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

Do you mean the one without insulation lights when your test light is
grounded to the box or to the black wire

when it is connected to the black wire.

"m Ransley" wrote in message
...
Do you mean the one without insulation lights when your test light is
grounded to the box or to the black wire

go down to the library and get the time life book on home wiring and read
it. not just enough to fix what you got, but the whole book. take you an
hour and youll learn tons. and you will no longer be an electricity moron.

randy

"Larry" wrote in message
news:zfaMc.168547$Oq2.99745@attbi_s52...
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

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

No, you can't use it the way it is.

Somewhere the white wire has become disconnected. You must trace the
circuit and repair it. Aside from not working, it is a potentially
dangerous situation and I would recommend not using that circuit until it is
fixed.

Fortunately it is also a very simple problem and should not require an
electrician if you read up a bit on electrical. (It is possible that the
wire has broken inside a wall and that would be a major job; but it is also
very unlikely.)

Thanks, I will look for the broken wire. If I can't find it ... I will call
an electrician.
Thanks again!

"toller" wrote in message
...
No, you can't use it the way it is.

Somewhere the white wire has become disconnected. You must trace the
circuit and repair it. Aside from not working, it is a potentially
dangerous situation and I would recommend not using that circuit until it
is
fixed.

Fortunately it is also a very simple problem and should not require an
electrician if you read up a bit on electrical. (It is possible that the
wire has broken inside a wall and that would be a major job; but it is
also
very unlikely.)

From: "xrongor"


go down to the library and get the time life book on home wiring and read
it. not just enough to fix what you got, but the whole book. take you an
hour and youll learn tons. and you will no longer be an electricity moron.

randy


And then you too, can give electrical advice on USENET!

Is this outlet controlled by a wall switch. I have came across homes where
the neutrals were switched instead of the hots.

Robert R

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.

Go get a cheap ( $15) volt/ammeter).
and a neighbor/friend/handyman who knows electricity.

You need GROUND, neutral and hot.
No insulation would suggest GROUND.
The neutral is attached to ground at the pole.
But don't freely swap them. One is for electical
conductance, the other is for safety.

You either have faulty open neutral (white wire) or you have a switch that's
open in the neutral wire and it controls the electric socket. The bare wire
is ground. You should get a reading between the black wire (hot wire) and
neutral and between the black wire and the ground.Look for a switch. If that
fails, look for an electrician.
Ron

"Chuck Yerkes" wrote in message
news:8nmMc.16844$eM2.14764@attbi_s51...


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.

Go get a cheap ( $15) volt/ammeter).
and a neighbor/friend/handyman who knows electricity.

You need GROUND, neutral and hot.
No insulation would suggest GROUND.
The neutral is attached to ground at the pole.
But don't freely swap them. One is for electical
conductance, the other is for safety.

"toller" wrote in message
...
Somewhere the white wire has become disconnected. You must trace the
circuit and repair it.

Some outlet boxes are connected to a wall switch. Maybe someone ran the
white ground wire through the switch box instead of the black hot line.
Check to see if there is a wall switch, probably near the door, which seems
to have no useful function. Switch it on and see if the outlet works
properly.

Another slim possibility is that someone ran the white ground wire through
the fuse instead of the hot line.

Having worked on a lot of old houses and buildings, I've seen all sorts of
bizarre electrical work.

Paul

"Larry" wrote in message news:AzdMc.169926$Oq2.115062@attbi_s52...
Thanks, I will look for the broken wire. If I can't find it ... I will call
an electrician.
Thanks again!


No, don't look for a broken wire at first. 99% of the time you will
find the problem is a loose white connection inside an electrical box.
All of my problems were traced to a bad wire nut connection. Suspect
a broken wire only after checking connections.

Harry K

"toller" wrote in message
...
No, you can't use it the way it is.

Somewhere the white wire has become disconnected. You must trace the
circuit and repair it. Aside from not working, it is a potentially
dangerous situation and I would recommend not using that circuit until it
is
fixed.

Fortunately it is also a very simple problem and should not require an
electrician if you read up a bit on electrical. (It is possible that the
wire has broken inside a wall and that would be a major job; but it is
also
very unlikely.)