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914World.com _ 914World Garage _ OT, Electrical question

Posted by: ruddyboys Jun 1 2010, 08:20 AM

Not being a electrician I have a question.
Our companies "handyman" set up some outlets in the new photo studio. As soon as I plugged in my photo lights they would not go on, it seems they Both shorted out at the same time??????? I took my multi-tester to check the outlets. I get 119v from the large slot (neutral) to the small slot (power), also 119 from the small slot (Power) to the u shaped ground, But I also get 119V from the large slot (neutral) to the ground? I know believe neutral to ground should give me no voltage, am I correct.

Posted by: underthetire Jun 1 2010, 08:24 AM

Neutral and ground are tied together at the panel. He either got something very wrong, or something else plugged in has a ground fault.

Posted by: ruddyboys Jun 1 2010, 08:37 AM

Thats what I thought, thanks for the confirmation.

Posted by: 76-914 Jun 1 2010, 10:11 AM

Just curious; what'd ya get across the hot and neutral? If you got 240 then you have 240v wired to a 120 recpticle. If you have 0v then he ran a 120 leg from another hot circuit off the same phase.

Posted by: ruddyboys Jun 1 2010, 10:34 AM

When I put the multi-tester on the Long Slot (negative) and the short slot I get 120, Short slot to ground 120, long slot to ground 120.

Posted by: vsg914 Jun 1 2010, 10:43 AM

You should get power only between the hot and nuetral. any power to the ground means something is very wrong. Have someone who knows what they are doing look at it before someone gets electrocuted. I'm very serious by the way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by: Tom_T Jun 1 2010, 05:25 PM

Sounds like you got the same cross-eyed & lazy guy who rewired our 1921 house in the mid-70's! I've had to rewire just about every outlet in the house, garage & my office because he didn't know what the new-fangled ground on a monkey-face outlet was, or was too lazy to bother grounding it - not to mention crossing-up about every other hot-neutral plug!

with the above - get a good electrician in there to rewire it correctly, before the company has a mess of OSHA & injury claims from electrocution!

Posted by: kg6dxn Jun 1 2010, 05:46 PM

Unplug every thing on that circuit and test again. It is possible, if a load is plugged in on the circuit you can read voltage going thorugh the load. You may have an open neutral somewhere. If a load is pluged in, the open neutral will appear to have 120 volts on it.

Posted by: Zardozz Jun 1 2010, 05:51 PM

Ya... something's fishy.