Circut Tester Reading

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Inspect2020

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I have never seen this before and was hoping for some help. Circuit tester in GFCI receptacle outlets tests normal with 2 yellow lights and when the GFCI is tripped with either the tester button on the tester or the one on the GFCI receptacle I get a single red light. The results are the same on all 6 GFCI receptacles in the house (mobile home) but the one GFCI receptacle outlet at the meter panel 20 feet from the house tests normal with two yellows when on and no lights when tripped.

Thanks in advance

Don
 

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Using a voltmeter and an extension cord from the receptacle at the meter panel check like to like voltages: H-H, N-N, G-G

Are any substantially greater than zero (other than 240V H-H because they are on opposing Lines)?
 
cowboyjwc said:
What does one red light mean?
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I think that is the question... :blink:

It's a combination which is not indicated in the legend. Though three lights have 8 possible combinations, only 6 are usually provided in the legend. Only red lit is one of the missing combinations, as is all three lit. I'd think circuitry should eliminate these two, so I don't want to guess what it means...
 
There is no description in the legend of a wiring fault with red only.
Open ground or neutral - one yellow
open hot - no lights
red and one yellow - Hot and neutral or hot and ground reversed.
two yellow is correctly wired.
all three lights on are not on the legend but would indicate 240 volt

I did not have a meter at the home inspection. A plug in tester gives me all the information I need for what I am there to do. I am recommending further evaluation by a licensed electrical contractor. I had assumed that most of you would be familiar with the plug in circuit testers but maybe you go strait to the meter.
 
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When you say 2 yellows are they both the same brightness? I came across something similar showing a lit but faint middle yellow which tuned out to be a bad neutral on a 3 wire branch circuit.
 
Maybe it's just me, but putting GFCI stickers on a GFCI device just drives me bats. Just like putting Service Disconnect on every panel's main breaker (only not as bad).
 
Inspect2020 said:
when the GFCI is tripped with either the tester button on the tester or the one on the GFCI receptacle I get a single red light.



Don
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cowboyjwc said:
What does one red light mean?
Click to expand...


I'm not sure what the one red light means other than the tester is still getting power from some where and that shouldn't happen with the GFCI tripped.

I think he did the right thing by having an electrician check it out.
 
Inspect2020 said:
There is no description in the legend of a wiring fault with red only.
Open ground or neutral - one yellow
open hot - no lights
red and one yellow - Hot and neutral or hot and ground reversed.
two yellow is correctly wired.
all three lights on are not on the legend but would indicate 240 volt

I did not have a meter at the home inspection. A plug in tester gives me all the information I need for what I am there to do. I am recommending further evaluation by a licensed electrical contractor. I had assumed that most of you would be familiar with the plug in circuit testers but maybe you go strait to the meter.
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I don't do much residential and I don't use a plug in tester either. The one I do have, the red light is in the middle. I use the switch type GFCI tester, when I do check GFCI's. Plus as an inspector, it's not my job to make sure that things work. That's the electricians job.
 
Inspect2020 said:
I did not have a meter at the home inspection. A plug in tester gives me all the information I need for what I am there to do.
Click to expand...

cowboyjwc said:
Plus as an inspector, it's not my job to make sure that things work. That's the electricians job.
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An inspector (home inspector) should not be trouble-shooting electrical problems.

Even if you did have a meter it's not your job.

This could be nothing more than a bad batch of GFCI receptacles that's not been noticed before. Anyway in most areas only a licensed electrician is allowed to do electrical repairs for money ( then you get into insurance and liability and it goes on and on ).

A home inspection is to list items of concern and I would say this qualifies as a concern. Once listed that is the end of the home inspectors job.

If this were a common problem ( one red light ) it would be listed as a fault on the tester.
 
growler said:
An inspector (home inspector) should not be trouble-shooting electrical problems.
A home inspection is to list items of concern and I would say this qualifies as a concern. Once listed that is the end of the home inspectors job.
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You are correct. Identify concerns and make recommendations. As for trouble shooting, well that's why I don't generally carry a meter. It is however important to understand what is going on and when I see something completely out of the normal range of defects I try to find out what it may be.
 
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I would suspect the GFCI is wired backwards. or backfed. It sounds like 6 is a lot for a factory mobile home.
 
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