Methods for tying grounds together and ground pigtails

[signcrafter]

In our bathroom I'm redoing I put in a 3 gang plastic nail on box for the switches. One switch for vanity light, one for 2 can lights in ceiling, and one for the bath fan. So I have 5 wires going into the box. So 5 grounds and also need 3 pigtails to go to the grounding screws on the switches. Thinking my options are to leave one ground wire really long and use a green wire nut to twist all 5 ground wires together(if they are rated for 5 #14s?) and then use the long ground wire to loop around each ground screw on the switches. Kind of like daisy chaining them together, going from switch to switch to switch. Is this OK to do? Other option would be to get some ground crimp rings and stick all 5 wires through the ground crimp and crimp it on and then leave 3 of the ground wires long to send one to each switch. Other option would be to use a big wire nut and put all 5 wires plus 3 ground pigtails in one wire nut. But I don't like putting that many wires in one wire nut even if it is rated for it.

So you guys that do this everyday what is the common or best way to do multiple grounds in situations like this?

 

[yatg]

Messy. Look up 8 port Wago connectors.

 

[Showkey]

Or (two) 4 port WAGO .........

NOTE: The WAGO haters should arrive momentarily......

 

[JRC3]

Or (two) 4 port WAGO .........

You mean two 5 port connectors, or 6 and 4. You forgot the jumper.


No hate here, many light fixtures are coming with them and they sure do make installation a piece of cake. LED light doesn't pull much. And those push-in romex connectors too.

 

[exranger06]

This isn't necessarily the BEST way, but it's A way to do it: If you don't want too many wires under one wire nut, put only a few under one nut with a jumper wire. Take the rest of the wires and put them under another wire nut, with the jumper connecting the two bundles together. So in your case, assuming you're running separate wires to each switch for a total of 8 ground wires, you would have 5 wires under one nut (including the jumper) and 5 wires under the other nut (including the other end of the jumper).

But you can also use a single piece of wire and loop it around each ground screw like you suggested.

 

[kasander]

I just bought some of these reuseable ones. Pricey, but I only needed a few.

WAGO 222-415

https://www.kinequip.com/products/wago-222-415-40-pk-compact-splicing-connector-2-conductor-terminal-block?variant=21835143282788&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=Google%20Shopping&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIpZWm6LWh5QIVVeDICh3C7gp8EAQYASABEgL9GvD_BwE

 

[teamextreme]

I use a green wire nut and leave one long pigtail out the top to daisy chain to all the switches, as you described in your first example. Nothing wrong with doing it that way, been done like that for decades. I wouldn't call it messy. FWIW, I just fixed a failed Wago connector in a friend's can light a couple weeks ago. Just say'in.

 

[TRWham]

I usually still use crimp sleeves for grounds.

 

[shaggyant]

I usually still use crimp sleeves for grounds.

Me too. Those guys wasting fancy Wago connectors on a ground

 

[signcrafter]

I usually still use crimp sleeves for grounds.

So when you do this you just put the 5 grounds together and slide crimp ring on and crimp. Then leave 3 long to go to switches?

 

[TRWham]

No, you also twist the grounds together. YouTube has numerous demos of the method.

 

[Crazyjake8493]

If you're going with Wagos, 221 series lever nuts are the way to go. Pricey, but better than the push-in connectors and smaller than the 222 series.

 

[rjcnaples]

I agree leave one long ground and trim other ground to twist around it and use a green wire nut with the hole in it. If you don’t own a crimp tool. When you device it out just daisy chain the ground to the switches.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[nsula_country]

If you're going with Wagos, 221 series lever nuts are the way to go. Pricey, but better than the push-in connectors and smaller than the 222 series.

These.

CT

 

[cadunkle]

I agree leave one long ground and trim other ground to twist around it and use a green wire nut with the hole in it.

This is why I usually do, keeps it neat without filling the box or being too hard to work with.

 

[JRC3]

I do use these. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Commerc...ire-Connectors-Green-15-Pack-778307/302686281

I just found this pic while looking for a pic of the wire nut to post. Does it look familiar?

 

[alfredeneuman]

I use this method (daisy chaining) with hots and neutrals on multiple switches and receptacles in a box as well.
I strip a section of insulation about 1-1/2" long to wrap around the screws.