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Nate Nagel

On 04/02/2010 09:11 PM, wrote:
On Fri, 2 Apr 2010 14:25:42 -0700 (PDT),
wrote:

On Apr 2, 5:05 pm, Tony wrote:
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...

Dave

Hi,
Get an analog meter to make a real reading. If you know the breaker
which controls the outlet turn the power off and measure between ground
and each lead. I bet neither one shows continuity meaning there is
broken ground wire. Another way to look at is to connect a light bulb
between either lead and ground. If the voltage is not phantom bulb will
glow at half brightness or so.

OP said house was built in '49 or '50, there wouldn't have *been* any
ground unless the wiring was run in pipe or BX.

nate
Grounded Romex was introduced about 1947 . It hit the market in a big
way in 1950 and was pretty standard by 1954 and the ground was
required by code almost universally by 1962.

My own house was built only a year or two before the OP's ('48 or '49)
and there isn't a ground to be seen except in the basement where BX was
used.

nate

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