Grounding Pigtail - Box and Device Bonding Repair Guide

A grounding pigtail is a short ground wire used to connect a device or metal box to the branch-circuit grounding conductors.

What It Is

A grounding pigtail lets multiple grounding wires be tied together while still giving the receptacle, switch, or metal box its own dedicated connection point. Instead of landing two or more wires under one device screw, the conductors are spliced together with a short extra wire that terminates neatly on the device or box.

This detail matters because grounding continuity has to remain intact even if the device is removed later for service. A proper pigtail helps keep the box and downstream grounding path connected during repairs.

Where It Is Used

Grounding pigtails are used in switch boxes, receptacle boxes, ceiling boxes, metal junction boxes, and other locations where more than one grounding conductor needs to be joined. They are especially common in metal boxes and multi-wire cable splices.

How to Identify One

Look inside a box for a short bare or green-insulated wire connected with a wirenut or crimp sleeve to the other grounding conductors. The free end typically lands on the device ground screw or on a threaded grounding hole in a metal box.

Replacement

Replacement is needed when the pigtail is missing, too short, loose, damaged, or omitted during a device change. The replacement has to match the circuit conductor material and be connected with an approved grounding splice method.