Connecting the ground wires properly in box


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Old 04-06-16, 11:15 AM
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Connecting the ground wires properly in box

Hi
I had to move a ceiling light fixture box (which I did) in my dining room. I noted that there are 3 wires coming into the box: a 14-3 which goes to the light switch; a 14-2 coming into the box from an outlet on one side of the room. This wire is bringing in the power. The last wire is another 14-2 going to an outlet on the other side of the room. This is the last outlet on the circuit.

Anyway, I made note that all whites are spliced together and all blacks are together leaving the red to go to the fixture. My question is about the ground wires. How do I connect the grounds? I am embarrassed asking this because it seems so simple. I am confused about whether they get connected to the junction box and to each other or whether they are just connected to each other. Do I put one to the box and the others go together.... AARGGHHH. Did I mention I am embarrassed?????
 
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Old 04-06-16, 12:20 PM
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We are here to help! The grounds all get tied together (with a wire nut) and if the box is metal, you need to run a wire from the box and tie it in with all the other grounds. Usually there is a threaded hole for this purpose. Your light fixture may also have a ground wire, which gets tied to all the others.
 
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Old 04-06-16, 02:33 PM
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Thanks Carbide. Can I use one of the grounds to go to the box ground screw first and then tie it in with the other two? I left all the grounds long knowing I didn't know what to do with them!
 
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Old 04-06-16, 02:59 PM
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If they are long you can use a green grounding wire nut that has a hole in the end for one ground wire to be fed through. That wire can go to your box.

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Old 04-06-16, 03:09 PM
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Can I use one of the grounds to go to the box ground screw first and then tie it in with the other two?
Yes. That is how I like to do it, and then use the green wirenut like Ray shows to leave a lead to connect to the switch or receptacle.
 
 

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