I may have an open Neutral in a circuit.

[markysparky]

Hello, this is the first time I've come across this in troubleshooting. I have an older double-wide trailer that has lost power on a ciruit. I tested circuit and I have 120V at the circuit breaker. downstream on 2 switches, an outlet and a light fixture I have 40-50V to ground and between Hot and Neutral wires. When I flip the switch the voltage disappears. I am assuming that I have an open neutral somewhere. Any Ideas? Thank-you.

Mark

 

[augie47]

There are so many possible places on an older double-wide for poor connections. Many of them use devices that puncture the insulation on the conductor for a connection which often leads to poor connections. If the voltage problem is in the opposite side of the MH from the panel, keep in mind there are transition connections under the mobile home between the sides. Some of these are "molex" plugs which also fail.
The possibility of a no profit or low profit service call is high

 

[Dennis Alwon]

If that is the only circuit with the issue start working your way back to the panel. Is it a MWBC?

 

[ActionDave]

Hello, this is the first time I've come across this in troubleshooting. I have an older double-wide trailer that has lost power on a ciruit. I tested circuit and I have 120V at the circuit breaker. downstream on 2 switches, an outlet and a light fixture I have 40-50V to ground and between Hot and Neutral wires. When I flip the switch the voltage disappears. I am assuming that I have an open neutral somewhere. Any Ideas? Thank-you.

Mark

You have a bad connection some where between the panel and where you are testing, and you` are using digital multi-meter.

The 40-50V goes away when you put a load on the circuit i.e., flip the switch.

Dennis has it right. If only one circuit is acting up then work your way back to the panel.

Augie has it right too. It might be an easy fix, but with mobile homes finding the problem can be quite an adventure.

 

[G._S._Ohm]

You maybe want to use a rented TDR to find the open connection.

 

[kwired]

The bad connection is sometimes in a working receptacle, on the outgoing conductor to the remaining portion of the circuit.

 

[hillbilly1]

Does the circuit only work on one side of the doublewide? then it probably is in the crossover connection as others have said. Sometimes the crossover connection is made in a flush mounted j-box inside on a back wall near where the halves go together.

 

[dhalleron]

I removed a single gang box in a bathroom of a double wide while trouble shooting an open circuit once. Inside the wall was a loose plug in connector where the circuit crossed the separation between the two halves of the home. I just plugged it in tighter and things worked fine. Luck was with me in that I just happened to look in the right place. I was ready to run a whole new cable and wasn't sure how I was going to do it. I don't really have experience with trailers - I mean "modular homes".

 

[hillbilly1]

..................... I don't really have experience with trailers - I mean "modular homes".

Yeah, my son-in-law gets mad at me when I call them trailers, his dad made a good living selling them years ago!:lol: