To celebrate not owing thousands of dollars in taxes this year, the wife let me use some of the money I had saved to get a new tool box.  It has electrical outlets and a drawer for charging power tools.  Apparently I have to ground both halves of this thing.  I have already purchased the required wire and the instructions tell me where to attach to the tool box.  I need to know where to attach the other ends of the wires.  I have seen people run ground wires to the screws holding the outlet trim plates on before.  Is that safe to do or should I run the wires into the outlet and to the ground wire in the wall?

Where are you getting the power from?  What does the connection in the box look like?  Are you planning on rolling the box around when working or leave it in one place?  

 

One easy way to get power is buy an extension cord, cut of the female end and use that to wire into the tool box.  With this you can plug into an outlet and still be able to move the box around if needed.   10'- 16 gauge at Harbor Fright $5.99. 

The top half of the box has a power cord coming off, the bottom half has a plug for an extension cord, both are 3 prong.  I won't be moving it at all, I made a space against the wall that has an outlet nearby. 

34 minutes ago, Sycostang67 said:

I have seen people run ground wires to the screws holding the outlet trim plates on before.

That is used in an old house where an adaptor is needed for grounding a three prong plug to a two prong outlet.  

What type of required wire did you buy and how do you plan on connecting the hot and neutral? 

Sorry, I'm of no help with your issue I just wanted to say thats a nice toolbox.   Sure beats my Harbor Freight special.  I really need to upgrade... 

It sounds like an extra reference ground as a "just in case" measure.  Ideally, it would be connected to a rod in the ground, or to the third prong on the extension cord.

Here is what I'm working with.

 

Ground the top box with the green 14AGW wire run to the bottom box caster mount bolt.  Ground the bottom box with the  green 14 AWG run to GFI outlet ground.  Drill hole large enough in face plate to run green 14 AGW through and attach it to the ground wire. 

I would run the green wire taped  to the power cord you're using for the tool box.  I would also cut the green wire and add an insulated connector just out side the GFI box cover so if I need to move the tool box the wire could be disconnected easily.

Well errr OK. I thought that's what the 3rd round pin for was grounding. If the cord inside is the green wire is attached to the toolbox metal then just plugging in the plug should ground the box. Having GFI plug in the shop just makes it even better. 

 

Just plug into a grounded outlet, no wiring necessary

It’s all about liability 

 

3 hours ago, Mopar1973Man said:

I thought that's what the 3rd round pin for was grounding.

The plug and outlet in the tool box are grounded by the 3ed round pin but not the tool box itself there for the extra ground wire attached to the box.

 

1 hour ago, Royal Squire said:

It’s all about liability 

We have a winner!

Awesome, I can do that.  Thanks for the help.  Good idea on the connector too, I doubt I will be moving the tool box around, but you never know.