://www.diychatroom.com/f18/proper-use-green-wire-nuts-62843/#post389316
Wait a minute! If wires have spade lugs attached, can't a number of the spade lugs plus one wire curled around the screw share the same screw?
I don't understand why people don't use plastic boxes. Wouldn't have this issue to worry about.
I don't understand why people don't use plastic boxes. Wouldn't have this issue to worry about.
plastic sucks...metal better
I don't understand why people don't use plastic boxes. Wouldn't have this issue to worry about.
It's a four bay garage/shop. Not commercial but setup for welding and wrenching. All metal conduit and boxes.
JasperST said:
Hey y'all,

This question is for a friend (yes really). I was over at his home last night and he showed me his newlt built garage. He and his son wired it, they are almost done and need it inspected soon.

He had covers off on a few because he was told the inspector will want to peek inside. Others told him no, he'll take the covers off if he wants.

I noticed that they doubled up on the ground wire to the receptacle. Ground to the metal box and ground coming in are terminated on the same screw on the receptacle. Is this Kosher? I thought it would have been better had they pigtailed and only had one wire on the screw.

What say ye?
(WA State, if it matters)
is this the rough inspection, if it is no devices or covers can be installed
plastic sucks...metal better

Now you have gone and opened a can of worms. Let the beatings begin:jester:
1 - 16 of 16 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