On Mon, 12 Nov 2007 06:08:21 -0800, John Ross
wrote:



wrote:
have you checked ALL outlets in your home for proper grounding both
with that plug in tester AND running a 100 watt lamp between hot and
GROUND. This will tell you a LOT, about your wiring and doesnt require
disturbing ANYTHING!

Its possible for a test lamp to say fine while a 100 watt bulb will
glow dimly if at all

The only tester I have is one of those simple plug in things with 2
amber lights and a red one, where they light up or not depending on if
there is or isn't a problem.

If I plug that into these outlets, it shows "correct" (i.e. it does
indicate a ground).

So, remember, these are connected to the bus bar that does NOT have
the main ground for house connected to it. So if the two buses are not
bonded, there would be absolutely no grounding for these receps. Would
this type of tester show no ground if the ground wire from recep went
to the panel and connected to a "ground bus" that had no connection to
ground?

I honestly don't get how these testers determine ground, and was
wondering how meaningful they were for this sort of situation.

It would have to run a little current through that ground wire. Of
course a ground that can handle a neon bulb to two might not handle a
20A ground fault.

BTW, if ground is missing the tester cannot recognize a hot/neutral
reversal.
--
43 days until the winter solstice celebration

Mark Lloyd
http://notstupid.laughingsquid.com

"Never underestimate the power of stupid
people in large groups"