I am installing a ceiling fan. The directions say to connect the blue and black wire from the fan to the black wire coming from the ceiling and the white to the white from the ceiling using a wire nut. I have connected those with no problemThat leaves me with a green ground wire coming from the fan. However, the only ground wire coming from the ceiling is a naked solid copper wire. How am I supposed to connect those using a wire nut??
the same way you connected the black from the ceiling to the blue and black and the white to the white. If your ceiling wires didn't have a bare solid part, unless they too are stranded, you did not make a connection. They must be stripped first, about a half and inch. to connect stranded to solid you have two choices: 1 'tin' the stranded wire with a soldering gun, which is not practical but works, and then twist together with solid wire then wirenut them both. this method is almost never used. 2 twist the stranded wire so it is tightly bundled, hold it with the solid wire slightly behind it, the stranded should stick passed the solid maybe an eigth inch, then wirenut them both. tug on each wire seperately like you are trying to pull it out of the wirenut to make sure they are securely connected.
Early on as an electrian I had a mentor who gave me this tip....take the stranded wire and lightly rub it in a clockwise direction, not a real twist just mold it so it sticks together a bit, place the two wires side by side but cheat the stranded wire up a bit so it (apprears) longer than the solid by maybe 1/32 of an inch. place the wire nut on and twist, you will feel it grab continue toi tighten just until it begins to pull the insulated part of the stranded wire taught.... you will see what I mean and understand....gently tug on stranded wire to make sure the joint is good.
spin the stranded wire between your fingers, this will make it more rigid. if you dont you'll end up winding the stranded fan wire around the solid wire and it will just slide out of the wire nut when you push the wires back into the box ( and you might not notice it until you put the whole fan together and mounted then flip the switch and nothing happens.) if you have two wires put them together and nut them, if you have three it's best to twist them together then nut them. they usually dont give you enough pre-stripped wire on the fan leads so you have to strip about another half inch off to make a decent connection
