Author Topic: Quick Home imprtovement question - electricity  (Read 377 times)

Offline BTW

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Quick Home imprtovement question - electricity
« on: June 11, 2008, 09:48:26 PM »
Recently I ran a new outside light from an old circuit that has no ground. I'm told the outside box should be grounded. I ran a ground wire to the outside box and am wondering if there is any difference to connect it to a cold water pipe, or to connect it the the ground of a grounded circuit  ( i.e., a circuit hooked to the grounding rod)?

P.S. I'm on the last room of my house after rebuilding it after Katrina! **I*** did everything - every nail, every screw , every board, every cuss word!

Offline DREDIOCK

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Re: Quick Home imprtovement question - electricity
« Reply #1 on: June 11, 2008, 10:46:03 PM »


P.S. I'm on the last room of my house after rebuilding it after Katrina! **I*** did everything - every nail, every screw , every board, every cuss word!

We can tell  :D

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Offline john9001

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Re: Quick Home imprtovement question - electricity
« Reply #2 on: June 12, 2008, 07:35:48 AM »
i think your outside stuff has to go through a GFI. Check the local code.

Offline Hornet33

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Re: Quick Home imprtovement question - electricity
« Reply #3 on: June 12, 2008, 08:06:01 AM »
Exterior lights do not need to be on a GFI circuit, only recepticals. If you can run the ground to an existing grounded circuit that would be the best way to do it. Try to avoid the pipe thing. If all else fails run a complete new line from the main panel to the light and ground it at the panel.
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Offline uptown

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Re: Quick Home imprtovement question - electricity
« Reply #4 on: June 12, 2008, 09:06:55 AM »
Hornet is correct :aok
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Offline rpm

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Re: Quick Home imprtovement question - electricity
« Reply #5 on: June 12, 2008, 12:29:12 PM »
Hornet is correct :aok
I second that. :aok
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Offline hubsonfire

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Re: Quick Home imprtovement question - electricity
« Reply #6 on: June 12, 2008, 01:14:00 PM »
Thirded. Maybe it's just me, but I think plumbing and electricity are a really bad combination.
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Offline Wayout

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Re: Quick Home imprtovement question - electricity
« Reply #7 on: June 12, 2008, 06:02:27 PM »
Thirded. Maybe it's just me, but I think plumbing and electricity are a really bad combination.

Ground to a water pipe:  Good
Ground to a ground rod: So-so
Ground to a gas pipe:  Bad   
 
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Offline AWMac

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Re: Quick Home imprtovement question - electricity
« Reply #8 on: June 12, 2008, 06:08:37 PM »
Amused your friends... ground it to the toilet flusher.

Tell em to just "jiggle" the handle.

 :D

Mac

Offline Masherbrum

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Re: Quick Home imprtovement question - electricity
« Reply #9 on: June 12, 2008, 06:46:39 PM »
Amused your friends... ground it to the toilet flusher.

Tell em to just "jiggle" the handle.

 :D

Mac
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Offline AWMac

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Re: Quick Home imprtovement question - electricity
« Reply #10 on: June 12, 2008, 06:49:39 PM »
Naw just leave the seat up at night and let the wifey test it.

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« Last Edit: June 12, 2008, 06:51:16 PM by AWMac »

Offline BTW

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Re: Quick Home imprtovement question - electricity
« Reply #11 on: June 12, 2008, 08:24:12 PM »
Exterior lights do not need to be on a GFI circuit, only recepticals. If you can run the ground to an existing grounded circuit that would be the best way to do it. Try to avoid the pipe thing. If all else fails run a complete new line from the main panel to the light and ground it at the panel.

Thanks. Connecting the ground wire to an existing ground is easy. I was just afraid of some phasing problem I wasn't considering. I know the basics of home wiring but by no means claim to be an electrician. Thats why I asked (so I didn't hit a "oh I didn't know that..."). Thanks for the info!

Offline BTW

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Re: Quick Home imprtovement question - electricity
« Reply #12 on: June 12, 2008, 08:25:09 PM »
We can tell  :D

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