earthing metal backboxes

[ruston]

......... testing, testing ..... one two three four.

Yep four cans left.

 

[ipf]

......... testing, testing ..... one two three four.

used to be.....two, three, nine, one.

 

[Geordie Spark]

used to be.....two, three, nine, one.

Not when I did it it wasn't ...... it was always "Testicles one two see the floor"

 

[Guitarist]

It's not uncommon for people to unscrew the faceplates when tiling, then leave them like that until they "get around to refitting them."
Always a fly-lead for me, even if it does take 1 minutes longer.

 

[Deleted member 26818]

We are required to earth exposed-conductive parts.
We are also required to connect CPCs to all exposed-conductive parts on a circuit.

A metal back box is obviously a conductive part, which leaves us to decide whether it is exposed.
Some say yes, others say no.

If you decide that it is exposed, and therefore requires earthing.
You are then left with deciding the method.
If you are happy that the 3.5mm chrome plated brass screw and the single galvanised fixed lug is an acceptable method for connecting the earth, then fine.
If not, then you will have to use a fly lead.

All that leaves, is to decide how to connect the CPC and the fly lead.
Do you connect the CPC to the back box, and then the fly lead from the box to the face plate?
Do you connect the CPC to the face plate and then the fly lead to the back box?
Or do you connect one leg to the back box, the other leg to the face plate and a fly lead in between?

 

[Taylortwocities]

No question

you connect the CPC to the face plate and then the fly lead to the back box

The earth terminations on back boxes are not to be trusted, IMO.


​

 

[Guitarist]

The best way, if you leave enough cable, is to connect one cpc leg (if an RFC), double it over at the plate, then on to the backbox. That way, you get a continuous and quick cpc connection. The downside is that it wastes a lot of brown and blue.

 

[kingeri]

I've always done it. I know it's not strictly necessary any more, but it just doesn't feel right not to do it! And always CPCs into accessory and a flylead to back box.

 

[somersetsparks]

I was taught and always use the 'guitarist' method, literally takes 10 seconds longer then not using a flylead, I'm not arguing you have to do it mind, because you don't!

 

[SKY]

I have always done it - still do as its a force of habit.

 

[Lucas]

Always earth the box, was always taught to. Don't like seeing on leg of the earth bent over into the terminal and then onto the frontplate, if it snaps you have the potential of an open circuit

 

[Guest123]

***Poll Added***

I've kept this one anonymous so please be truthful.

 

[somersetsparks]

Always earth the box, was always taught to. Don't like seeing on leg of the earth bent over into the terminal and then onto the frontplate, if it snaps you have the potential of an open circuit

If any cable snaps at a termination, you will have open circuit? therefore we take precautions not to snap the cables and to test on completion to see if they're snappped.

 

[oldtimer]

The reason they did it was most circuits were run in conduit pipe and no earth was run because the conduit was the earth but when you pulled the socket off the box then there was no earth hence the flying lead

 

[Geordie Spark]

Always earth the box, was always taught to. Don't like seeing on leg of the earth bent over into the terminal and then onto the frontplate, if it snaps you have the potential of an open circuit

Why didn't you tell me this 30 years ago ??? :blush2: :wink5: