Replies

1. 
   Francis_Voignier | Dec 13, 2000 06:23pm | #1

   *
   How do you check your grounds? If you try to get a continuity reading between the neutral and the ground, your neutral could be at fault or not even connected to the bus. If you are trying to read voltage, then your hot is not connected to the breaker or the line is open somewhere. If you havn't pigtailed to your outlets as you should have, the problem could be at the plug before those 2 you tested. If your checking for continuity between your outlet ground and a proper ground bus, your problem is most likely, again, at the last plug that tested good on that circuit. Either way, one of your wires is loose or broken.
   fv

1. 
   Scooter_ | Dec 13, 2000 07:20pm | #2

   *Pull the cover plate. Undo the outlets and check the ground connection to both the outlet and the ground wire. Still no ground? Follow the conduit/romex to either the service panel or the box until you find your problem. They do make sensors which can track the wire through walls to make tracking easier.

1. 
   Phill_Giles | Dec 13, 2000 07:43pm | #3

   *If your neutral and ground are bridged (and other appends here indicate that they are), then the potential difference between 'hot and neutral' and 'hot and ground' should be the same. If not, then check the resistance across the neutral and the ground, it should be relatively low. You have now all the data you should need

1. 
   norml | Dec 14, 2000 05:53am | #4

   *Look at the ground connection at the last receptacle on that circuit that checked OK. Chances are the ground wire in and the ground wire out are loosely connected.

1. 
   CAP_ | Dec 14, 2000 08:27am | #5

   *Brent,How did you check the ground wires on the plugs with the bad grounds? Are the outlets with the bad ground the last 2 in the circuit?My suspicion is that it's either: 1) a bad splice of the grounds at the outlet just upstream (e.g., closer to the panel) of the two that are bad, or a cut/broken ground wire. Sheetrock installers sometimes cut one or more wires with their mini-routers when doing the outlet box cutouts.2) a bad outlet or outlets. The ground may be good, but if the outlet (receptacle) has an open internally, it'll show a bad ground. Use a multi-meter to check resistance between the gound and neutral of the outlet and also of the wires. The reading should be close to zero ohms. If the first outlet reads high but the wires read OK, then replace that outlet. Those cheap (39 cent) outlets are sometimes defective right out of the box.Good luck.

2. 
   brent_collins | Dec 18, 2000 04:24pm | #6

   *I followed your advice and checked the plug up stream from the plugs that showed open grounds and find the problem. I have switched the neutral and the hot wires. Thanks Brent

3. 
   The_Tennis_Court_Builder_...on_t | Dec 18, 2000 10:24pm | #7

   *lets go play with electricity....

4. 
   Kyle_Bartlett | Dec 20, 2000 03:06am | #8

   *by Fryed Check the panel

2. 
   brent_collins | Dec 20, 2000 03:06am | #9

   *
   Recently build my new house. I was getting ready for my final Electrical inspect and was testing the plugs to make sure they are correcting connect. I run across two plugs side by side that read open ground. I have checked the ground wires on the plugs and can'seem to find the problem. Any suggestions on what to look for? Advise on how to isolate the problem?

   Thanks Brent