Hot/Neutral Reversed

HomeRepairNoob

I was trying to add a receptacle to my bedroom that will be the last device on that circuit. I wanted to just tie in to the current last device on the circuit which is a ceramic incandescent light fixture controlled by a switch. I ran the cable up the fixture and made pigtails and made all the connections. When I was done I checked the recep with a circuit tester and I was getting hot/neutral reversed. In fact, the whole bedroom circuit is like this. I checked all the connections(hot to brass, white to silver) and everything checks out fine. Also, when the light switch is turned on the circuit tester reads OK, it is just when the switch is turned off that I am having problems. What am I doing wrong? Thanks.

mdshunk

Try this... when your light switch is off, and your tester is reading 'hot-neutral reverse', unscrew the light bulb. If the tester reads correct wiring with the light bulb unscrewed, repost and I'll give you your fix.

HomeRepairNoob

Tester still indicated hot/neutral reversed.

jwhite

My guess is that the hot and neutral are reversed on this circuit. Fix it at the device closest to the panel.

hurricaneflyer

The little plug in circuit testers are great, I use mine all the time.
However they are known to not be 100 % right all the time.
It is probably reading the neutral through the light bulb and with no hot present is giving the wrong signal.

Just a guess but might be worth looking in to.

inspects

Could there be a junction box some where with hot/neutral reverse?

mdshunk

That is not so, since I had him remove the lamp and the reading persisted.

Nah, he said all is well when he flips the light switch. This is some other problem. I'm still puzzled about it.

Double A

Is it a 3 way switch with the traveler hooked up wrong on one of the switches?

HomeRepairNoob

No it is a single pole switch.

hurricaneflyer

HomeRepairNoob,

I must have misread your original post or you updated it with more info. I did not realize all receptacles in this room were showing H/N reversed.

Like jwhite and others I too would look for a the wires to be mixed up some where.

do all the receptacles in the room read as OK when the light is switched on, and H/N reversed when the light is switched off ?

handydandy4

I have a similar problem. I put in a new receptacle between a light and a switch. I have power, and everything is working. When the light is off - I get a good reading. However, when the light is on - I get a hot / neutral reversed indication.

Stubbie

Check your wiring my guess is you are switching the neutral and the incoming hot of a switch loop connects to the lamp and the hot going to the switch to the other wire of the lamp then the switched hot is carried to the incoming neutral of the incoming power at the lamp. The receptacle is installed between the switch and the lamp so it is using the switched neutral after the switch for its return. With the switch off everything is fine but with the switch on you have a reversed neutral indication.

joed

I'm betting you tapped into a swithc loop. Does the light aactuyally come on when you have nothing plugged into the receptacle?
You also have asked this question in a two year old post. You should start your own post.