Just a Little Reassurance

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quogueelectric said:
Buy yourself a little cube tester and run around and see what it tells you. They are very usefull tools in troubleshooting. this is probably what the home inspector will also use.
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When you say cube tester you mean the plug in recept tester right? If so that is what he used to determine I had a Loose ground. Once I started searching I came to the conclusion it is in the ceiling somewhere. With selling the house so soon I'm thinking of putting the gfci breaker in.
 
Strahan said:
When you say cube tester you mean the plug in recept tester right? If so that is what he used to determine I had a Loose ground. Once I started searching I came to the conclusion it is in the ceiling somewhere. With selling the house so soon I'm thinking of putting the gfci breaker in.
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A loose ground is not going to create the scenario of 60 v gr to N. You have more serious problems if this is in fact correct. Your profile stated you are some sort of electrical tech, If so do you have accessability to advanced circuit tracing equipment you could borrow from work?? Start tracing the unbonded ground from the furthest point away from the panel towards the panel and see where you lose it. Now can you appreciate why it is against code to burry splices in drywall. I am still not convinced that this is your problem so take a deep breath go get that 3$ tester and report back.:smile:
 
quogueelectric said:
A loose ground is not going to create the scenario of 60 v gr to N. You have more serious problems if this is in fact correct.
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Agreed. You also may be measuring against references that are not what you think they are. I suggest one other testing idea:

Plug a 3-wire extension cord into a known-working, properly-wired receptacle on another circuit; the laundry is a good choice.

Now take the female end of the cord with you, and test the problem circuit conductors against the three references in your hand.*

I still recommend a tester other than a typical volt-meter. Either a solenoid tester or a voltmeter in parallel with a small bulb.

* Note: remember you should get either 0v or 240v hot-to-hot.
 
LarryFine said:
Agreed. You also may be measuring against references that are not what you think they are. I suggest one other testing idea:

Plug a 3-wire extension cord into a known-working, properly-wired receptacle on another circuit; the laundry is a good choice.

Now take the female end of the cord with you, and test the problem circuit conductors against the three references in your hand.*

I still recommend a tester other than a typical volt-meter. Either a solenoid tester or a voltmeter in parallel with a small bulb.

* Note: remember you should get either 0v or 240v hot-to-hot.
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I see where everyone is going with this and once I draw a typical circuit out I see what you mean. In fact if my ground were broken it would be like just reading to free air. Could it be my neutral is tied into a seperate circuit somehow?
 
LarryFine said:
Agreed. You also may be measuring against references that are not what you think they are. I suggest one other testing idea:

Plug a 3-wire extension cord into a known-working, properly-wired receptacle on another circuit; the laundry is a good choice.

Now take the female end of the cord with you, and test the problem circuit conductors against the three references in your hand.*

I still recommend a tester other than a typical volt-meter. Either a solenoid tester or a voltmeter in parallel with a small bulb.

* Note: remember you should get either 0v or 240v hot-to-hot.
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Hey brother tell him what it means when he gets 0 v hot to hot.
 
quogueelectric said:
Hey brother tell him what it means when he gets 0 v hot to hot.
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I know what it means when you get 0V hot to hot:cool: . I just re-enacted the circuit in my lab and I do infact have a broken ground. Yes I agree if I were using a wiggy I would not measure this voltage across neutral and ground but with a multimeter(low impedance) I do. Wired up a receptacle in lab correctly with neutral and ground properly connected. I lifted the ground and low and behold measured the same results with my multimeter. Hey cow whats it mean when I measure 0V between the neutral and Ground?
 
Here's a follow up... Pulled dry wall down and found multiple j-boxes pulled covers off and low and behold found grounds never connected in one box. I connected the grounds and problem went away. Good to go. Now I read 0V between ground and neutral and between the same phase I also read 0V but between L1 and L2 I read 240V I wonder why :cool: HA HA
 
quogueelectric said:
Hey brother tell him what it means when he gets 0 v hot to hot.
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Hey cow sorry for the comments no hard feelings. I'm a little stressed out with working 90+ hours a week and going through all the crap of selling a house. Hope you forgive me. I didn't appreciate your comment when you are constantly driven towards one aspect of electricity sometimes you need a little time to get back to the opposite end. Going from industrial 99% of the time back to residential causes a brain freeze sometimes. Thanks!!
 
Strahan said:
Hey cow sorry for the comments no hard feelings. I'm a little stressed out with working 90+ hours a week and going through all the crap of selling a house. Hope you forgive me. I didn't appreciate your comment when you are constantly driven towards one aspect of electricity sometimes you need a little time to get back to the opposite end. Going from industrial 99% of the time back to residential causes a brain freeze sometimes. Thanks!!
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NY cows have thick skin and thick heads. It is survival around here not to be thin skinned. Hey didnt you used to play for the Giants?? Btw I am selling 2 houses now I understand.
 
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quogueelectric said:
NY cows have thick skin and thick heads. It is survival around here not to be thin skinned. Hey didnt you used to play for the Giants?? Btw I am selling 2 houses now I understand.
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Point well taken. Yes I did play for the giants and I wish I were still playing. Looks like they may miss me. Go GGGGGMEN!
 
Strahan said:
Here's a follow up... Pulled dry wall down and found multiple j-boxes pulled covers off and low and behold found grounds never connected in one box. I connected the grounds and problem went away. Good to go. Now I read 0V between ground and neutral and between the same phase I also read 0V but between L1 and L2 I read 240V I wonder why :cool: HA HA
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Great......!!! Now, how are you going to pass inspection with those j box's being in the ceiling?
 
Mule said:
Great......!!! Now, how are you going to pass inspection with those j box's being in the ceiling?
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How's the inspector going to know they are there? Plus he is a home inspector very basic electrical knowledge no offense to anyone out there but in this guys case he is limited. He can test recepts with his handy dandy plug in tester after that he is stumped. Basic code knowledge. Plus what are the rules with this I know it is a violation but I didn't do the wiring and it was done before I owned the house probably done in 1987
 
Strahan said:
How's the inspector going to know they are there? Plus he is a home inspector very basic electrical knowledge no offense to anyone out there but in this guys case he is limited. He can test recepts with his handy dandy plug in tester after that he is stumped. Basic code knowledge. Plus what are the rules with this I know it is a violation but I didn't do the wiring and it was done before I owned the house probably done in 1987
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It would be easy to allow access to all boxes you made available when taking down the ceiling. Cut the drywall covering the jb's after you reinstall, and place a return air grill over the new access hole.

You'll sleep better............
 
Strahan said:
How's the inspector going to know they are there? Plus he is a home inspector very basic electrical knowledge no offense to anyone out there but in this guys case he is limited. He can test recepts with his handy dandy plug in tester after that he is stumped. Basic code knowledge. Plus what are the rules with this I know it is a violation but I didn't do the wiring and it was done before I owned the house probably done in 1987
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But YOU know they are there....:smile: Burns your butt when one has to deal with someone else's screw up, doesnt it
 
Strahan said:
How's the inspector going to know they are there? Plus he is a home inspector very basic electrical knowledge no offense to anyone out there but in this guys case he is limited. He can test recepts with his handy dandy plug in tester after that he is stumped. Basic code knowledge. Plus what are the rules with this I know it is a violation but I didn't do the wiring and it was done before I owned the house probably done in 1987
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So, if it was done incorrectly before, then it's OK to do it wrong again?
Just because the inspector doesn't know what to look for, and will pass it, doesn't make it safe, or right.

With that attitude, how do you sleep at night?
 
Strahan said:
How's the inspector going to know they are there?
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I hope you're kidding.

Get some of these:
accesspanel_ap88_th.jpg


Lowes even has some you don't have to make a neat hole for.
 
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