Ground Wires in a Multi Ganged Switch Box

Question

I went to install a Lurton  3-way motion sensor lightswitch in a three gang switch box. One of the other switches is a 3-way & the other is a 1-way for the porch light. I found all neutral wires tied together with a wire nut, BUT, all of the ground wires were also tied together with no connection to any of the switches. They are all inside a plastic switch box so none of the switches appeared to be grounded. The single switch box that contains the 3-way motion sensor switch was wired the same way. I can understand the neutral wires connected but each switch SHOULD be individually grounded. I connected each switch in the 3 gang switch box to aground wire (all switches on the same circuit) and now I’m reading 60 VAC on the ground wire of the 3-way Switch that’s connected to the motion sensor 3-way switch installed in the single switch box. That’s not good. Should I retie all of the ground wires and use pigtails to ground each switch?

Paul Logan · Answer

Yes, All of the grounds should all be tied together first and firmly bonded together and then from that connection point all the switches should be individually grounded. The neutrals are all tied together and stuffed into the back of the box. Ensure that a ground wire does not come into contact with any of the bare terminals on back of the devices.

Answered by Paul Logan on December 1, 2021

Ground Wires in a Multi Ganged Switch Box

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