Electrical Question

[Burnsie]

Try another new receptacle - it might simply be a bad unit from the store - it can happen.

 

[HuntHarder]

Pictures would help. Is the outlet a duplex? If so, make sure they tab on the side isn't broken, separating each outlet. Common if you only want 1 switched. Or, more likely is neutral issue. Where exactly are you reading 120v? ( picture) if it is across phase and neutral, you likely have a bad neutral connection upstream (closer to panel) in another device.

 

[Aces11]

I tried a couple different things in the outlet with no luck and also ran them in other outlets to make sure. I will have to climb up into the attic and see if I can see where the wire is coming from to the outlet. Maybe give me some input.

 

[ElkNut1]

If your appliance /tool works in another outlet, preferably one on a different breaker then yes you have a loose neutral. To confirm this unhook the white neutral from the silver screw & put your ground wire on that screw. Leave the neutral; neutral, don't hook it to anything. of course leave your black common wire on the gold screw. You will have your tool working now once plugged in. This shows a lost/loose neutral. If your other outlets on that breaker have the copper wires stabbed in the back of the receptacle instead of being attached to the screws then those are notorious for coming loose. You'll need to check all those receptacles for that loose neutral wire that are on that one breaker. (white wire)

 

[lil' bear]

If your appliance /tool works in another outlet, preferably one on a different breaker then yes you have a loose neutral. To confirm this unhook the white neutral from the silver screw & put your ground wire on that screw. Leave the neutral; neutral, don't hook it to anything. of course leave your black common wire on the gold screw. You will have your tool working now once plugged in. This shows a lost/loose neutral. If your other outlets on that breaker have the copper wires stabbed in the back of the receptacle instead of being attached to the screws then those are notorious for coming loose. You'll need to check all those receptacles for that loose neutral wire that are on that one breaker. (white wire)

He said he's reading 120 with the wires off of the outlet reading 120 both power to neutral and power to ground. And his appliance worked on another outlet. This can pretty much only be a bad connection inside of the outlet itself. Pretty common problem. Still don't know where the wires were landed but I agree this sounds like a problem originating from wires stabbed into the back.

 

[HuntHarder]

you can get 120v and still have a bad neutral connection upstream. I see it on a daily basis on the Utility side. Once you add load, you will see the voltage drop to unusable.

 

[Aces11]

Wires are screwed on. I have tried 4 different outlets total now. Two of them brand new and still no go. All the outside outlets are single run wire, and not jumped to another.

 

[lil' bear]

Wires are screwed on. I have tried 4 different outlets total now. Two of them brand new and still no go. All the outside outlets are single run wire, and not jumped to another.

Are you on a slab? Crawlspace, or basement? Could be ants, or wasps in the junction box. Animals in the crawlspace?

 

[ElkNut1]

Did you swap your White neutral wire with the ground wire? Once done plug in your tool. Try that. It just confirms in your mind that you have a loose neutral on that single breaker! Possibly the one you're piggy backing off of.

 

[Aces11]

I meant I tried 4 outlets in this specific spot, to make sure I didn’t have a bad one. All the other spots with outlets work fine. I am thinking it must be a loose neutral on the other end like guys have suggested. I am thinking next step will be for me to figure out exactly where that wire is run from. I will have to get up in the attic and hopefully can trace it.

 

[lil' bear]

I meant I tried 4 outlets in this specific spot, to make sure I didn’t have a bad one. All the other spots with outlets work fine. I am thinking it must be a loose neutral on the other end like guys have suggested. I am thinking next step will be for me to figure out exactly where that wire is run from. I will have to get up in the attic and hopefully can trace it.

I definitely agree the neutral is the problem. I was under the impression they were daisy chained and you had already checked the outlet connection upstream. Now knowing they are single fed. Yes definitely check the junction. Are you sure it's in the attic?

 

[go_deep]

Put the meter on ohms, and test the ground and neutral to see if it's open.

 

[PORK]

crawling in the attic is a waste of time in my opinion.

GFCI protection was first required for outside receptacles in the 1970s. Unless you built the house and did it out of code it has to have them.

This is a super easy fix and the likelihood of a bad factory receptacle is very very low.

1). Set meter to AC volts. Measure from black to white. What does it say?

2) next measure from Black to bare ground, what does it say?

3). Measure from white to ground. What does it say?

Or spend the 10 dollars on a plug tester and plug it in and tell us what it reads.

It’s really that simple

Also just because the other outlets are working doesn’t mean the problem isn’t in one of those outlets.

 

[PORK]

Put the meter on ohms, and test the ground and neutral to see if it's open.

I wouldn’t do that if it’s a multi wire system and his neutral is backfeeding.

Wait. Do it, but record it. Safety glasses please

 

[GSPHUNTER]

I Said it's likely a lost ground. In the past I have also said trouble shooting online is damn near impossible. But at least you get some ideas. I'm sure you will let us know when you get it solved.

 

[PORK]

I Said it's likely a lost ground. In the past I have also said trouble shooting online is damn near impossible. But at least you get some ideas. I'm sure you will let us know when you get it solved.

A receptacle will still work just fine with no ground. You do not need a ground to make any 120v receptacle function.

 

[GSPHUNTER]

A receptacle will still work just fine with no ground. You do not need a ground to make any 120v receptacle function.

Lost neutral.

 

[PORK]

Lost neutral.

Perhaps but we would need the OP to answer some of the questions presented. But a neutral is not a ground.

 

[GSPHUNTER]

Perhaps but we would need the OP to answer some of the questions presented. But a neutral is not a ground.

I know that, just wrong term. In my first post I said lost neutral.

 

[I Am Gunz]

Perhaps but we would need the OP to answer some of the questions presented. But a neutral is not a ground.

You’re right, it’s the grounded conductor, not the grounding conductor.