Uncapped wires?


  #1  
Old 11-01-15, 03:13 PM
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Uncapped wires?

Hi guys. I am a relative electrical novice. However, I worked in a Bargain Outlet building the store some years ago, and one of my tasks was to wire large displays of ceiling fans and light fixtures, so I felt comfortable enough to undertake the relatively simple task of taking out my ceiling fan.

The ceiling fan was hanging from a loose screw in the housing, and because one of the wires had gotten disconnected, by the weight of it hanging, would make a crackle crackle short circuit noise if it was touched. I was going to replace it, but the wires (or at least the wire casing) seemed to be degrading, based on black gunk in the wire caps, so I decided to leave it until I can get a professional.

Here's my question. As I wanted to leave it be, I went to cap off the wires, and realized I had pulled the green wire out of the ceiling. I capped off the other two, but I was unsure if I had to replace the green wire back to the connection point and cap it off, or if I can just leave it without a wire and be safe.

Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance for your feedback, and sorry for my electrical noobery :X
James
 
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Old 11-01-15, 03:16 PM
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Grounds do not need to be capped. Since the wires are often uninsulated the cap serves no purpose.
 
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Old 11-01-15, 03:34 PM
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Unless the cap is needed to make the connection secure.
 
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Old 11-01-15, 04:32 PM
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Unless the cap is needed to make the connection secure.
Yes but he was speaking of disconnected wires.
 
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Old 11-01-15, 04:51 PM
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Doesn't this leave the ceiling fan mounting housing ungrounded, as well as the ceiling fan when it is reattached to the housing?
 
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Old 11-01-15, 05:51 PM
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The ground coming into the box must still be capped to the box pigtail.
 
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Old 11-01-15, 06:45 PM
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There is no box pigtail if it is a plastic box. You are making a simple question very complicated.
 
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Old 11-02-15, 05:25 AM
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Box

There is no box pigtail if it is a plastic box. You are making a simple question very complicated.
Plastic box to support a ceiling fan??????????
 
  #9  
Old 11-02-15, 07:08 AM
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Most of the major manufacturers make plastic fan boxes. Certainly good practice to double check when you see plastic to make sure it's not a standard ceiling box, but it's reasonable for plastic to support a fan. Arlington even makes a plastic chandelier saddle box, rated for like 150 or 200 lbs.
 
 

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