Those testers are not reliable in open circuit situations. If you use a lamp
in a pigtail socket, test between the ground and hot(small slot), you should
get a light. Then test between the hot and neutral, you should get a light.
If you didn't get the first light, but did get the second, your hot and
neutrals are reversed, otherwise, you have an open circuit to one or the
other conductors. As outlet wiring is typically daisy chained, you want to
look in the last working outlet on the chain or the first dead outlet , for
the loose connection.



"brian" wrote in message
oups.com...
In reading a few posts here, the H/N reversed readout seems not all
that uncommon (using a 3 bulb tester). But in my situation no
appliances work from this outlet, which seems atypical of the posts
I've seem, which seem to say things will work, just un-safely. The
same situation exists at (what I expect) is the next wall outlet along
this circuit.

Could the 'fix' for these outlets be something other than reversing
the connections in the box?

I should also add that I think the end of this circuit is at a never-
functioned ceiling light outlet.

House built 1974. One owner.

Thanks. I know this is very brief, just keeping it simple to start.

Brian