Trouble finding neutral in panel.

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Mike410is

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Location
Florida
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Residential electrician
Hello everyone,

I ran into an issue while trying to replace a 20amp standard breaker with a 20 amp GFCI breaker. All of the wires entering the panel were run through a conduit and the sheathing was stripped off inside the conduit, so I was unable see which white and black wires originated from the same Romex. Any advice on how to determine which neutral wire goes to the circuit?
 
Make sure there is a connected load on each of the circuits, connect your volt meter between the unconnected neutral and the neutral bar, and energize the black wires one at a time. The one that results in a voltage is the one associated the black wire that results in a voltage reading. This reading should be equal to the line to neutral voltage.
 
don_resqcapt19 said:
Make sure there is a connected load on each of the circuits, connect your volt meter between the unconnected neutral and the neutral bar, and energize the black wires one at a time. The one that results in a voltage is the one associated the black wire that results in a voltage reading. This reading should be equal to the line to neutral voltage.
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Thank you.
 
Mike410is said:
Hello everyone,

I ran into an issue while trying to replace a 20amp standard breaker with a 20 amp GFCI breaker. All of the wires entering the panel were run through a conduit and the sheathing was stripped off inside the conduit, so I was unable see which white and black wires originated from the same Romex. Any advice on how to determine which neutral wire goes to the circuit?
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This is a code violation 200.4(B) for the very reason you are having trouble.
I use Tripplet Fox and Hound. Can be used on live circuit and will pick out fairly accurately individual conductors.
 
Simple to test with a clamp-on ammeter, and no disconnecting wires. Put a decent load on the circuit you're looking for, and turn the breaker off and back on while clamping each neutral wire until one responds.
 
LarryFine said:
Simple to test with a clamp-on ammeter, and no disconnecting wires. Put a decent load on the circuit you're looking for, and turn the breaker off and back on while clamping each neutral wire until one responds.
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I will definitely try that. Thank you.
 
LarryFine said:
Come visit me. I'l show you houses that weren't even electrified when they were built.
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That sounds like fun. Do you recommend any training books/courses for electric theory and residential electric? I’ve gone through pretty much every Mike Holt book/dvd.
 
LarryFine said:
Simple to test with a clamp-on ammeter, and no disconnecting wires. Put a decent load on the circuit you're looking for, and turn the breaker off and back on while clamping each neutral wire until one responds.
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A variation on this if you can't be arbitrarily turning off circuits. Will probably take a little more time. Make sure the circuit you are working on has a load on it, by reading the hot at the breaker for amperage. Then put your meter on the neutrals one at a time, turning off the breaker each time. When you get to the neutral that reads amperage on and off with the breaker you have found it. But, before that, turn off the breaker, disconnect the hot. unweave it from the other wires. Give it a goo tug in the nipple and try to see if any of the neutral move. It is likely that the romex isn't secure and you can see which neutral moves when you tug on its hot. Then I recommend you still do what we said with the ammeter to confirm.
 
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