Trouble Shooting Residential

[baldeagle567]

I have two different jobs that I have had this situation. The last one: I was called out for the lights in the kit & Din Rm not working. In checking out the circuit, I found that half of the circuit still worked and the other half had a hot wire but no neutral. But when I checked the circuit I had 120v from Ground to hot; from ground to neutral I had 120v: from neutral to hot I had nothing. I checked all j-boxes and ceiling boxes and couldn't find anything wrong. Even though I had 120v from ground to neutral I connected the ground and neutral and everything worked. I realize I must of lost a neutral somewhere, but why did I have 120v from the ground to neutral wires?

 

[jimwalker]

Re: Trouble Shooting Residential

you were reading thru a load.I do hope you found that open neutral.Try drawing out the circuit and don't forget to add the meter as part of that circuit.
You can not leave the neutral and ground connected together.

[ January 31, 2005, 05:46 AM: Message edited by: jimwalker ]

 

[baldeagle567]

Re: Trouble Shooting Residential

Thanks for the info. Yes I did find it, but I really wasn't sure where the reading was coming from.

 

[gndrod]

Re: Trouble Shooting Residential

Ditto.

baldeagle567

but why did I have 120v from the ground to neutral wires?

The equipment grounding wire is intact. A 120V reading from the egc to the open neutral indicates a circuit path that is most likely connected to a floating return side of the heated light. (hence the 120V reading across N-G.)This may also be due to the neutral being switched at some point.

rbj, Seattle

 

[jimwalker]

Re: Trouble Shooting Residential

draw it out on paper .Then follow the path from hot thru the bulb and then thru the meter.Your meter was in series with the load and completed a circuit.The meter was high in resistance so it had almost 100% of the voltage.