Open Neutral Problem !


  #1  
Old 10-12-04, 09:16 PM
Anand Haribhakt
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Open Neutral Problem !

Hi,
Last Sunday I statred replacing old receptables in my house. 2 rooms were Ok till I got problem in Kitchen. I was trying to replace recetable with GFCI and it wouldn't work. Finally I just put the normal new receptable and that wouldn't work either. I got the circuit tester and checked to see the problem. It tells me that I have 'Open Neutral'. How do I solve this? The only different connection I did was that the adjacent receptable to the one in Kitchen had Neutral and Ground connected togather and I connected White wire to neutral and ground wire to the ground terminal. Now I also figured out that that receptable gets power from the one which shows open neutral. Can somebody please help me !! I read couple articales on open neutal and bootleg connection but looks like I need more help !

Thanks.
 
  #2  
Old 10-12-04, 09:21 PM
J
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What exactly do you mean by, "the adjacent receptable to the one in Kitchen had Neutral and Ground connected togather"?

It may be that the previous person messing with this wiring did indeed create a serious hazard.
 
  #3  
Old 10-13-04, 08:23 AM
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In the words of one of my daughter's favorite cartoon charactors "YOWEEEE!!!". Sounds like at least part of the circuit was getting it's neutral connection from the ground wire. Bad fix. REALY bad fix. Find the last plug on the circuit that still works now that you've disconnected the incorrectly connected ground. The problem is probably there. If the plug you were trying to replace with a GFCI was the first plug in the circuit, the problem is either at the breaker/fuse panel or somewhere in between. Perhaps a hidden splice or burried box. How hard would it be to fish a new wire to the first box from the breaker panel? This might be the easiest fix.

Doug M.
 
  #4  
Old 10-15-04, 06:23 AM
Anand Haribhakt
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For John !

Hi John,

Thanks for replying. Actullay I didn't made it clear in my previous description. The receptable in the Kitchen (on the counter) is directly from the box. Than there is a another receptable near the fridge which is connected from the counter one. Now I wanted to replace the counter receptable to GFCI. Meantime I started changing receptable near the fridge and I noticed that the Ground and Neutral where connected together so I separated out both and now the counter receptable shows me 'open neutral' I guess I will have to check where the counter receptable's netral wire goes..! in the box or somewhere else..? What is the best way to solve this ? Since those two receptables are in Kithchen I want perfect grounding for all the appliance that works on those two receptables.

Thanks.
 
  #5  
Old 10-15-04, 06:39 AM
R
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Yes, you need to find the receptacle that feeds this receptacle. If that receptacle is okay then you need to find the problem between the receptacles. if that receptacle is also wired incorrectly then you need to fix it, test, etc.

Good luck!
 
  #6  
Old 10-15-04, 06:42 AM
Snape
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Well you have got to trace the wires back to find the problem, best to start at recepticle you were trying to replace. The problem is that the splice could be hidden which is a pain like DougM said it might be easyier to fish in a new cable from the first recepticle which by the sound will be your GFCI, that way you will know that you have a good base to start fixing the problem.
Have a look in the box and report back what you find there.
Or try explain which recepticle the problem is visiable in first because i couldnt quite grasp what you were making out, was the first recepticle showing open neutral or not.

Thanks
 
 

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