Open ground

[The electron man]

Hey so I recently installed 2 gfci outdoors and when I plug in the tester as seen in the pic's below I get an open ground Indication
I checked and I do have continuity between the ground and neutral so I know I have a ground fault path back to the main why am I getting and open ground then

 

[Jaybone812]

Hey so I recently installed 2 gfci outdoors and when I plug in the tester as seen in the pic's below I get an open ground Indication
I checked and I do have continuity between the ground and neutral so I know I have a ground fault path back to the main why am I getting and open ground then
View attachment 2574855

Is it actually a valid ground ? Did you check voltage to ground as well . If it was a valid ground you should have 120 volts to ground . Just because you get continuity between your grounded and grounding conductors at one location does not mean the path to ground is complete. You grounding and grounded conductors are at the same potential because they originate at the same place


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[The electron man]

Is it actually a valid ground ? Did you check voltage to ground as well . If it was a valid ground you should have 120 volts to ground . Just because you get continuity between your grounded and grounding conductors at one location does not mean the path to ground is complete. You grounding and grounded conductors are at the same potential because they originate at the same place


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Yes I have 120v at the outlet inside where I jumped power from and outside at the gfci

But the plug in tester as you see above indicates an open ground

 

[The electron man]

Is it actually a valid ground ? Did you check voltage to ground as well . If it was a valid ground you should have 120 volts to ground . Just because you get continuity between your grounded and grounding conductors at one location does not mean the path to ground is complete. You grounding and grounded conductors are at the same potential because they originate at the same place


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Can you explain this

Just because you get continuity between your grounded and grounding conductors at one location does not mean the path to ground is complete

 

[Jaybone812]

Yes I have 120v at the outlet inside where I jumped power from and outside at the gfci

But the plug in tester as you see above indicates an open ground

Do you have 120 from hot to ground is what I meant


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[Jaybone812]

Can you explain this

Just because you get continuity between your grounded and grounding conductors at one location does not mean the path to ground is complete

And if you you actually do have a true path to ground you should see continuity between the grounding conductor at the receptacle and the equipment ground at the panel


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[LarryFine]

Once again, a solenoid tester, or even a bulb in a socket would be a better tester.

Do the test and reset buttons work? Did you try the plug-in tester elsewhere?

Check for power between the hot and the neutral; the tester or light should stay on.

Check for power between the hot and the ground; the tester or light should immediately trip the GFCI.

Do you have the black and white mis-wired anywhere?

 

[Jaybone812]

Once again, a solenoid tester, or even a bulb in a socket would be a better tester.

Do the test and reset buttons work? Did you try the plug-in tester elsewhere?

Check for power between the hot and the neutral; the tester or light should stay on.

Check for power between the hot and the ground; the tester or light should immediately trip the GFCI.

Do you have the black and white mis-wired anywhere?

Was just gonna point out the fact that if there is a valid ground the plug tester will immediately trip the gfci . If there’s not a valid ground the plug tester will not trip the device


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[The electron man]

Once again, a solenoid tester, or even a bulb in a socket would be a better tester.

Do the test and reset buttons work? Did you try the plug-in tester elsewhere?

Check for power between the hot and the neutral; the tester or light should stay on.

Check for power between the hot and the ground; the tester or light should immediately trip the GFCI.

Do you have the black and white mis-wired anywhere?

I have 120v from neutral to hot
And
I have 120v from hot to ground

When I push the button on the tester to trip the gfci nothing happens

I plugged the tester in to 10 different outlets in different locations in my home and they all have the same indication open ground

 

[ptonsparky]

What are you using to test your voltage?
Larry's post is important.

 

[The electron man]

What are you using to test your voltage?
Larry's post is important.

What are you using to test your voltage?
Larry's post is important.

Multi meter

 

[LarryFine]

I plugged the tester in to 10 different outlets in different locations in my home and they all have the same indication open ground

Sounds like the tester is bad.

 

[Little Bill]

I plugged the tester in to 10 different outlets in different locations in my home and they all have the same indication open ground

Get a different plug-in tester. Yours may be bad, or one bulb isn't working.
That, or you truly don't have a solid ground (EGC) back to the panel.
I see what looks like BX in the pics and that never was a good grounding conductor.

 

[The electron man]

Get a different plug-in tester. Yours may be bad, or one bulb isn't working.
That, or you truly don't have a solid ground (EGC) back to the panel.
I see what looks like BX in the pics and that never was a good grounding conductor.

Got it , if there's is no solid egc how do I get voltage from hot to ground ??

 

[LarryFine]

Got it , if there's is no solid egc how do I get voltage from hot to ground ??

Because standard voltmeters use so little current, which is why I suggest a solenoid tester (or bulb).

 

[Little Bill]

Got it , if there's is no solid egc how do I get voltage from hot to ground ??

If you don't have a solenoid tester, then take a pigtail socket and put a bulb in it. One lead/tail to hot and the other to ground. If it doesn't light the bulb, the ground is not solid. I would suggest an incandescent bulb rather than an LED. The LED doesn't draw enough current.

 

[Jaybone812]

Got it , if there's is no solid egc how do I get voltage from hot to ground ??

Use a set of wiggys to test the voltage to ground . If there is bx present at the metal box then they could have ran a jumper off the box to provide a wire type ground to a device . If that’s the case you are relying on the old bx jacket as your ground fault current path which means any loose bx fittings or considerable residue built up between the metal sheath and the fitting could disrupt the path to ground .
So like I said before see if you theres continuity between the grounding conductor at the receptacle outlet and the grounding conductor at the panel for that circuit . If you dont , there’s your problem


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[Jaybone812]

Because standard voltmeters use so little current, which is why I suggest a solenoid tester (or bulb).

A bulb is a very good suggestion . A true grounding conductor is at the same potential as the grounded conductor . So hot to hot , then bulb side neutral to circuit ground . If there’s light he’s good !


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