canopy Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 I have an outdoor metal electrical panel. It has screws to ground the panel as well as the door. The problem is after the door swings so many times the ground wire breaks as shown below. Is there any way to remedy this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bankruatsteve Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 Is that a plastic door? Why put a ground wire on that? Or, make the wire longer I suppose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canopy Posted March 27, 2013 Author Share Posted March 27, 2013 Door is metal just like the panel. Normally it is locked with a key. I open it to use the outlet and the wind swings it frequently. Hoping for some sort of gadget or better technique might exist for this situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crossy Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 Use a proper ground braid rather than a flexible wire, it will last far longer. As to where to get in Thailand......To be honest, unless it's in a public area the hinges and lock will provide a more than adequate ground for the door.EDIT that looks like a solid core wire, which explains why it breaks so readily. Strip out a core from a bit of flex if you can't find the braid. Putting a ring crimp on the end will help relieve the strain on the core and look more professional 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrbojangles Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 Screw a chain to the panel and the door. As long as the earth wire is longer than the chain, the chain will take all the stress instead of the earth wire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbrain Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 (edited) Screw a chain to the panel and the door. As long as the earth wire is longer than the chain, the chain will take all the stress instead of the earth wire. I would assume the chain, in addition to the hinges, would provide similar ground as a single earth wire ? Edited March 27, 2013 by jbrain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrbojangles Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 Screw a chain to the panel and the door. As long as the earth wire is longer than the chain, the chain will take all the stress instead of the earth wire. I would assume the chain, in addition to the hinges, would provide similar ground as a single earth wire ? Yeah, probably would as long as it wasn't coated with anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbrain Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 Screw a chain to the panel and the door. As long as the earth wire is longer than the chain, the chain will take all the stress instead of the earth wire. I would assume the chain, in addition to the hinges, would provide similar ground as a single earth wire ? Yeah, probably would as long as it wasn't coated with anything. Just another thought that springs up. Why the door needs an earth wire ? It is either coated so it will not transfer electricty from the box, or it isn't coated and it will use the ground from the box. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrbojangles Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 Screw a chain to the panel and the door. As long as the earth wire is longer than the chain, the chain will take all the stress instead of the earth wire. I would assume the chain, in addition to the hinges, would provide similar ground as a single earth wire ? Yeah, probably would as long as it wasn't coated with anything. Just another thought that springs up. Why the door needs an earth wire ? It is either coated so it will not transfer electricty from the box, or it isn't coated and it will use the ground from the box. I just clicked on the ops piccie and it has an earth sticker, so better safe than sorry I suppose. Maybe the hinges aren't a good enough conductor or provide a good enough continuous earth. Don't know, it's out of my league. I was just trying to suggest something that may not put strain on the earth cable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyrre Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 you can also run the wire(inside a protected plastic spiral etc.) up alongside the hinges and down again on the inside fasting the cable on the lower end of the door and at the top inside cabinet. And use a multi core cable insted of single core. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pib Posted April 2, 2013 Share Posted April 2, 2013 Make your own braid...just use the braided shield conductor from a short piece of 75 ohm TV round cable which you could easily find/buy. Strip/cut/pull off the outer PVC insulation and then just pull the braid off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lopburi3 Posted April 3, 2013 Share Posted April 3, 2013 Hinge should make more positive contact than a chain (which could not be trusted to ever make good contact). As it appears single core is being used just a change to zip cord (multi conductor lamp wire) would be a great improvement. As said braid from coax could also be used but perhaps harder to attach. Suspect the reason for ground would be only the hinge is in contact with main box (and although probably 99% chance it would ground it is not 100%) as weather seal insulates alternate to flange so if internal wire were to short to door it might not trip to ground and be a danger to anyone touching. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hssl Posted April 3, 2013 Share Posted April 3, 2013 Single core VCT is probably going to be the easiest cable to get and use Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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