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Electrical Wiring

light fixtures ground wire question

9 years ago

purchased old chandeliers and they have a stripped wire along with the old wiring. I wanted to re-wire them but then I purchased a new one and it too has an extra wire.
My question is why the extra wire? I'm guessing it's a ground wire but doesn't new lamp wiring have a ground already in it? Do we need that extra wire?
I'm confuzled can someone help me understand what to do.
thank you and Merry Christmas !

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Comments (8)

bus_driver
9 years ago
Photos would help avoid confusion.
Ron Natalie
9 years ago
I'm confused. You purchased a new what?

Older lamps typically didn't have a ground but some had a polarized plug so that the exposed metal was at least connected to the grounded conductor.

Now if you want to connect a ground, you have to be careful. If the current carrying wiring is connected to the exposed metal, you need to leave the ground alone. If it's connected only to the bulb sockets (typically the threaded part not the button in the middle) then the rest of the metal should be grounded.
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User
Original Author
9 years ago
thank you for your responses .. sorry no photos.

Two are old chandeliers with no plugs, just wiring, one is a chandelier remade from old and new parts.. Looks like typical lamp wiring except there is an extra wire with them.
jimct01
9 years ago
I don't think we can answer without a photo. Sounds like an old fixture perhaps with modified or custom wiring . Without pictures any advice given. Could be dangerous.
Ron Natalie
9 years ago
If a manufacturer or someone with a clue wired it and provided a ground wire, then connect it to ground. Otherwise, you'll have to do the analysis I suggested already. Ideally the exposed metal parts of the lamp should be at ground potential, however if they are electrically connected to the current carrying grounded conductor, you may not just want to ground that part.
tim45z10
9 years ago
Does that extra wire designed to carry electricity, or is it a safety wire in case the mount fails?
Ron Natalie
9 years ago
A "wire" isn't likely to hold a fixture.

The wire referred to here is a safety ground. However if the metal parts of the fixture are already connected to the grounded conductor you probably don't want to connect it willy nilly to the fixture.
btharmy
9 years ago
So, are there 4 wires on the chandelier? 3 insulated and one "stripped" (lets call it bare)? Or are there 2 insulated and 1 bare. If there are 2 insulated and 1 bare, the bare would be the ground. If there are 3 insulated and 1 bare, I have no idea what is going on without seeing the fixture. Surely you have a camera. No?

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