Electrical – Does the NEC Allow Chaining Wire Connectors in a Junction Box?

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In this box, I have a green ground wire nut with a through-wire connected to the metal box ground nut that connects it to four other ground wires on conductors entering the box. I connected three more ground wires to the through-wire with a 4-way push connector that will connect to the ground nuts on three different switches.

Is this type of connector linking generally allowed rather than putting all 7 or 8 ground wires under one large wire nut, and are there any restrictions other than exceeding box-fill limitations?

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Best Answer

I'm pretty sure that's OK, subject only to box fill issues.

However, you have a beautiful METAL box! You don't need to do this! See my long list of metal box advantages, #8 and #9.

  • At least one incoming ground wire should go directly to the back of the box - that makes the entire box part of the ground.
  • All switches should ground automatically through the yoke to the metal box.
  • All except rock-bottom quality receptacles should be self-grounding through the yoke to the metal box.

If a switch comes with a ground pigtail attached (some smart switches and timers are designed that way) then you need to attach it to the box/other grounds. But most switches, receptacles, etc. simply have a ground screw and you get to ignore it when installing in a metal box.

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