Connection of grounds in a quad non-metallic outlet box

[kwired]

Ah...yes. The "12-2" should have gave it away to me it was NM. That went right past me every time I read it. This is why my reading comprehension ACT score was the lowest. LOL

And if there is concern over high power radio frequencies, maybe steel raceway would be better at shielding the conductors than NM cable.

 

[K1GMB]

Ah...yes. The "12-2" should have gave it away to me it was NM. That went right past me every time I read it. This is why my reading comprehension ACT score was the lowest. LOL

No problem shows you are digesting the technical stuff!!! <grins>

 

[K1GMB]

And if there is concern over high power radio frequencies, maybe steel raceway would be better at shielding the conductors than NM cable.

Yea, but with RF interference, you just really never know? I had checked with other technical resources that (Square D, and others), who said that good installation techniques (a.k.a. grounding) really would be sufficient. But I was prepared to do other things if the RFI was present.

 

[kwired]

Thanks, you are right on target!! I didn't think that my question was that difficult, but as with many posts there are always people that are smart asses and attempt to make themselves out to be smart by their obnoxious answers. Yes, no answers or comments on the original question! My concern was by connecting all the grounds together at the "destination" (LOAD side), this was possibly creating a "ground loop" situation. These newer technology arc fault circuit breakers seem to be moderately to severely sensitive. Henceforth the need to isolate neutrals from stray currents of other circuits that may terminate in the same electrical box. I was attempting to carry this concern over to the grounding conductor for thoughts. But I didn't get any thought respectable answers, or provoking comments to help me decide how I was going to proceed. So, I used the newer (UL listed) plug in tap cubes to connect all four (4) incoming grounds, and the four (4) outgoing pigtails to the dedicated surge arrestor receptacles in a non-metallic PVC box. It makes for a "busier" box with all of the various grounds, and I'm not sure if all of that is needed. All circuits are individual homerun (NM) and have their own dedicated CAFI. --Whatever-- It's completed. Extensive testing all these new circuits with the newer CAFI's in the near proximity of a 1 kW (that's 1,000 watts to those un-educated), did not show any signs of radio frequency interference issues.

Thank you for your "kind" and accurate observation.

Those neutrals should not interconnect beyond the neutral bus at the supply panel. AFCI's that do incorporate some level of GFP protection will trip when there is load on them if the downstream neutrals do interconnect, that is inherent to how GFP protection works, but code doesn't exactly recognize connecting those neutrals together anyway. You can get away with it an never know about it though unless you get undesired results because of it.

The EGC's need tied together simply to help assure no differences in potential between them.

make 4 runs to 4 adjacent boxes and there is no requirement to tie them together at the load ends though.

 

[kwired]

Yea, but with RF interference, you just really never know? I had checked with other technical resources that (Square D, and others), who said that good installation techniques (a.k.a. grounding) really would be sufficient. But I was prepared to do other things if the RFI was present.

Twisted pairs also is good at lessening RF interference, most 2 wire NM is not twisted. Three wire always used to be but not so much anymore. AC and MC cables typically are though.

 

[Speedskater]

Connections to Planet Earth will have little impact on Radio Frequency interference.
Jim Brown is a HAM radio operator and Audio Engineering Society go-to interference expert.
His page has about 50 papers & Power Points. Many of them cover interference. None suggest Earth Grounding as a good plan.

Audio Systems Group, Inc. Publications

www.audiosystemsgroup.com