It is not likely dangerous unless the fan breaks and there is a short of the power to the metal case and someone touches it. It is not a fire hazard either unless such a short happens and current flows through wood and does not rip the breaker. Many older houses do not have grounded systems.
Electrical shock: The absence of the third grounding wire means that the outlet and the path to the breaker box remain charged, making electrocution more likely to occur. Fire: Without a ground, any issues with the outlet can produce sparks or arcing, which can cause walls or nearby furniture to catch fire.
Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) outlets present a more reliable solution. They operate without a ground wire by measuring current flow between the 'hot' and 'neutral' sides. Should the GFCI detect an imbalance, it promptly cuts off power, adding a safety measure against potential electrical faults.
According to the National Electrical Code, you can replace the fixture without a ground as long as the outlet is GFCI protected.
If the surge of electricity finds a path through the structural elements in your home, it can spark a fire. And there's always the chance that the electricity will flow directly into appliances and electronics that are plugged into ungrounded outlets, which can damage them.
The third prong on an electrical cord is the ground plug. Since plenty of cords have only two, it may not seem terribly important—but according to national electric code, it's an important safety feature that could save your life. Literally. So, in answer to this post's title: No.
There should also be a green grounding wire attached to the fan bracket itself. Screw the ceiling fan bracket into the ceiling. Thread the wires coming out of your ceiling through the center of the bracket so that they hang freely below it.
Take some ground wire and a grounding screw. Screw the grounding screw into the mounting base or electrical box, then wrap an inch or so of ground wire around the screw. Tighten it. Connect the grounding wire you installed with the ground wire on your light fixture.
The Dangers of Not Grounding Your LED Shop Lights
Imagine your LED light system suddenly malfunctioning due to excessive voltage, causing irreversible damage. Worse yet, ungrounded LED shop lights could even be the catalyst for an electrical fire.
In the US you are not allowed to install new outlets without ground. You can replace existing ones and while doing so you can use a grounded type receptacle if it is GFCI protected (in the receptacle or upstream) and marked according to the code.
Grounding an outlet costs an average of $200, though prices can run between $100 and $300. Labor is the bulk of this cost, but electrical work should remain with the pros. The cost to ground outlet is $200 on average, but you can expect to pay between $100 and $300 for this essential service.
While it's true that you can still install a GFCI outlet even if the circuit doesn't have a ground wire, doing so has a few disadvantages. Your electronic devices won't be protected if there's a ground fault, for example, and a plug-in tester on the GFCI outlet won't work.
Grounding wires cost $6 to $8 per linear foot, or roughly $130 to $170 per outlet. If you need to upgrade your knob and tube wiring—meaning, you need to rewire the whole house—costs rise rapidly. Rewiring a house costs $2 to $4 per square foot, or $4,000 to $8,000 to rewire a 2,000-square-foot home.
The purpose of the ground wire is to trip the breaker in the event of fault current safely. If the ground wire is not connected correctly or missing, it will cause a severe electric shock to the person and harm the building.
All metal boxes and brackets must be grounded to be safe. Many electricians use grounding screws in both the box and the bracket, but one ground is sufficient.
Light fixtures without a ground wire can be safe if they are double insulated or used in low-risk environments like dry, indoor spaces.
You can either wrap the ground wire in the electrical box with tape and let it float in the electrical box, or you can attach the ground wire in the electrical box to the light fixture, or appliance, itself.
Grounding helps protect you and your home from the dangers of damaged circuits or electrical overloads. When power surges happen, the excess electricity introduced to the system could leap out of the wiring. Without electrical grounding, this stray voltage could start a fire, damage appliances, or shock bystanders.
If so attach the ground wire of the fan to the box. A ceiling fan or light fixture should work with or without a ground wire connected. Building codes for many years have required new construction to include ground wires for these devices, but some older houses may not have been wired with ground wires.
Generally speaking, ceiling fans fall vertically when they fall. However, improper installation or other external factors may cause the ceiling fan to deviate from its intended fall direction. Therefore, attention should be paid to avoid this situation during installation.
Ground is carried thru the mounting pipe to the hanging bracket. You should find a green/ground wire attached to the ceiling bracket that needs to be connected to house ground.
If you cut off the ground prong or use an adapter, the appliance will still operate, but you will have disabled an important safety feature that protects users from electric shock.
NEC Section 406.4(D)(1) says that a grounding path must be used if it exists. Ground paths have been required throughout homes since 1962. This means that the only acceptable repair for an ungrounded outlet in a home built after 1962 is to ground the outlet.