Smitty Two wrote:
So the g.f. and I are chipping in on a newly remodeled investment house
in her city, 300 miles from me. Home inspector sent a report that
included a notation that the outlet intended for the refrigerator is
giving an odd indication on the 3-LED tester: All three lights
illuminate.

Any speculation on what could cause this unlisted and presumably
improbable test result?

This happens when there is an open neutral elsewhere in the circuit AND
something else is connected to the same circuit and turned on. A
disconnected neutral at the panel would do this but the disconnect could
be anywhere along the line. The neutral between the outlet and other
load(s) would have to be intact.

Voltage is fed back though the other load, say the filament of a light
bulb, into the floating neutral and fooling the tester. The light would
be switched on but not glowing.

Did the inspector say something else was not working?

To get more accurate reading you would have to disconnect all other
loads from the circuit. Don't forget any direct wired appliances or
hidden things like a door bell transformer.

Note that using a volt meter in this case will give you the same crazy
readings. You will see 120V from hot to ground AND 120V from neutral to
ground. The 120V on neutral will go away when the other load(s) is
removed.

Kevin