What is this wire?

[crossxfire2]

Inside a coralife pc unit, does anybody know what the green wires are? They come straight from the wall plug, and there is a screw squeezing the end of it between the screw and the silver housing. Is this a ground? I would like to use the wiring for the fans, not the lights. Do I need to find a ground for these green wires, or can I just clip them off and forget about them? I can post a picture if you need me to.

[captexas]

If it comes straight through the power cord and it's green, then it's a ground wire. Sometimes electronic devices will have a ground connected to the housing like that.

[crossxfire2]

Would it be a wise idea to not connect that wire to a ground? Or should I.

[rocketeer]

The green wire is a safety ground. It keeps the housing from getting electrified if there is a short in the equipment. It should be grounded independently from the white wire. (Yes there are two grounds.)

This circuit, together with a GFI, can save your life.

Don't use it as a ground for running fans off of. This will cause your GFI to trip. Use the white wire if there is one.

Jack