Does a ground wire is a NM home need to be connected to the switches?

Question

In doing some wiring in my house, I noticed that every outlet and switch has the ground wires simply twisted together and not connected to (seemingly) anything.

Is this safe/allowed?

All of the junction boxes are plastic and all wiring is NM (non-metallic). Some switches have an audible spark when I turn them on. Is this because of the non-attached ground wires?

I worry for my home's safety, as this house was obviously wired by an idiot as it is (instead of wires in the 'quick holes' in the outlet backs, the wiring was shoved into the 'press to release' spots).

Last question. Would wiring the ground wires in future outlets to the ground screw actually screw this weird system up? (if is it even safe to begin with, that is)

Answer 1

The ground wire should always be connected when possible. What I would do Is replace all the switches and plugs and connect the ground wire as I go along if they are long enough, If they are not get a piece of wire about 7 inches long and do a pig tail to the ground. The sparking that you here is electricity jumping the contacts inside the switch, you should replace those first. And Connecting the grounds shouldn't screw anything up as long as the ground isn't touching a hot wire along it path, or a neutral wire if its a GFCI. Get a plug in tester with the three lights on it if it says open ground then you know the ground needs to be connected.

Answer 2

You don't have an immediate life safety issue because the ground wire isn't part of the circuit- it's only there for safety. If the hot (black wire) side of the circuit comes into contact with the body of the switch or the outlet-internally or externally- having the ground wire connected to the chassis of the device will create an immediate dead-short that will trip the breaker and shut off the circuit before someone touches it and gets electrocuted.

Your comment about the wires being connected wrong on the outlets and switches is more of a concern- whoever did that is an idiot so you have to wonder about the entire grounding in the house.

Take a day or two and just fix it- it's easy to do. Shut off power at the main and take every switch, outlet and light fixture off (remember the garbage disposal, hot water heater, furnace and any other devices that are hard-wired and not plugged into an outlet). Connect the bare copper ground wires to the appropriate ground terminals on the devices- you can make a jumper if the existing wires have been cut to short- and reconnect the hot and neutral wires so they are plugged into the correct terminals on the devices.

Now go to the breaker panel. Make sure that all the neutral and ground wires are securely terminated on the buss bars and that the green grounding screw is inserted into the panel to tie neutral and ground together at the panel. Lastly check the safety ground wiring from the panel to earth. Most municipalities will require two 6AWG ground wires- one connected to one or two ground bars driven into the ground outside the service entrance and another connected to the water pipe feeding the house.

You would probably be wise to pay an electrican to check the grounding connections at the panel and outside the house to make sure they are correct- they can actually meter the ground resistance and make sure it is correct.

Again, an incorrect safety ground is only a problem if a hot wire gets loose (which probably won't happen) but why take the chance? Fixing it is easy if the devices have the ground terminals on them and the NM or Romex wiring has the ground wire in it.

The arcing you are describing in some of the switches is caused by using cheap switches- they "throw" too slowly so the current arcs across the contacts before the switch is closed. Spend a few bucks (literally, a FEW bucks) on brand-name switches to solve that problem.

Good luck!

clpmjb20

Answer 3

The grounds should be connected to the switches and receptacles. Many of the cheaper switches will make the arcing sounds buying a better quality switch will eliminate this sound. Be sure to turn off your circuit breakers before attaching the ground wire and turn it back on after each one you attach, this way you will know if you have the ground shorting out and don't have to go back and check every one to find a problem.

I would buy a circuit tester to plug into the receptacle to make sure the polarity is correct and that it is grounded.

Where the ground wires are twisted together I would add a bare copper wire and use a wire nut to connect them,then attach the other end to the ground terminal of your switch or receptacle. You will need a 5 to 6 inch piece of wire for each switch or outlet.

Adding a ground wire will not damage your system, only make it safer. I hate it when people cut corners with electrical wiring but have found the same conditions in many houses.

Answer 4

WOW talk about living in a hazard. If the wires are just tied together and not to a ground that IS A BIG HAZARD. All circuits must be grounded with the ground wires. Since the J-Boxes are plastic a seperate ground wire should have been run. If you can I would go back and change the outlets and switches so that the wires are in the quick holes or even around the screws ( If Possible) and maybe have an electrician look at this. Any future installations you do should have the grounds attached as this will keep you from being hurt. Good Luck.

Answer 5

By the standards set by the national electric code all plug-ins and metal boxes and switches and appliances must be grounded....I would recommend you do this as soon as possible and be as safe as possible by turning off power before doing any work...you can use a 7 inch piece of bare copper wire or green insulated wire (i recommend this) of the same size as the original wire used in all plug-ins,switches,and appliances.....to connect to the grounds of the supply cables...i would get higher amp rated switches to replace the ones that are already in use.....the sound you hear has nothing to do with the ground but the load on the switch.....wiring the grounds up in future outlets would not screw anything up..but make any outlets you install safer

Answer 6

Your receptacles and switches should be connected to the ground wire.Take a #14 copper wire and twist it with the bare wires in the box using a wirenut connecter then put the other end around the green grounding screw on each device to complete the connection.Check your electical panel to make sure the grounds are connected right. p.s. take the time to put the wires around the screws. You`ll have no trouble doing it right!

Answer 7

Short answer. The current National Electrical Code requires every switch and outlet to be properly grounded. It would sound as if the person who wired your house did not have a permit or inspection by your local Code Enforcement Officer.

PS; Don't call them now. They will require you to immediately repair the problem. Don't misunderstand that comment. The wiring is dangerous and needs to be corrected,. You just don't need a government official "snooping" around in your house, you don't know what else they may find.

Answer 8

The NEC started requiring switches to be grounded in 2002, I'm sure 95% of all homes before that have NO ground on the switches, It's one of those things Kind of up to you now if you ground the switches or not, The Outlets Have to be grounded, The switches Not being grounded is no big deal, The arcing you see in the switches is normal unless you spend about15$ to 20$ per switch to put in heavy duty switches.

Answer 9

Yes, its a new code in the NEC (National Electrical Code) that even switches have to be grounded now, a while back it wasnt required, any metal box should also be grounded, and any applience,fixture, ect that provides a ground screw/wire needs to be grounded, ITS FOR YOUR OWN PROTECTION!!

Answer 10

Aluminum wire requires anti-oxide paste to make reliable low resistance connections. If that was applied there's no problem with it's use for grounds.