Dave wrote:
"Bob F" wrote in message
...
Dave wrote:
Question for the gurus. I just tested my housewiring (at the wall
outlet) and found that I have 120V AC between the hot and return,
only I can't tell which of the top two "slots" is hot and which is
return. They both show 59.4 VAC with referrence to the third (GND)
terminal, on the bottom. Huh? Anyone have any idea what might be
going on with my house
wiring? It's an old house, built in '49 or '50, and has had
numerous pieces added and modified. I was in the attic once,
installing the wiring for a bathroom outlet, and got bit by the
*white* wire, which should have been my first clue something was
wrong. When I asked someone else about that though, was told that
it might be normal, depending on what had been put in place. :/
Any ideas or feedback are welcome. Hoping someone can explain
this. Also hoping I don't have to rewire my house...

Floating ground. It is likely that there is no ground wire at the
outlet, and that the origional 2 prong outlet was replaced with a
"grounded" outlet, even though there was no ground wire to connect
to the ground connection.




Hey Bob,

Floating ground... Okay. That would fit with what I saw up in the
attic, about the wiring used in the house. sigh At least it's
nothing really wierd. Always thought I ought to rewire the house,
just didn't want to tackle that project. Wondering if I can live
with it...

I did my house bit-by-bit. When I felt energetic, or I had a problem with
insufficient circuits, or I was remodeling a bathroom, I rewired the appropriate
circuits. The major issues with ungrounded outlets are the lack of a safety
ground for grounded equipment, and no ground path for surge protectors, which
could help prioritise replacements.