Light Switch With No Ground Wire

When i pull the old ones out i noticed they don t have grounds.

Light switch with no ground wire. Is it okay to not ha e a ground in the new light switch. The dimmer switch has the ground green wire. The problem is that the existing light switch box does not have a ground wire only a black and white. I loosened the screws but the wire wouldn t come out.

I want to replace a light switch in one of the rooms with a single pole dimmer switch. I can see that there is a copper wire back in there but it s been cut short too short to attach the green ground wire from the dimmer. If the light switch has a screw for a bare ground wire but your electrical box doesn t have one you re ok just leaving that screw empty and connecting your other wires to the hot screws. It s a safety.

That s the only purpose the ground wire serves. In many cases especially in older houses with metal boxes the metal box may be grounded even if you don t have a ground wire. In the event that the live wire comes loose and touches the light fixture the ground wire diverts the power and blows the breaker instead of you feeling an electrical shock when you touch the fixture. Installing light fixtures that have no ground wire is something that can be done by yourself.

Consider wiring the light yourself to save money on an electrician and gain experience in electrical repairs for your home. The ground wire is designed to protect you. The purpose of the ground wire. Also are there switches where the wire is part of the switch.

But check will all local building codes because it may require a rewiring of your home to bring it up to date.