My husband was trying to install a ceiling fan this weekend to replace an old one that was there previously. From the ceiling, we have a black wire, a white wire, and a blue wire. However, in the instructions for the fan, it says that in the ceiling we should have a black wire (ungrounded), a white wire (grounded), and a green ground wire (grounding) coming from the ceiling. It also suggests that we should have an ungrounded wire for the wall switch. So we're not sure if the blue wire is the same as a green grounding wire? Or is it the same as the ungrounded wire from the switch (which doesn't work and has never worked since we moved in)?

The new fan has a green ground wire (grounding) coming from the ceiling plate and from the fan itself. Also from the fan in a different place are a cluster with a black wire (ungrounded), a white wire (grounded), and a black/white wire (ungrounded). The instructions say to connect the following:
1) green ground wire in the ceiling (which we don't have!) to green ground wires from the ceiling plate and fan
2) white grounded wire from the ceiling to white grounded in the fan (this seems okay)
3) black ungrounded wire in the ceiling to black ungrounded wire in the fan (this seems okay)
4) black/white wire in the fan to "ungrounded wire for wall switch" in the ceiling for a dual switch wiring OR to black ungrounded wire in ceiling for single switch wiring. (Is that the blue wire or is the blue wire the grounding wire?)

For the old ceiling fan, it never worked with the wall switch. The fan could only be turned on/off with the chain and the light never worked at all.

Any words of wisdom about what the blue wire is? We're okay not using the wall switch, but we do want to be able to use the fan and we want it to be safe. Can anyone help?

The blue wire should have a tag on it that says "light". If you don't have a light on the fan, just tape it out of the way. If you have a light, and a non working wall switch, connect the black and blue together to the black power lead and use the pull chains. Ideally, you should have 2 wall switches with a 14/3 wire. That way, one switch would turn the fan on and off and the other the light. Blue is not allowed by code to be a color used for a grounding wire. Hope this helps.

What make was the old fan, and how was it controlled?

Ceiling Fan Wiring, Ceiling Fan Wiring Technical Help, Do it Yourself (DIY) - Ceiling Fans N More

This is helpful. Thanks!

Not sure what make the old fan was, but the link you posted has good information on it. Thank you!