Open Neutral?

Status
Not open for further replies.
C

cwsolo

Member
I went to a "Emergency" service call from the customers viewpoint, In troubleshooting I find a Homerun recep working fine that is feeding about 8 recessed can remodel fixtures with 2- 3way switches and 1- 4way switch and 2 ceiling fans without wall switches... none of the fixtures are working at all, only the recep works well and tests ok. The fixtures and wall switches all read hot and where there are neutrals they read hot also.
So I'm thinking open neutral after the recep somewhere?
Just wondering if anyone has ever tied neutral to ground to test this theory, I would think that the lights would work using the ground as a neutral?
just tossing it out there for opinions, I know that tying neutral to ground would not be a fix by the NEC standards, but I do see it all the time on older houses with the range and dryer receps and just wonder if anyone would consider doing this as a temp fix, to give the HO lights for the night until the next day when I return to search for the neutral.
Or if it would even work as I'm thinking it would.
 
Re: Open Neutral?

I would and have done it to prove i am missing a neutral.That done i now remove it.Not a chance i would leave it till its fixed right
 
Re: Open Neutral?

Originally posted by cwsolo:
if anyone would consider doing this as a temp fix, to give the HO lights for the night until the next day when I return to search for the neutral.
Click to expand...
You may return to a vacant lot. :eek:
 
Re: Open Neutral?

thanks Jim for your honesty, Just FYI I didn't leave it either, I actually thought of it after I had left the job for the day. I haven't done much service work so this may be an old trick for most service jw's, but for me it's a new one and all that theory that they taught in my apprentricseship is going to get used now that I am a one man shop doing service work.
that is if I can remember most of what I was taught. :confused:
 
Re: Open Neutral?

I think flashlights or candle light would be preferred...so that's a "NO".

WHY would you leave them ON...they can't miss what doesn't work already?
 
Re: Open Neutral?

Once proven that it is an open neutral, is there any secret to locating it?
aside from breaking the circuit where you believe to be the middle and repeating this until located?
Would any of the Pasar advanced tracers make this a 1 hour job as opposed to a who knows how long job?
 
Re: Open Neutral?

Sometimes i will even run a hot or neutral wire (thhn) from another outlet across the floor to prove something but never as even a temp fix.Its called trouble shooting.The fix comes next.I always ask one key question first,did it ever work to begin with.If it did then your looking for bad connections or broken wires.If not things change drastically.
 
Re: Open Neutral?

Why would I need to tie neutral to ground to test for an open neutral? meter hot to neutral, then hot to ground. If you have voltage to ground but not to neutral, you have an open neutral. Electrical service work is not a matter of swapping wires around to see what happens. Know your DMM, understand your DMM, above all else, use your DMM.
 
Re: Open Neutral?

Why would I need to tie neutral to ground to test for an open neutral? meter hot to neutral, then hot to ground. If you have voltage to ground but not to neutral, you have an open neutral. Electrical service work is not a matter of swapping wires around to see what happens. Know your DMM, understand your DMM, above all else, use your DMM.
Click to expand...
I have on occasion come across partially open neutrals. A meter might show normal voltage from hot to neutral, but when a load is applied, the neutral opens. I have to admit though, it was almost always at the service or on POCOS side. :)
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top