Tester Says Wiring Correct, Multimeter Says Otherwise


  #1  
Old 05-27-23, 06:05 PM
D
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Oxford, Michigan
Posts: 16
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Tester Says Wiring Correct, Multimeter Says Otherwise

I have an outlet that isn’t working. I pulled it out. I have two black, two white wires and a ground. Plugged in my tester and the two lights indicating correct lit up. I hit it with a multimeter and nothing . . . . so something was powering to get the tester to light up. When I use my probes to black and ground, I get 120v. This place has always baffled me with the electrical. What the heck is going on here? How do I remedy? Both black wires are hot.
 

Top Answer

 
05-28-23, 04:34 AM
joed
joed is offline
Member
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: welland ontario
Posts: 8,036
Received 515 Upvotes on 420 Posts
You have an open neutral somewhere. Most common cause of this is back stab push in connections. Check other devices on the circuit and move any back stabs to the screws.
 
  #2  
Old 05-27-23, 06:10 PM
Tolyn Ironhand's Avatar
Group Moderator
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: United States
Posts: 14,319
Received 874 Upvotes on 737 Posts
What do you get when you put one probe on black and the other on white? Measure directly from the wires, not the device.
 
  #3  
Old 05-27-23, 06:13 PM
J
Member
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: welland ontario
Posts: 8,036
Received 515 Upvotes on 420 Posts
What does your tester say when you plug something like a lamp into the second receptacle and turn it on?
 
  #4  
Old 05-27-23, 06:26 PM
D
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Oxford, Michigan
Posts: 16
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
I get nothing on the multimeter when black to white.
 
  #5  
Old 05-27-23, 06:30 PM
D
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Oxford, Michigan
Posts: 16
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
@joed when I do that I get “hot and ground reversed” lit up.
 
  #6  
Old 05-27-23, 11:33 PM
d_s_k's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Norway
Posts: 406
Received 22 Upvotes on 20 Posts
So:
black - ground = 120V
black - white = 0V
white - ground = ?? V

Even when a multimeter may have some % +/- What is the exact readings?
What kind of a meter did you use?
What happens if you put a load between black and ground?
What happens if you put a load between white and ground?
 

Last edited by d_s_k; 05-28-23 at 12:02 AM. Reason: spelling + adding questions
  #7  
Old 05-28-23, 04:34 AM
J
Member
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: welland ontario
Posts: 8,036
Received 515 Upvotes on 420 Posts
You have an open neutral somewhere. Most common cause of this is back stab push in connections. Check other devices on the circuit and move any back stabs to the screws.
 
AFJES, CasualJoe, sdodder voted this post useful.
  #8  
Old 05-29-23, 12:43 AM
A
Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 999
Received 162 Upvotes on 135 Posts
I agree is joed. This is where you should start.
 
sdodder voted this post useful.
  #9  
Old 05-29-23, 10:38 PM
G
Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: USA
Posts: 196
Received 11 Upvotes on 10 Posts
I suggest checking the wires in this outlet, as well as the ones upstream.
Neutrals that are pigtailed together may also fail.

It's odd you have only one outlet that fail; the downstream outlets (or lights) should also fail.

BTW you cannot rely on outlet tester to tell you what's wrong because sometimes there are multiple possible reasons for one symptom and the tester only tells you the most likely one.
 
 

Thread Tools
Search this Thread
 
Ask a Question
Question Title:
Description:
Your question will be posted in: