Lighting, Light Fixtures, Ceiling and Exhaust Fans - Did I do this correctly? Grounding Wire/Screw Question

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justagirl
08-05-08, 07:06 PM
I replaced my vanity lighting fixture.

I had 3-wire coming out of the wall

1. Black
2. White
3. Copper

The light fixture has 3-wires

1. Black
2. White
3. Copper

I attached the black to the black, the white to the white and the copper to the copper and secured with the orange plastic covers (don't know what you call these..)

The light turns on and off just fine.

Now here's my question...

I did not wrap the grounding wire around the green screw on the vanity bracket. I attached the grounding wire to the copper wire coming out the of wall...

Is this correct?


Wirepuller38
08-06-08, 05:38 AM
Metal boxes are to be grounded. Connect the ground wire coming out of the wall, the ground wire from the light, and a ground wire jumper connected to the box ground screw.

justagirl
08-06-08, 08:45 AM
Metal boxes are to be grounded. Connect the ground wire coming out of the wall, the ground wire from the light, and a ground wire jumper connected to the box ground screw.

Thank you for your reply, Wirepuller38.

But you lost me on "ground wire jumper connected to the box ground screw".

I don't see any box.

When I took down the old vanity light, there were only 3-wires coming out of the hole in the wall.

I'm confused...Sorry, but this ithe first time I've done anything like this...

If this helps, I just exactly this : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2x9QFAPM9k

WITH THE EXCEPTION THAT I DID NOT WRAP ANYTHING AROND THE GREEN SCREW.


John Nelson
08-06-08, 09:18 AM
Wirepuller may have misunderstood your setup. Or maybe the metal box he was referring to is the fixture chassis.

But I don't quite understand the following:

I did not wrap the grounding wire around the green screw on the vanity bracket. I attached the grounding wire to the copper wire coming out the of wall...

The fixture should provide a place to connect the grounding wire. As long as you connect the grounding wire there, then you are okay. In general, however, grounding wires should be attached to green screws. Please clarify your quote above.

justagirl
08-06-08, 10:21 AM
Thank you John.

Okay...let me try to clarify.

I took down the old vanity light fixture and removed the bracket.

3-wires were coming out of the hole in the wall - 1-black, 1-white, 1-copper.

The new light fixture has 3-wires bundles attached to it - 1-black, 1-white, 1-copper (this is a single wire).

After attaching the new bracket to the wall (this bracket has the green groud screw on it), I attached the vanity wires to the wires coming from the wall

black to black
white to white
coppper to copper

Then I fastening the new light fixture to the mounting bracket. This took FOREVER and was not an easy installation.

The turned the power breaker back on and tested the light - it works!

Now I question if I should have wrapped one of the copper wires around the green screw before attaching it to the other copper wire.

I followed the instructions on the youtube Home Depot video but now looking at it, it seems that the copper wire from the wall is wrapped around the screw and then attached the light fixture copper wire.

I hope this is a bit clearer...

THANK YOU!!!

Michael Thomas
08-06-08, 01:51 PM
I attached the black to the black, the white to the white and the copper to the copper and secured with the orange plastic covers (don't know what you call these..)
"Twist-on wire connector" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wire_nut) often called a "Wire-Nut" (http://www.idealindustries.com/products/wire_termination/twist-on/wire-nut.jsp), which is actually a brand name. Some people - tired of the controversy - just say "Scru-It" (http://www.scru-it.com/).

hernandez
08-06-08, 01:55 PM
you ok any ways all the ground are together (2) 1 from wall 1 from light that makes all continuos. wire from wall to wire to light and screws from light base(CANOPI) to box in the wall complete circuit. if u did not use screw maybe was a nut either way works to complety the path. u ok u ok... keep it up. hex

John Nelson
08-06-08, 02:40 PM
Now I question if I should have wrapped one of the copper wires around the green screw before attaching it to the other copper wire.Yes, you should have done that.

justagirl
08-07-08, 08:14 AM
Yes, you should have done that.

OH NO! Do I need to take it down and start all over or is the light fixture safe as is?

:gmorning: