Grounding Receptacles


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Old 08-29-15, 06:34 PM
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Grounding Receptacles

I need to replace receptacles that are not grounded with grounded ones, but I will have to add a ground wire to each. This is an old house. Can I just run a #14 copper wire to each one and then run all of them into a junction box and then run 1 copper wire to the circuit panel. I do not want to rewire the house, if I do not have to. Will this work?
 
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Old 08-29-15, 06:50 PM
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Can I just run a #14 copper wire to each one and then run all of them into a junction box and then run 1 copper wire to the circuit panel
A bit of a gray area from what I have read here. Some interpret the NEC to mean each must have its own wire running back to the main grounding conductor others are more liberal. Why do you need receptacles with a ground?
 

Last edited by ray2047; 08-29-15 at 07:08 PM.
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Old 08-29-15, 06:55 PM
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I don't see why that wouldn't work.
The only thing I'd do is run a larger wire to the panel..... maybe a #10..... although it's not required.
 
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Old 08-29-15, 07:02 PM
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Last edited by AllanJ; 08-29-15 at 07:40 PM.
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Old 08-29-15, 07:11 PM
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The way I interpret it is that you run one separate ground wire for each branch circuit in question. Additional receptacles on that branch circuit may be daisy chained to by that ground wire or tapped to that ground wire.

No junction boxes needed.

Specifically you do not run the ground wire from the affected receptacles to another circuit's outlet box that has a ground, nor to a water pipe or radiator.

Ground fault circuit interrupters offer near perfect protection from electrocution with or without equipment grounding conductors (ground wires or comparable grounding paths).

As far as equipment grounding conductor sizing goes, ground wires from several branch circuits' cables or conduits entering the panel may be combined with just one conductor or pigtail going to the ground bus bar, particularly if you are running out of holes in the bus bar. The correct size is the largest sized conductor that got combined for example if you combined three 15 amp (14 gauge) circuits' and one 20 amp (12 gauge) circuit's grounds then one 12 gauge wire pigtail or existing conductor continues to the bus bar. Also, several branch circuits sharing a conduit can share one equipment grounding conductor, also sized for the largest amperage circuit involved. Neutrals may not be so combined.
 

Last edited by AllanJ; 08-29-15 at 07:29 PM.
 

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