Does a light fixture have to be grounded?
Question:i bought two of the same type of light fixtures to install in my bathroom. the first fixture did not have a ground wire that i could see, so i just hooked up the white and black wires and it worked fine. the second light fixture did have a copper ground wire, and i wrapped it around the bracket as the instructions said. is this a hazard, or is it fine since it works ok?
Answers:
hello it is fine with out a ground as the scews that hold the light there workds as a ground its fine as im a elec...
As a general rule, if thee unit is totally encased in plastic - no metal parts, then thee will be no need for an earth wire - and indeed nothing to connect it to anyway.
If however, the unit is made of metal - eg: a brass bulb holder - then yes it should be earther for safety.
I am puzzled as to why one had the wore and one not if they were trul the same fittings. If they just LOOKED simialr, it might be that one was whiote sprayed metal and the other was white plastic (for example), the all-plastic one would NOT need an earth.
Mark
ps: Screws being used as an earthing point?? And what section of the regs does it say that is ok? You only need to have a lacquered brass fitting to have ZERO continuity.
By wrapping the ground wire around the bracket, you have done exactly what you should do. The lite is grounded!!
IT MUST BE GROUNDED!!!
Ask at the store. They should know about what they are selling.
National electrical code requires that fixture to be grounded if it could ever become energized. I am guessing that since it is a bath bar, it is some type of metal, requiring a ground. However, the code did not previously require lighting to be grounded . If your house is a little older, it may not have a ground in that box.
Is it safe without one...probably, but it shouldn't be that difficult to tie in a ground in the box that already has one, and connect it to the one that doesn't. This should ground your fixture.
Yes it will work ground should be hooked up but if you cant find it
It,ll be ok. The white wire is your ground anyway.
The white wire IS NOT A GROUND. It is a current-carrying conductor.
Grounding any fixture is intended to prevent the fixture from becoming a live conductor by accidental contact with the "real conductor" (a hot wire or any live parts in the fixture). This is only a concern if the fixture, or its housing, is made of a conductive material.
Once the fixture "accidentally" becomes a conductor, any unsuspecting innocent person can be shocked, or worse, just by coming in contact with the fixture, which anyone would normally expect to be harmless to the touch.
Grounding the fixture prevents "the accident" by shorting out the fixture if this ever happens, which will blow a fuse or trip a breaker, stopping the flow of electricity.
While it will not be wired to code, the light will operate fine without the ground, especially if nobody can reach it, or accidentally come in contact with it.
Be careful when you change the bulb. Nothing more fun than an unsuspected electrical shock, or what you might hit on the way to the ground after falling off the ladder.
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