How to install a ceiling fan w/o a ground

karebear09 · 07-30-2011, 09:28 PM

I live in a very old numerous additions home and when taking the old light fixture down there was no ground wire in the ceiling! Now what?

jmans8666 · 07-30-2011, 11:33 PM

It will be alright. Just ground the new fan to the box

J. V. · 07-31-2011, 12:03 PM

It will be alright but not right.

jmans8666 · 07-31-2011, 02:38 PM

But if your house is older wiring without a ground its fine

ernie_the_dog · 08-01-2011, 09:17 AM

The ground was invented for possible lightning strikes to the house. This rarely happens. Those in areas where it is highly likely should have their wiring updated. But for now hook the black wire to the black wire and white wire to the white wire. Either cut the ground off or screw it to the electic box. These days boxes are made of plastic and are not grounded so it would do no good to ground it to plastic if it is not grounded. Being grounded means that the electric box has either a ground wire running all the way back to the breaker box that has a ground that is grounded with a grounding rod or having metal boxes that are grounded with metal conduit that has a ground connected to this metal.

a7ecorsair · 08-01-2011, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ernie_the_dog

The ground was invented for possible lightning strikes to the house. This rarely happens. Those in areas where it is highly likely should have their wiring updated. But for now hook the black wire to the black wire and white wire to the white wire. Either cut the ground off or screw it to the electic box. These days boxes are made of plastic and are not grounded so it would do no good to ground it to plastic if it is not grounded. Being grounded means that the electric box has either a ground wire running all the way back to the breaker box that has a ground that is grounded with a grounding rod or having metal boxes that are grounded with metal conduit that has a ground connected to this metal.

If you are going to comment on the GES, OK. If you are going to comment on the EGC, OK. Don't mix thing up....

secutanudu · 08-01-2011, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ernie_the_dog

The ground was invented for possible lightning strikes to the house.

As a7ecorsair said...you are missing a huge part to this. The EGC is to trip the breaker if there is a ground fault. This has nothing to do with lightning.

jmans8666 · 08-01-2011, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ernie_the_dog

The ground was invented for possible lightning strikes to the house. This rarely happens. Those in areas where it is highly likely should have their wiring updated. But for now hook the black wire to the black wire and white wire to the white wire. Either cut the ground off or screw it to the electic box. These days boxes are made of plastic and are not grounded so it would do no good to ground it to plastic if it is not grounded. Being grounded means that the electric box has either a ground wire running all the way back to the breaker box that has a ground that is grounded with a grounding rod or having metal boxes that are grounded with metal conduit that has a ground connected to this metal.

Never cut a wire off just cap it

mpoulton · 08-01-2011, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ernie_the_dog

The ground was invented for possible lightning strikes to the house. This rarely happens. Those in areas where it is highly likely should have their wiring updated. But for now hook the black wire to the black wire and white wire to the white wire. Either cut the ground off or screw it to the electic box. These days boxes are made of plastic and are not grounded so it would do no good to ground it to plastic if it is not grounded. Being grounded means that the electric box has either a ground wire running all the way back to the breaker box that has a ground that is grounded with a grounding rod or having metal boxes that are grounded with metal conduit that has a ground connected to this metal.

Allow me to add onto this dogpile: You don't understand the difference between grounding and bonding. Grounding is what you describe. Bonding is the more important function of "ground" wires to equipment. The purpose is to ensure that the metal parts of the equipment cannot become electrified by a ground fault in the equipment. If a hot conductor shorts to the metal frame, the breaker will trip immediately because the metal is bonded to the system neutral through the "ground wire".