On Jul 11, 6:50 pm, Karen wrote:
Hi,

I just searched for and found this newsgroup because I need help
understanding electricity as it applies to a standard, grounded
outlet.

I purchased a decent digital test meter today at the store. I decided
to test an outlet I have in the kitchen because it's already a
grounded type with three prongs.

I inserted one lead into the hot side and one into the ground opening
(the 3rd hole at the bottom), and the meter reads about 115ish. It
sort of fluctuates as I move the leads around. The instructions on
the tester say that it should read 120 V. Are there variations in the
normal voltage of a standard 120 V outlet, and is this normal that it
is only reading 115 not 120?

Since I am getting a reading at all, I am assuming that this means
that the outlet is indeed grounded. Am I correct that if the outlet
were not properly grounded, then the meter would not read anything at
all? In other words, it would read 000?

I do believe that my house is grounded because I have found what I
believe is the grounding rod near one of the front corners of my house
right by the electrical panel. It's a copperish looking rod stuck in
the ground and extending about 9-12 inches out of the ground. The
cable TV cable is attached to it and it looks like a wire that comes
from the electrical panel is also connected to it. Do you think I am
correct, that this is most likely the grounding rod for my house? If
so, generally, does this mean that all the fuses/outlets for the
entire house are then grounded, regardless if they have a 3 prong
outlet in them? In other words, is the electrical panel itself with
all it's circuit breakers the thing that is grounded? Or is grounding
specific to just one or two outlets or one circuit in the house?

This is long I know, and any help is apprecitated.

Karen

115volts is fine for most things im sure your meter is fine.
is the ground rod you saw 5/8" it beings so far out of the ground
makes me think the cable or phone ppl might of put it there but they
drive a thinner rod than electricians and it should be in the same
area as your service as they are suppose to ground to our system,but
some older houses might not have one or two as we are required to use
today, nothing to sweat if you dont its a crappy ground anyways. your
water ground is your primary ground and a good one if done properly.
just because a service is grounded doent mean your branch circuits
will be grounded but by what you said it appears your outlets are
which wont mean your lighting is cuz back aways they ran grounded
outlets but not lighting.
if you take the cover off your panel look at the wires leaving the
box..do all the cables have a bare or green wire with the black and
white? if so they are grounded.