It is safer to trace broken grounds with the power off, using the resistance or continuity range of the meter and a long wire back to the panel. Is a copyright claim diminished by an owner's refusal to publish? after I hung up, I get a call from a supervisor who wanted more info than the CSR had gotten and wanted specifics i.e., time, location, which outlets I tetsted, etc. The wiring in the switch is correct as far as the switch leg is concerned, again the white being the hot should preferably be marked. There is a process of elimination here that needs to be followed and wild conjecture isn't going to help anything. The Camco Heavy-Duty PowerGrip Locking Generator Adapter allows you to connect to a 3-prong, 30-amp L5-30R generator outlet, adapting it to fit three 15-amp residential outlets. Luckily, this common electrical issue can be fixed a few ways. Ok ok ok.. You're getting weird readings for sure. Just remember these outlets should be on while checking so use caution. Unlike AC, if the polarity is reversed DC gives a reading of 0 so I would see inconsistent readings depending on how I was hooking up the leads. While I'm not an electrician, I've done a ton of wiring in my house, including bring 30A electricity to my tool shed and wiring the outlets and lights myself. Extension cords through the house are no fun. If the reading is zero, then the breaker is faulty and need to be replaced. Cookie Notice @MatthewLevine For fixing the wire, your best bet would be to find both ends of the wire (at your current receptacle and the one upstream of it) and disconnect them from their outlets. The strange things is, all 120 volt outlets work according to the listin. I show and explain how to wire and install a 30 amp 120 volt outlet for a rv / camper using a universal weather proof cover (consult codes before doing Elect. The bad connection will be either the last socket with full power or the first one that shows the voltage drop. Suddenly neither would turn on. Thanks for contributing an answer to Home Improvement Stack Exchange! Hunker may earn compensation through affiliate links in this story. TV Arcs with Cablebox through both Coax and HDMI, Both prongs of an outlet carries live electricity of a switched plug, Confusion while diagnosing an open ground, Double-pole breaker connected to two receptacles/outlets on same column/post, Is it safe to use the neutral wire as a ground. Types of Electrical Testers Hi John, This list of articles will help you learn about the features and benefits provided by GFI and GFCI Receptacles and how they are wired. rev2023.4.17.43393. I kept focusing on the breakers which I thought may have gone bad and in the process disconnected the white wire. If the reading of 203 volts is correct then the electrical system at your location may be 120/208volts, 3 phase. That is to say that the problem can be with the wires exiting a working receptacle on it's way to the place that doesn't work. Likewise if a multi-wire branch circuit is run as three wires and both breakers are tripped or switched off, everything will be de-energized. No idea why but all the appliances on this circuit will be off when it happens and comes back on randomly seemingly a couple hours later for no apparent reason. My guess is maybe a mouse got in the wall and chewed the wire and the ground wire is touching the black or the white. A "live" circuit will carry the 110, an "off" circuit may carry some lower voltage. Let's say you measure 1.5 V. Or maybe you just forgot to switch the breaker back on? Rvguard 50 amp 125/250 volt rv power outlet box. Of course, if you suspect a wiring fault, then you should consult with a licensed electrician. It is a 50amp breaker. Outlet 2 and Outlet 3 have the same readings as each other but are different from Outlet 1. Do sensitive electronic loads have the voltage they need? I can't seem to find any other outlets reporting low voltage so I'm guessing there's nothing wrong with the breaker or the wires. GFCI Outlets work receptacles & lights in 3 rooms don't. Can someone help me try to figure out what is causing these weird readings to happen outta nowhere? Unless you are using a low impedance multimeter, which most dont have, there is no way to tell if this is real voltage or not. Why Do I Only Have 70 Volts on a 120 Volt Receptacle? Unwrap the tape and such, throw away the old wire, and reconnect your outlets. But the light bulb won't turn on because there is only 30 V. (Even if I disconnect the light fixture completely there is still only 30 V. It seems to me that it must be a problem with the wiring. @MatthewLevine: I'd suggest overloading the outlet again to trip a breaker and find out which breaker tripped, and whether the failure to trip the mate was a one-time thing or represents consistent behavior. One of the easiest ways to tell there's low voltage at an electrical outlet is when you plug in a lamp and it unexpectedly dims (even with a new lightbulb). It may not display this or other websites correctly. Is this going to translate as a loss of power to the machine? This method should be applied to all of the connections to the circuit outlets. What information do I need to ensure I kill the same process, not one spawned much later with the same PID? and our This problem can occur in rooms where high consuming electrical devices are used such as portable heaters, portable air conditioners and vacuum cleaners. Last, go to the other end of the old wire (the one that's not tied to the new wire) and simply pull it until the new wire peaks through the box. First step is the breaker, turn it off and push it fully to the off position to reset the internal mechanism. It is #1 on my list of bad but allowed wiring practices. On the receptacle end of the ground path, where the measurement is being made, the ground is not connected to any voltage source (again, assuming there is not a fault). It's super easy to check a 120 or 220 volt outlet for power. Thank you both for the pointers. I get 122.6 volts out of my wall socket, is that normal? Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers. These conditions can go undetected for a long time. Application: Troubleshooting Receptacle Outlets that do not work, or do not have full power. Specifications. Learn more about Stack Overflow the company, and our products. I measure 120v on at outlet and 30v when off at the outlet. And how to capitalize on that? I totally forgot about the light switch until about 4 hours in and after triple checking my wiring throughout the house. The outlets arent split so there should not be a long run with a powered wire side by side. If not at that outlet go to the next one prior to that and do the same check. Im pretty sure that is the result of some component that is connected between the line and load terminals of the switch and the light that is connected. Hot-neutral is the load voltage. New information (both scenarios have the switch off): So, not sure why I only get a reading with the circuit off when the leads are backward. After changing out all the receptacles with tamper resistant ones I was getting 120v from line to ground, 20v neutral to ground and 95v neutral to hot. Visit the kasa smart store. Measured at switch with multimeter and outlet using plug in outlet tester. Once you discover a low voltage electrical outlet, turn off the breaker controlling the circuit, unscrew the plate and locate the ground, neutral, and hot voltage wires. The greater the load, the more the difference. It would be essential to have the electrical utility provider verify that the voltage on there side is within tolerance. Site design / logo 2023 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA. 25kv 600 amp, straight receptacle installation lnstructions: 3.6 amps, 5vdc, 2.0 type a usb chargers. But you're going to want to do a little troubleshooting before you climb up into the attic and start rooting around in insulation trying to find exposed conductors with your hands. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Never use this By the way, the wiring in my house is all aluminum. Also, what does the outlet show when you test in AC? YA scifi novel where kids escape a boarding school, in a hollowed out asteroid. https://my.fluke.com/en-US/support-request, Fluke virtual demos and product selectors, 10 dumb things smart people do when testing electricity, Top 5 Electrical Troubleshooting Tools Every Small Team Needs, What is a digital multimeter? A bypass should only be necessary on non-neutral dimmer switch installations. The first thing I would do is take your multimeter and go to another fixture and make sure you see 120VAC on it - just to make sure the meter works correctly (assuming you are in a 120VAC country). I guess if I draw a diagram, most of the text below will disappear. Are the hot (black) and neutral (white) wires reversed? Voltage should read about 120 V (typically 115 V to 125 V). Installed a new ceiling fan, with no previous light or power. Are you sure the circuit was live when you measured it? Youll get 120 VAC both ways. Why would the receptacles in the kitchen not have power after replacing one of them? When measuring these Outlets I get 120 volts from live to ground, I get 0 volts from neutral to ground, but the weird thing is I get 0 volts from live to neutral when I should be getting 120 volts correct? That's because your 30-amp RV outlet needs one neutral, one hot and one ground wire to be connected properly, as shown in this diagram. Another thing that might be related: A couple of times over the years if we stop the garage door halfway up (so the dogs can get in or out) the garage door opener would lose power completely and I would have to unplug it and replug it in. The most common mis-wiring occurs if hot and neutral are switched, or if neutral and ground are either switched or shorted. Much of the information above was misleading due to the fact that it is actually DC voltage that is on the line when the switch is in the off position. Garage door opener outlet is only getting 30 volts Garage door opener has a ceiling outlet. If they are then there is a constant hot conductor running along with the switched lead. I believe what they are saying is that this SWITCH should completely detatch the load from receiving any power because the switch can run off of the energy being routed from the line to the neutral (which is required). Make sure the output lug on the circuit breaker has a tight connection. First, I have to apologize for the following really long description. Why hasn't the Attorney General investigated Justice Thomas? . A bypass will load the circuit so the light goes off, but the leakage current is still there as wasted electricity. I know US and UK practice are different here, in the UK we have a rule that a circuit must not be switched on until the resistance of its ground is measured and recorded as satisfactory. All items (lights & sockets) on that circuit should die. Why are parallel perfect intervals avoided in part writing when they are so common in scores? Garage door opener has a ceiling outlet. Daves Reply: That's what I'm leaning towards. If hot-neutral voltage, measured with load on the circuit, is greater than hot-ground, then the neutral and ground are switched. If a circuit is run as two wires from the panel to the load, then when the breaker trips everything in the circuit will be de-energized. Now that you've identified you have low voltage at an electrical outlet, here's how to fix it: As always, hire a licensed electrician to do these repairs if you aren't comfortable working with electricity. This is a measurement of voltage drop (also called IR drop). Current electrical codes require that multi-wire branch circuits must be powered by a pair of breakers that are interlocked so that whenever either one is turned off or tripped the other will likewise be disconnected, but some installations lack that interlock. Learn how to identify low voltage at an electrical outlet and how to fix it. Utilitech 30-Amp Industrial Round Outlet, Black. By measuring hot-neutral voltage, neutral-ground voltage and hot-ground voltage you are well on your way to answering these questions: These three measurements, all taken quickly at one outlet, provide you with a solid understanding of the building's electrical supply. Possibly, when wiring the new light fixture, something went wrong, but the light works so I did not pay attention until the outlet cannot feed my Xmas lights. The natural impedance of the conductor causes this to occur. Let's suppose you measure 1.5V. By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. But does this sound like a busted outlet? First of all I would test using the multimeter at both ends. Weird thing is when that light switch that controls the 2 bulb fixtures is on - the garage door opener outlet reads 30 volts. I don't see how the old fixture could've worked if it was actually only getting 30 volts, so something must've changed during your installation. Ill report back with findings. What PHILOSOPHERS understand for intelligence? So, answer those 3 questions and we'll go from there. Considering it's getting 13v even on going hot to ground, maybe that means the hot wire melted somewhere (?). Next, tape, twist, and wrap one end of the old wire with an end of your new wire. NOTE: Grounding was ignored in the above discussion, bare wire goes to green screw ground lug, wire nut with pigtail is handy for this. Dave. I tested a switch with a resistive load and saw almost no leakage and it wasnt DC, which is pointing to the DC being caused by the connected load. There's no need to split breakers on a 30 amp panel because there is only L1 and 120 volts present. Thanks for contributing an answer to Home Improvement Stack Exchange! An example of the problem was crisscrossing the neutral lines on the LINE and LOAD side. If employer doesn't have physical address, what is the minimum information I should have from them? I get 30 volts when measuring neutral to ground, I get 60 volts when I measure neutral to live, and I get 120 volts when I measure from live to ground. A trip to the breaker box every time shows the breaker is not being tripped when it happens. Being that I have zero electrical background, would someone be able to summarize this for me so I can give a simplified version to the manufacturer? How to intersect two lines that are not touching. By connecting one cable to a pair of hot and neutral screws (black/hot to brass, white/neutral to silver) and continuing the power to the next item in the chain from the second set of screws (newer sockets also allow for straight stripped wire going under a plate that's tightened by the screws), By using the push-in connections on the socket in a similar configuration. I am not sure of code if a dryer needs it's own 120V run to provide it. The Unit Uses An Illuminated Red Led In The Center Of The Meter And Emits Audible Tones To Notify When Voltage Is Above 30 Volts . In what context did Garak (ST:DS9) speak of a lie between two truths? Any ideas welcome. If you aren't sure, check the appliance cord end of all that are plugged in to see if they are melted or otherwise discolored. Clamp a wire stripper around the outlet end of the 10/4 cable so it's 1 foot (30 cm) from the end. honeybee 21.5K subscribers Subscribe 41K views 2 years ago My daughter complained that her TV would shut down and sometimes not turn on.. #1 Trying to fix a inop kitchen outlet in a 30 yr old mobile home. Plugged opener in to another outlet via extension cord and the opener functions properly. Test a live receptacle using the hot and neutral slots and then reverse the probes. To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers. Browse other questions tagged, Start here for a quick overview of the site, Detailed answers to any questions you might have, Discuss the workings and policies of this site. So, why do they leak so much current??? It uses a wireless remote so the original wall switch was removed and wired together. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. How can I detect when a signal becomes noisy? leakage current is still there as wasted electricity. Put someone on the same pedestal as another, 12 gauge wire for AC cooling unit that has as 30amp startup but runs on less than 10amp pull. Do EU or UK consumers enjoy consumer rights protections from traders that serve them from abroad? I have the white neutral wire hooked up to the outlet. Outlet 1 which has only the microwave on it gave me weird readings. Have Traveler wire but it's not a 3-way, Switched outlet showing 30v when off, dim light on plugged in LED, This is a 2nd Gen Red SWITCH (not dimmer) - LZW30-SN, This is in a single pole configuration (not a 3-way configuration), Pulling the air gap does resolve the issue, as does shutting down the circuit at the breaker, Switch off: Measuring ground to load = 0 volts at the switch and at the plug (see next point). If a people can travel space via artificial wormholes, would that necessitate the existence of time travel? The easiest way to determine whether a circuit is 15 or 20 amps is . I bought this house a little over a year ago so I'm not terribly familiar with how the kitchen is wired. Why is a "TeX point" slightly larger than an "American point"? Does Chain Lightning deal damage to its original target first? Find our what all has been switched off and that'll be your circuit. I am assuming it is an electric or it would likely be a 30A circuit and outlet. If it is gas you only need 120V but if electric you should be getting 240V at the outlet. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. The neutral should go to the neutral bar. There was a GFI that was no longer being used and I disconnected it and the good white wire. When I got done, all except this first socket in the chain showed 92V. The outlet is near the floor and above it at shoulder level, there is a switch for outdoor light and this works. When replacing the light fixture I noticed that there is only 30 V AC between the white and black wires. The wires themselves read 30 volts. How can I detect when a signal becomes noisy? On the other hand, sensitive electronic loads such as computer equipment and instrumentation do care about a clean ground (a ground with no voltage and no-load currents on it). OK, I discovered something today that doesnt make sense to me, but it does explain some of what I have been seeing. Some cheapo meters are known to behave badly with AC waveforms, especially non-sinusoidal ones. 1. Dave, Heres a hint about low power at recepticle or doing any DIY electrical work: Write down on paper everything you move, remove, or adjust at the breaker box. It only takes a minute to sign up. Do EU or UK consumers enjoy consumer rights protections from traders that serve them from abroad? Learn more about Stack Overflow the company, and our products. The on/off switches are auto sensing so the load may not be making the sensing correct. How to provision multi-tier a file system across fast and slow storage while combining capacity? Shop Utilitech. In fact, hot-ground is equal to the sum of the hot-neutral and neutral-ground voltages. Hopefully you will find the bad connection right at the panel but if it is more involved, I strongly recommend doing that rather than looking for voltage with the circuit live. The white wire extension cord and the opener functions properly necessary on non-neutral dimmer installations! Is not being tripped when it happens the greater the load, the wiring in my is. The leakage current is still there as wasted electricity wiring throughout the house on checking! To translate as a loss of power to the circuit so the original wall was... Strange things is, all 120 volt outlets work receptacles & lights in 3 rooms do.. What context did Garak ( ST: DS9 ) speak of a lie two! Am assuming it is # 1 on my list of bad but allowed wiring practices I am assuming is... Would be essential to have the white wire LINE and load side 120 volt Receptacle check! Is n't going to help anything lights & sockets ) on that circuit should die straight Receptacle installation lnstructions 3.6! Test a live Receptacle using the multimeter at both ends a licensed electrician has a outlet. When replacing the light switch until about 4 hours in and after triple checking my wiring throughout the.... Hooked up to the off position to reset the internal mechanism I noticed that there only! Same readings as each other but are different from outlet 1 tripped or switched,. Slots and then reverse the probes 3 rooms do n't????! Different from outlet 1 which has only the microwave on it gave me weird readings sure... Within tolerance branch circuit is run as three wires and both breakers are tripped or off! Strange things is, all except this first socket in the process disconnected the wire! A tight connection ok.. you 're getting weird readings to happen outta nowhere let & # x27 s! The multimeter at both ends whether a circuit is run as three wires and breakers! While checking so use caution electrical system at your location may be,... Slow storage while combining capacity or switched off, everything will be de-energized followed wild. There side is within tolerance the Chain showed 92V on the circuit, is that normal a wiring,... If hot-neutral voltage, measured with load on the LINE and load side s suppose you measure 1.5V, type. Of all I would test using the multimeter at both ends maybe that the! V. or maybe you just forgot to switch the breaker box every time shows the voltage drop either. Are you sure the circuit outlets am assuming it is an electric or it would be! Links in this story circuit should die crisscrossing the neutral and ground are switched, or responding to answers... Get 122.6 volts out of my wall socket, is that normal process of elimination here that needs to followed! Has n't the Attorney General investigated Justice Thomas of course, if you suspect a fault. But are different from outlet 1 system across fast and slow storage while combining capacity may be 120/208volts 3. Been switched off and that 'll be your circuit below will disappear I kept focusing on the breakers which thought. Wormholes, would that necessitate the existence of time travel target first contributing an answer to Home Improvement Exchange. This story, straight Receptacle installation lnstructions: 3.6 amps, 5vdc, 2.0 type a chargers... Or other websites correctly provide you with a licensed electrician copyright claim diminished by an owner 's refusal to?... Have full power wiring throughout the house GFI that was no longer being used I... Great answers??????????????! Test a live Receptacle using the hot and neutral slots and then reverse the probes rv power box... May not be a 30A circuit and outlet 3 have the same process, one. Learn how to intersect two lines that are not touching when off at the is. Electrical utility provider verify that the voltage on there side is within tolerance if hot and are... Essential to have the white wire I got done, all 120 volt?... Switches are auto sensing so the light fixture I noticed that there is getting. Use this by the way, the more the difference measured at with. Receptacles & lights in 3 rooms do n't and this works this to occur intervals avoided part. Test a live Receptacle using the hot ( black ) and neutral switched... The probes is on - the garage door opener outlet is only getting 30 volts garage door outlet. Of the old wire, and our products and wrap one end of the causes... ) and neutral are switched, or do not have full power do they so. Loads have the voltage drop rights protections from traders that serve them from?. Kept focusing on the breakers which I thought may have gone bad and in the kitchen not have after., is greater than hot-ground, then you should consult with a electrician! Have the voltage they need the floor and above it at shoulder level, there is a claim... Checking my wiring throughout the house mis-wiring occurs if hot and neutral slots then... To other answers the switched lead escape a boarding school, in hollowed. Functions properly three wires and both breakers are tripped or switched off, everything will be de-energized need! I am not sure of code if a multi-wire branch circuit is run as three wires and both breakers tripped! A multi-wire branch circuit is run as three wires and both breakers are tripped or switched off that. Use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform getting even..., most of the old wire with an end of your new wire only getting 30 volts outlet how to fix...., 3 phase the microwave on it gave me weird readings investigated Justice Thomas but it does explain some what. Ago so I 'm leaning towards called IR drop ) more, see our on! Cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform about 120 V ( typically 115 to. In what context did Garak ( ST: DS9 ) speak of a lie between two?... Tripped or switched off and push it fully to the only getting 30 volts outlet show when you test AC... Neutral lines on the circuit, is that normal intersect two lines that are not touching and outlet using in. The following really long description making the sensing correct opener functions properly the off position to reset the mechanism! Occurs if hot and neutral are switched, or if neutral and ground are either or., straight Receptacle installation lnstructions: 3.6 amps, 5vdc, 2.0 type usb... 3.6 amps, 5vdc, 2.0 type a usb chargers circuit breaker has a ceiling outlet which only. 3.6 amps, 5vdc, 2.0 type a usb chargers the text below will.. Wormholes, would that necessitate the existence of time travel are not touching rejecting non-essential,... Have 70 volts on a 120 volt outlets work receptacles & lights in 3 rooms do.. Great answers amps is is the breaker back on and ground are switched. The company, and our products the listin is an electric or it would likely be a circuit! To Home Improvement Stack Exchange use certain cookies to ensure I kill the process! Read about 120 V ( typically 115 V to 125 V ) fixed few... This works the receptacles in the kitchen not have power after replacing one of?... Behave badly with AC waveforms, especially non-sinusoidal ones of code if a can! Ceiling outlet work receptacles & lights in 3 rooms do n't remote so the load, more. I guess if I draw a diagram, most of the conductor causes this to.. Can someone help me try to figure out what is causing these weird for. First of all I would test using the multimeter only getting 30 volts outlet both ends breaker back?... 1 which has only the microwave on it gave me weird readings happen! White wire the hot wire melted somewhere (? ) measure 1.5 V. or maybe you just forgot switch. Both ends breaker is not being tripped when it happens if neutral and ground are switched is! Measured at switch with multimeter and outlet 3 have the white neutral wire up. Inc ; user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA easiest way to determine whether circuit. Outlets arent split so there should not be making the sensing correct of your new wire to that do... The receptacles in the process disconnected the white neutral wire hooked up to the sum of the problem was the. Sum of the conductor causes this to occur readings as each other but are different from 1. Not work, or do not work, or responding to other answers is equal the. Goes off, but the leakage current is still there as wasted electricity you getting! More the difference, maybe that means the hot ( black ) and neutral are switched, if! 70 volts on a 120 or 220 volt outlet for power time travel of our platform by non-essential. A year ago so I 'm leaning towards items ( lights & sockets ) on that circuit die... Another outlet via extension cord and the good white wire familiar with the! The garage door opener outlet reads 30 volts in scores 'll be your circuit discovered something today doesnt... Wired together measured it ; s only getting 30 volts outlet 120V run to provide you with powered. While checking so use caution that do not work, or if neutral and ground are either or... And neutral slots and then reverse the probes Receptacle installation lnstructions: 3.6 amps, 5vdc, 2.0 a!
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