electrical problem: voltage reading between hot, neutral, ground
 

Hi all,
One of my wall receptacles suddenly stopped working this morning. I
tested the bad one with voltmeter and found out that there were 120 VAC
between hot and ground, 0 VAC between hot and neutral, and 120 VAC
between neutral and ground. I live in North America and the normal
reading between hot and neutral should be 120 VAC. I removed the
receptacle and tested again on the wires directly and got the same
result. I also tested other receptacles connecting to the same breaker
but they were working. Worring there might be a short circuit, I shut
off the breaker and call the electrician.

Does anyone have the same problem like this before?
Did the neutral wire become hot, or did the hot and ground got
reversed?

wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi all,
One of my wall receptacles suddenly stopped working this morning. I
tested the bad one with voltmeter and found out that there were 120 VAC
between hot and ground, 0 VAC between hot and neutral, and 120 VAC
between neutral and ground. I live in North America and the normal
reading between hot and neutral should be 120 VAC. I removed the
receptacle and tested again on the wires directly and got the same
result. I also tested other receptacles connecting to the same breaker
but they were working. Worring there might be a short circuit, I shut
off the breaker and call the electrician.

Does anyone have the same problem like this before?
Did the neutral wire become hot, or did the hot and ground got
reversed?

Assuming the wiring was correct to start with, you have an open neutral
wire. The 120 volts you are getting from the neutral to the ground is
probably some load feeding back . I have seen recepticals that have a bar
between the two screws on one side burn into. This can open up either the
neutral or the hot wire depending on the one that burns into.

Thanks for the input.
I got the same result with the receptacle removed (still no reading
between hot and neutral, 120 VAC between neutral and ground) so I'm
guessing the receptacle is ok, but the wiring is having a problem. The
receptacle also feeds another 2 receptacles. Needless to say, they
aren't working either. Other than backtracing the line and checking
each connection, where else should I look? Is there any way to narrow
down where to inspect? Thanks.

the other poster means that the link on a receptacle in the line
feeding the one tha isn't working could be bad. Check both parts
(both outlets) of the the other receptalces that are one the same
breaker.



Mark

From this, it soudns like you have an open neutral. The voltage in the
neutral is because some appliance is plugged in and turned on.

Remdnds me I had a surprise one time when I was workign on a circuit panel.
I'd taken the white wire off, to reroute it in the panel. I touched the bare
tip of the white, and got a tingle. Huh? Well, I was getting power through
the breaker and through an appliance.

There is a simple answer, that might very well solve the problem. You didn't
ask, and so I won't say.

--

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
www.mormons.com


wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi all,
One of my wall receptacles suddenly stopped working this morning. I
tested the bad one with voltmeter and found out that there were 120 VAC
between hot and ground, 0 VAC between hot and neutral, and 120 VAC
between neutral and ground. I live in North America and the normal
reading between hot and neutral should be 120 VAC. I removed the
receptacle and tested again on the wires directly and got the same
result. I also tested other receptacles connecting to the same breaker
but they were working. Worring there might be a short circuit, I shut
off the breaker and call the electrician.

Does anyone have the same problem like this before?
Did the neutral wire become hot, or did the hot and ground got
reversed?

Two things to check. First, if you're comfortable working in circuit panels.
Make sure all the neutrals and grounds are securely screwed down.

Second, pull all the "dead" outlets and make sure the white wires are
screwed to the side, not "stabbed in" to the back.

--

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
www.mormons.com


wrote in message
ups.com...

Other than backtracing the line and checking
each connection, where else should I look? Is there any way to narrow
down where to inspect? Thanks.

I'd start at the working receptacle just before the bad one. Check the
connections in that box. The neutral leaving the good receptacle and going
to the bad receptacle may have broke free and contacted the hot. 0 volts
between hot and neutral tells me they are touching somewhere(both hot and
neutral are at the same 120 volt potential therefore 0 volt reading) AND the
neutral is open. Otherwise you should have tripped the breaker.
wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi all,
One of my wall receptacles suddenly stopped working this morning. I
tested the bad one with voltmeter and found out that there were 120 VAC
between hot and ground, 0 VAC between hot and neutral, and 120 VAC
between neutral and ground. I live in North America and the normal
reading between hot and neutral should be 120 VAC. I removed the
receptacle and tested again on the wires directly and got the same
result. I also tested other receptacles connecting to the same breaker
but they were working. Worring there might be a short circuit, I shut
off the breaker and call the electrician.

Does anyone have the same problem like this before?
Did the neutral wire become hot, or did the hot and ground got
reversed?

In article , "Stormin Mormon" wrote:

Remdnds me I had a surprise one time when I was workign on a circuit panel.
I'd taken the white wire off, to reroute it in the panel.

Without killing the breaker? NOT SMART.

I touched the bare
tip of the white, and got a tingle. Huh? Well, I was getting power through
the breaker and through an appliance.

Well, DUH!

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

Nobody ever left footprints in the sands of time by sitting on his butt.
And who wants to leave buttprints in the sands of time?