I have an operable outlet that reads as an “open neutral” with a three light tester. At some point in the past a three prong outlet was installed but there is no separate ground wire. Where is the best place to start in trying to identify why there is an open neutral indication? Would the outlet be functional with an open neutral?
Thanks Neil
Replies
An outlet won't work with an open neutral.
A 3-prong, ungrounded outlet a very bad idea, unless it's a GFI outlet. Anyone who would install such a thing would likely do other bad things to the wiring.
First thing is to take off the cover plate and see how many wires in the box. If just a hot and neutral, some idiot connected the ground to neutral at the outlet. Not good. If you actually do have a ground wire present, then just start hunting. Open all the other outlets on the same circuit and see where something isn't properly connected. MAke sure ground and neutral are not connected together someplace upstream. I've seen a few like that. New outlets added at the end of an old run where the first outlets are not grounded.
If you don't have a ground wire, add one. Do not run a 3-prong outlet on an ungrounded circuit.
Keep in mind that it can be miswired or it could be a bad outlet.
Test both top and bottom - it isn't uncommon for one that is frequently used to go bad and show an open leg while the other is fine.
If that's it, simply replace the outlet.
It can also be that top and bottom are wired differently, with the jumper tabs broken off. Often done to have one hole controlled by a wall switch for a table lamp, while the other is always hot.
-- J.S.