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I was replacing three outlets in a room from ivory to white. Two outlets were done successfully.

When I took the face plate off the third outlet I saw that the ground wasn't hooked up. So when I replaced the outlet I went ahead and hooked the ground to the green screw. When I turned the power back on the fuse blew. I replaced the fuse and when I get to the last turn of screwing it in it flashes light and pops and blows.

So before I put in another fuse I removed the ground wire from the outlet since that was the only thing that changed and no blown fuse and everything works fine but I have no ground on that outlet.

After this with the power on I was going to push the outlet back in the metal box and when the screw touched the metal box it sparked but didn't blow the fuse so it is just hanging out of the box right now.

Any thoughts on the cause and fix. It is in a metal box. Two wires with two blacks on left side screws and two whites hooked to right side screws. How do I fix this so it has a proper ground?

Thanks in advance for all the help -tnscouter

The ground is not on just the ground

Sounds almost like you've got a defective outlet there. I'd try another one and see what happens.

BobBrown would you expound on this please. Thanks -tnscouter

Check for a ground fault —positive feeding through the ground. Do you have a mulitmeter? Is there continuity between the ground (bare) and the hot (black)?

Check the wire insulation for a cut, particularly where the romex's outer sheath was cut back. Is the insulation on the individual conductors compromised?

Any chance the wires or a wire is knicked,possibly connection on wires to tight and grounding

Your hot is touching either the box or the ground when you push it into the box. Electrical tape around the receptacle should help. Also make sure the wire insulation isn't damaged or stripped too long.

Disconnect the outlet before testing.

I plan on trying that but there must be a reason it wasn't hooked up originally. Thanks -tnscouter

It should have been hooked up originally.

I've checked and nothing touching in the box. Also I have electrical tape wrapped around the outlet. I always do that because I think it helps and it let's me know that I worked on it .

That's my thought. So I think the problem has always been there and I just found it. Thanks -tnscouter

the previous owner is telling you something. you need a multimeter.

We need an electrical section here

Good advice here but it could be anywhere between the outlet and the breaker panel (nail or screw through a wire for example)

Again, you need to carefully inspect the insulation of the individual conductors. Pay particular attention to where they enter the box.

Unfortunately you are correct but I'm hoping it is something closer to the box. Thanks for your comments. -tnscouter

I assumed the other outlets replaced by TN were on the same circuit as this last one. If they are then the issue is most likely in last box and appeared when he disturbed the orientation of the wiring as it laid in the box.

If this is a separate circuit, and a home run, you're right, it could be anywhere in the run.

If the electric box is metal and you have a screw in clamp, the cable is probably pinched too tight. If you have a voltage detector, stick one probe in the long left side slot of receptacle and the other probe in the round ground probe with the receptacle screwed to the box. If you detect 120 volts, the box is of hot or ungrounded potential. Not good. Remove fuse, loosen clamp inside box and try to pull more cable into box, if not possible, cut plastic from a milk carton or some other insulator and wrap around cable under clamp. leave clamp loose and hook ground back up. Do the check with a good receptacle first so you will know what voltage readings you are looking for. When you screw the ground to the receptacle and screw receptacle to the box, you are creating a short circuit from ground wire to the energized box because of the shorted hot or ungrounded potential resulting from the nicked wire under the clamp.

TN,
Is this outlet on the same circuit as the others you replaced, or is it a separate circuit. If it's a separate circuit, is it the only outlet/device/fixture on that circuit?