PSA: Grounding debate got heated on my last service call...

We were replacing an old panel and my partner insisted on doubling up the ground wires... I read the new NEC section and it says not to do that anymore. He says it's always been safe his way, but I worry about inspection. Which side would you take in this spot?

4 comments

4 Comments

joseph_bailey1mo ago

Which NEC edition are you looking at for that "no doubling up" rule?

wesleyshah1mo ago

Wait, is everyone just checking the conductor fill tables and ignoring the whole tap rule thing? I see guys mix that up all the time where they think you can't double up grounds or neutrals in certain boxes, but that's not actually a blanket rule in any recent NEC. It's more about the specific situation, like with equipment grounding conductors in some metal boxes. The code gets read wrong because people hear something once and just repeat it without looking up the actual section.

kai_ramirez381mo ago

Yeah, that bit about the code getting read wrong because people just repeat what they hear is spot on. I saw a guy once who refused to put two ground wires under one screw in a panel, saying it was against code no matter what. He heard it from his foreman years ago and never questioned it. We looked it up and it was fine for that specific setup, he just had it stuck in his head. Stuff like that makes you realize how many work habits are based on old rumors lol. Always gotta crack the book yourself.

keith1641mo ago

Honestly, I'm with the old foreman on this one. The code might say it's okay on paper, but I've seen those screws strip out or come loose with two wires way too many times. Just because the book allows it doesn't mean it's a good idea. A single wire per terminal is just cleaner and you never have to worry about it. Sometimes the old school way is just better practice.