Any thoughts on this.


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Old 01-25-06, 08:43 AM
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Any thoughts on this.

I insert a 3-light, 3-wire circuit analyzer in the outlets in my bedroom. The tester says that if the middle and right side amber lights are on, the receptacle is wired correctly. It says that if only the middle amber light is on, the receptacle is not grounded. My tester shows a bright middle amber light, but a dim right side amber light. I interpret that as a weak ground, but then again I'm no electrician. For my sanity, I have plugged this tester in all around the house and both amber lights shine brightly - just not in this one bedroom. I checked the connections on each of the five receptacles on this circuit - in fact, I put nice new commercial outlets in - no change. Also, when I plug in my fancy APC surge protection strip into this bedroom, it says "Site Wiring Fault". It doesn't say this when I plug it into the other outlets in the house. So I have a circuit tester and surge strip telling me that something is not quite right. This is a 19 year old house.
 
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Old 01-25-06, 09:20 AM
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Your ground is bad.
 
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Old 01-25-06, 09:27 AM
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What exactly does that mean and how do I fix it?
 
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Old 01-25-06, 10:16 AM
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bad ground

take things apart and check all ground connections. someitmes they are twisted together without a wirenut or crimp and it will lose almost all of the connection. tighten the twist or wirenut up and see if that does not help. then put a wirenut or crimp on the grounds. It could be in the panel or the device may be in a metal box using only the screws for grounding purpose. check till you find it
 
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Old 01-25-06, 10:39 AM
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Electrical was pretty good - all recepts, switches, and fixtures seem OK - ground wires are twisted and capped in their junction boxes. I wonder if there is a rogue recept, switch, or fixture somewhere I don't expect. Other than that - I have no clue.
 
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Old 01-25-06, 08:09 PM
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ground

If everything was pigtailed, then it has to come from the source. Check it all again. It could be the strap on the receptical or the screw on the strap that is not conducting. IF everything is good then I would go to the panel and locate that ground and make sure it is tight. If there are more than one under the ground screw, then take it out and move it to another. Sometimes it will not ground well when others are under the same screw. It can not make good contact. Just some thoughts.
 
 

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