Light switch ground connection

669 Views 6 Replies 5 Participants Last post by AllanJ, May 15, 2020

antlmusi93

Discussion Starter · May 15, 2020

Hi everyone, I apologize if this comes off as a dumb question or if it has been asked previously (getting conflicting responses).

Have a house I just bought, replacing all outlets and light switches. There are two electrical boxes, each have two light switches in them. Inside one of the boxes is four wires coming in (each wire has a ground, neutral, and hot, the other box has 3. Both boxes have all the grounds twisted together in a wire nut (not grounded to anything to my understanding). The box is plastic and not metal. I am putting in new light switches in these boxes, should I remove the wire nut and pig tail from all these ground wires to to one ground bolt on a light switch? Or am I safe to not ground the light switch.

Thank you

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surferdude2

· #3 · May 15, 2020

should I remove the wire nut and pig tail from all these ground wires to to one ground bolt on a light switch?

Yes, you should ground the switches.

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surferdude2

· #6 · May 15, 2020 (Edited)

I recommend Ideal #454 wing nuts (or equal) if connecting more than 4 #14 or #12 wires or larger. Green wire nuts aren't a code requirement. You may also consider using one of the neat devices that are replacing wire nuts in some applications. They are called Wagos, the big box stores will have them. Take your choice.

It's kind of a learned operation to manage 5 wires and get them corraled into a wire nut so the Wagos might be best for beginners. I've never used them... just twisted all wires and nutted them but it isn't something for a first time beginner. You decide.

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