How do I ground an electrical outlet?

Answer 1

The NEC says to run a grounding wire from the recepital to a point that a grounging wire is bonded to , ie a water line with in 5 feet of the entrance to a metal pipe, at a ground rod, a bonded metal building frame, or a ground plane.

GILCHRISTELE PLEASE READ THE NEC , ALSO WHY DO YOU THINK THERE IS A GROUND ROD AND 4 OTHER WAYS TO GROUND OUT SIDE OF THE HOUSE PANEL THE CURRENT CAN AND WILL TRAVEL TO THE BREAKER TO TRIP IT , BUY A BOOK AND READ IT BEFORE GIVING ADVICE.

Answer 2

The "first" answer apparently got deleted--at least I don't see what the next two are talking about.

The question is pretty general, and I'm not sure the other answers tell you want you want. A 3 prong electrical outlet has a green ground screw. This needs to be connected to an equipment grounding conductor. If you have romex with the bare ground wire, that is what you connect it to.

If you have an old wiring method without a ground and are replacing 2 prong receptacles with 3 prong grounded receptacles, the code gives a few other alternatives.

While one end of the equipment grounding conductor is connected to the receptacle, the other end's connection is what other answers are talking about. The specific place in the code (2005 NEC) is 250.130(C) for the receptacle replacement. It lists 5 places to connect it. The first of those is any accessible point on the grounding electrode system. I don't think that prevents connecting it to a water pipe or other grounding electrode. I personally would feel better about a connection to the grounding electrode conductor and not the electrode itself, but that does not put the earth in the path.

The method some have suggested in other answers is to drive a ground rod. If you connect it to your own ground rod, the earth is in the fault path. If you connect it to a ground rod already part of the grounding electrode system, the earth is not part of the path.

Answer 3

I have to disagree with the first answer. You CANNOT tie the ground wire directly to the ground rod, water pipe, ufer ground or any other grounding electrode. The equipment grounding conductor needs to return to the neutral at the electrical service to allow your breaker to trip. As an electrical engineer, I hope you know this.

You need to install a 2-conductor circuit with a ground back to your electrical panel.

If you don't have a ground wire already connected to your electrical service properly, get a qualified electrician to hook up the ground. The finer points of proper grounding are not the simplest to understand and not the place for a DIYer.

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Edit: to awshock -
You are wrong. Please cite the NEC article that says to connect an equipment grounding conductor to a grounding electrode. The equipment grounding conductor needs to return to the neutral (and no place else) at the electrical service to allow the breaker to trip. Connecting the equipment grounding conductor to a grounding electrode will do nothing. You will never get enough current to flow though it to trip the breaker.

You are offering BAD electrical advice that could seriously injur someone. If you don't know anything about electricity, don't offer advice.

Answer 4

Without you giving any details, I suggest go with the first answer, and apply it to your situiation. I've been a GC for a long time, and without knowing any detail at all, I couldn't advise any better than HE did.

Rev. Steven