[FPJ]

Hi,
I have 3 outlets that don't work. When I look with the multimeter for the voltage between hot and ground, I get 120V. When I check from neutral to ground, I get slightly above 0V. But when I check from hot to neutral, I get about 0V.

Any ideas as what the problem could be?

Thank you,
Frederic

 

[joecaption]

Loose neutral wire some place.
Could be anyplace, outlets panel box.
If the outlets are back stabbed redo them so there under the screws.

 

[sirsparksalot]

Agree with Joe.

Find out how many receptacles are on that circuit, and check them all for loose white wires.

 

[joed]

Move the black and white both to the screws if they are back stabbed.

 

[FPJ]

Thank you, problem solved

Thank you for putting me on the right track, the problem is now fixed. It was indeed an outlet in another room on the same circuit that I didn't think of. However, it took me a little longer to find out as all wires were well screwed in.

It turned out that one outlet was defective with no continuity between the two screws on the neutral side.

Thanks,
Frederic

 

[stickboy1375]

I've never seen a defective receptacle in that nature, do you still have it? Can you post a picture?

 

[circuitman]

i got a receptacle like that one time, like to drove me crazy. on looking at it you couldn't see the problem. but when you hooked it to power everything below it was dead, & it was brand new!

 

[stickboy1375]

i got a receptacle like that one time, like to drove me crazy. on looking at it you couldn't see the problem. but when you hooked it to power everything below it was dead, & it was brand new!

I'm confused, how could you not see the tab broken out?

 

[circuitman]

I'm confused, how could you not see the tab broken out?

that was the point of my post, you couldn't physically see it. that was also what puzzled me too. think the piece was a thin stamping.:laughing:

 

[fa_f3_20]

I would not think to check if a receptacle brand new from the store had the tabs broken off. But possibly some vandal went through the bin at the store and broke some of them off. Never would have thought of that, but the next time I buy a receptacle I'll check first.

 

[JKeefe]

Are you sure that the "defective" outlet you replaced wasn't supposed to have a broken neutral tab? Was the hot tab still in place? I don't believe there's any reason for electrical wiring to have a hot tab in place but a neutral tab removed, but there are reasons to remove both tabs, or just the hot tab.

 

[circuitman]

yeah! i'm postive,the outlet was brand new out of the box. i belive when they stamped the pieces, they cut them a little thin, so when current ran through it , it gave.you couldn't physically see it. had me stumped too.

 

[FPJ]

Just like mentionned, the outlet looked intact just like the others. The outlet was not new however, it had been there for years. One day, something must have happened to break the metal link between the two screws and the problem came up.
Very puzzling indeed!

 

[dmxtothemax]

Hi,
I have 3 outlets that don't work. When I look with the multimeter for the voltage between hot and ground, I get 120V. When I check from neutral to ground, I get slightly above 0V. But when I check from hot to neutral, I get about 0V.

Any ideas as what the problem could be?

Thank you,
Frederic

Where exactily where these measurements taken ?
You clearly have an open neutral !
Stratigic measurements will reveal all !
But we need to know where you measured from ?

 

[JKeefe]

If you read the thread, dmxtothemax, you will see that there was in fact an open neutral, the OP found it, and the problem has been solved.