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Appreciation post: A disconnected ground wire in a basement job was a close call
While rewiring an old place, I saw the main ground wire had come loose. Leaving it could have made the whole system surge and fry customer gear. Do you make a habit of testing grounds on every older install?
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fox.joel7mo ago
Read an article last year that said failed grounds are way more common in houses built before the 80s. Those old clamps and wires just wear out or rust through. Makes sense to check them on any job where you're already working on the panel. It only takes a minute with a meter but can save a ton of headache later. Honestly, treating it as a standard step on older homes just seems like smart practice now. You never know what's been messed with over the decades.
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the_mila7mo ago
Totally, and like derek868 said, loose wires are a ticking time bomb.
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derek8687mo ago
Honestly that loose ground wire situation is no joke. Tbh I make a point to check the ground connection on any older property I'm dealing with, especially in basements and attics where moisture gets to things. A quick meter check from the neutral bar to the ground rod takes two minutes tops. You'd be shocked how often you find a wire that's just hanging on by a thread or a clamp that's totally rusted out. It's one of those things that's too important to assume it's still good from the last inspection. Ngl, skipping that check is just asking for a bad day when something finally lets go.
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