Hello,

I'm looking to replace some old light fixtures in my house. The lights that are currently installed, do not have the grounding wire.

The current wires going into those boxes, have a very short ground wire, that comes into the box, and just wraps around one of the ground screws.

My question is, when I go to install the new lights, I've been taught to connect the ground wire coming into the box to the bracket, and then pig tail the two of them.

I'm not capable of doing that because of the length of the current wires. They are just long enough to come in the box, and loop to the ground screw.

I'm not sure if this way would be the same as connecting them to the bracket, but I don't think the length of the cable connected to the box, is long enough to connect to the ground screw in the box, and then pig tail it from there. So I don't think that's an option either.

Just a side question to help me understand more, would connecting the ground wires in the box, be the same as connecting them to the bracket? If not, why not? I ask just because I always see it done to the bracket, maybe that's done because it's easier? But seeing as the bracket, and the box, are connected, and both are metal, I'm assuming it would be the same.

Anybody have any answers for me?

Thanks,

Grant