Larry wrote:
I have an old house.
I am trying to put in an electric socket where one existed before.
It has a white wire, black wire and one with no insulation.
The only combination of wires that light the light on my tester, is
the black wire and the one without insulation. This does not seem
right to me, but like I said, I am a moron when it comes to
electricity!
Is this outlet unusable?
If so, what is the proper way to hook it up.
TIA

One of two things.

The wiring has a problem and trying to work with defective wiring,
especially when you don't have a lot of experience and knowledge can be
deadly. Your tester should show power between the black white and between
the black and ground (bare). Don't attempt to use the wire until you find
out what is going on. I can be dangerous. Hooking it up could cause
dangerous situations in other areas of your home. You were wise to ask the
question. I suggest a pro for this situation.

It also could be that you are making some sort of error in your testing.
If that is the case I also suggest calling in a pro as you would like the
skill to safely do the job.

--
Joseph E. Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math