Electrical Code for Bonding Ground Wires

How to Splice Electrical Wires and the Ground: For projects where you are extending the wiring of an existing circuit then the additional wire size must match that of the circuit you are branching from or splicing. Electrical junction box splices can be made safely when you understand the method.

NEC Code and Bonding Ground Wires
Electrical Question: I believe I read in the NEC that you should never bond different sized wires together (e.g. never bond a 14-gauge wire into a 12-gauge circuit. Why?

• This would imply that I can’t add a simple switched light fixture into an existing 20-amp circuit unless I wire it with 12-gauge wire.

This electrical wiring question came from: Gary, a Handyman from Lake Worth, Florida.
Additional Comments: Very useful resource.

Dave’s Reply:
Thanks for your electrical wiring question Gary.

How to Splice Electrical Wires and the Ground

1. The NEC Electrical Code that you may be referring to does not apply to your electrical wiring application.
2. Yes – you can splice a 14 gauge ground wire from a light fixture to a #12 gauge ground wire in the light fixture junction box.
3. For projects where you are extending the wiring of an existing circuit then the additional wire size must match that of the circuit you are branching from or splicing.
4. Be sure to use the right size wire connector for the wire gauges and number of wires that will be spliced.

Splicing Electrical Wires

Electrical Junction Box Splice

Electrical junction box splices can be made safely when you understand the method. This example will show you how its done step by step and shows how to make a junction box splice and the related electrical codes.

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