Changing light control: extra green wire


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Old 09-06-15, 05:44 PM
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Changing light control: extra green wire

I have to change my Ceiling Fan and Light Control (one slider is a light dimmer and the other a fan speed control). When I took the old one out, there was a Black, Red, and Blue wire coming from the switch box, and a Red and two Black wires coming from the wall. They were connected Black to Black, Blue to Black, and Red to Red. The NEW control, which looks exactly the same and has the same functions has the SAME colors with an ADDITIONAL green wire. I connected the Black to Black, Red to Red, and Blue to Black like before, but there was no other wire to attach to green wire to. I looked in the back and could not find a loose wire, or plain copper wire anywhere. So I wrapped electrical tape around the green wire and everything works fine, but is this SAFE? I looked at the diagram that came with the new switch and it shows the green wire going to nothing.. ugh.
 
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Old 09-06-15, 06:06 PM
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Welcome to the forums.

If you only have red and two black wires in the box then it sounds like your wiring is in conduit. If that is the case see if there is a screw in the back of the box where you can connect the green wire. If there isn't... don't worry. Since the box is metal.... your device will become grounded when you install the two mounting screws.

The additional grounding wire attached to most of the new devices is for grounding in a plastic box where there will be a ground wire.
 
 

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