Outlets and Switch Not Working, But has Power


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Old 01-28-17, 01:17 PM
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Outlets and Switch Not Working, But has Power

Forgive me if i am not using the correct terminology, but hope i can explain this. I have 4 wall outlets and a switch that controls outside patio light that are not working. I have checked all my GFI's and circuit breaker and they are not tripped. Here's the weird part, i have a tester, its basically a small light with two wires and prongs on the end of the wires. I put the prongs into an outlet that is working and the light lights up. When i put the tester into an outlet that is not working the light still lights up, but the light is about half the brightness as when i put it into working outlet. To me that says i am still getting some sort of power to the outlets, but not enough to make a lamp work. Any ideas what my problem is or how to fix?
 
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Old 01-28-17, 01:36 PM
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Welcome to the forums.

Pretty hard to tell much from that tester.

Try this....
Use your light to test from the small slot to ground. (plate screw)
Test from large slot to ground.
 
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Old 01-28-17, 01:53 PM
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OK, so large slot to ground no light, small slot to ground light comes on, but it is brighter, like the working outlets, as compared to when i test large slot with small slot.

i tried this on working outlets and similar result so i am not sure what this means.
 
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Old 01-28-17, 02:39 PM
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Try to find the last working outlet or switch on that circuit. Check wires there and the next one in line for loose wires under wire nuts or backstabbed wires. If backstabbed move wires to screws.
 
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Old 01-28-17, 03:36 PM
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The large slot is neutral and it should not show anything. So you're good there.

The small side is the hot side and should show full brightness to ground.
Actually it should be the same brightness to ground as to the larger slot.

Since hot to ground is showing brighter than hot to neutral..... you have an open neutral.

You should determine everything on that circuit. After that check each receptacle across the slots to find which ones are ok. The problem is going to be at the last OK device and the first problem device.

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Old 01-29-17, 09:35 AM
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well there was no rhyme or reason to the series of outlets, but after taking apart several of the outlets i found a loose neutral wire. it had come out from the wire nut connecting several neutral wire together. i redid the wire nut and now all my outlets work again. Thanks for the help.
 
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Old 01-29-17, 10:06 AM
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Good job. Thanks for letting us know you got it.
 
 

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