View Full Version : How do I run a ground wire to a light switch?
Joseluis1
Sep 25, 2010, 05:05 PM
I have the 'old' light switches that do not require a ground wire to work, all of the switches are connected to a control box on the attic. I want to install new switches, but all of the new switches require a ground to work? All of these switches are connected in series, the reason I know this, is because when one of the switches gets stuck, I can not turn off any of them, until I find the one is tick...
I want to run a ground wire to the new switch, but I can't because the metal box does not have a ground wire attach to it...
ma0641
Sep 25, 2010, 07:05 PM
Household switches do not need a ground to work, the ground only carries current in a short. Are you sure they are in series?. Perhaps they are 3 and 4 way? Unless they are closed completely they will not work. If you have only 2 wires, white and black, you don't have a ground in the system, common for old houses. If you are running a new wire, and the junction box is grounded, run a 14/2 from that point to the switch and pigtail a ground to the junction box ground.
Joseluis1
Sep 25, 2010, 08:38 PM
How do I run a ground wire where there no existing ground, because the household light switches are old and they did not require one and I want to install new light switches and possibly a light dimmer too.
I know I could just ground from the metal box, but the box does not have ground because this is only attached to the 2 x 4 studs and no ground was ever runned to them...
Is the easies way the attic?
Joseluis1
Sep 25, 2010, 08:44 PM
I need to run a ground wire to a light switch, I have very old wiring in my house and the existing switches do not require ground to work or neutral its weird...
Is the attic the best bet or is there a better way to get a ground wire to all of the housedhod light swtiches?
Can I get one ground wire from the main baker/box and run it to one and from there run it to all of the others?
tkrussell
Sep 26, 2010, 04:12 AM
Merged several threads all related.
A standard switch does not need a ground to operate.
A ground is used in current wring, as for several decades, for safety in the event of a short circuit, as explained by Ma0641.
If you are located in the USA, just running a ground wire to devices with no ground is not allowed.
If you could run a ground wire, then you can install new wiring with a ground in the cable.
You probably get the impression the switch needs a ground wire because the new switch has a green screw on it, and the old does not.
Again, the ground is not required for proper operation.