Home wiring

[Rick]

Hi Group,

I am wiring a room in my basement. It is a new room. I have purchased 2
books on home wiring and I am confident about doing the work myself. I
have 4 plug outlets, one light switch, two light ceiling outlets. I am
'daisy chaining' these together to go on the same circuit. As such, I
am pig tailing the wires to connect to the actual outlet devices. My
question is about the grounding. To save a few dollars, I purchased
these metal cases for the outlets that seem to be all I would need.
Except, when I look at the existing ones that were put in when the
house was built, they are a bit different, namely, there are two screws
in the case for the ground wires. Since I have 2 wires passing through
for the daisy chaining, I also have two ground wires. So, finally, the
question: Is it OK to put two ground wires on the same screw? Or, is
the double screw cases really made for a reason? IE. Do I need to buy a
new metal case to provide appropriate grounding.

I would think not, since even with the double screws both grounds are
for all intents and purposes connected to the same box?

Anyhow, thought I would ask to be safe.

Thanks for your time and resonses.

Rick.

 

[tlbs]

Disclaimer: you need to check your local building codes to be
absolutely sure.

What I have seen (and done) time-and-time again is this: Connect the 2
ground wires together along with a 3rd short pigtail, all in a
wire-nut. Connect the pigtail to the ground lug on the outlet or
switch (or to the box).

I believe it is safer to connect the ground pigtail directly to the
outlet or switch ground-lug.

One other suggestion: if you can, don't connect all the outlets and
the overhead light to the same circuit breaker. The load on the
circuit breaker is not the issue -- the problem is, if that particular
breaker goes bad you lose everything in that room simultaneously. If
one or two outlets are on a different breaker, and a desk lamp or
nightlight is plugged into those outlet, then you would still have some
light/power in the room when the light breaker failed.

This has happened to me (breaker failure -- overhead light only). I
have observed the practice I described in several homes.