Electrical help ?

[laktrash]

I just bought an outdoor cheapo motion light. The light doesn't have a ground it only has a black and white. It gonna be mounted on a wood pole with a switch on the pole.This was already in place from another light. Do I cap the ground, wrap it around one of the mounting screws or take it back. I 'm mainly going to flip off and on as needed its next to the lake so I really don't plan on using the motion because pi**ing off the fishermen. I hate being stupid but electricity scares me espicially next to the lake. BTW I checked the reviews and everybody was more pleased with this light than any of the pricier ones. the down side it just looks cheap "plastic"

[enfield]

If the light has a metal case, I'd connect the ground wire to it. If it doesn't, then I'd just cap it.

IANAE

[maroonandwhite]

You said it didn't have a ground; only black and white. You may know this but you can't cap either of those. They both have to be connected to their respecting wire. If it does have a bare or green wire the you could prob cap it off. I'd just ground it to the case like enfield said.

[laktrash]

Thanks guys I hate to be stupid but My hot line has the black , white and the bare copper. I just had the switch turned off and taped off with wire nuts on the end for years now that I redid a section of dock I figured my go ahead and put up a light since I already had a switch with wire I've never just seen a light or anything with out a ground . I had an old halgen that came off the garage that I replaced but it didn't have a ground and had the cloth like covering on the wires plus it put off major heat when it was on.so I was scared of it. This house was started by an engineer in 1964 him and his wife built it by themselves They used it for a ocasional lakehouse They never finished it and sold it in 1990 I lived next door and new them very nice people but some of the things are a "little odd" to say the least

Sorry off topic

[peejman]

If you're not going to use the motion detection feature, exchange it for a 3-wire light without the motion detector.

Otherwise, connect the ground wire to something metal... light housing, junction box, etc.

[mikegideon]

If the light has a metal case, I'd connect the ground wire to it. If it doesn't, then I'd just cap it.

IANAE

Maybe not, but it's the right answer.

[laktrash]

Done deal I capped the ground. just slid a connecter over it and crimped both ends. I may want to you the motion feature in the future They've been known to ease in by water and steal things around here.