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    Glenn's Avatar
    Glenn Posts: 48, Reputation: 1
    Junior Member
    		  
    #1

    May 3, 2010, 05:18 PM
    Low voltage in outlet
    Hi,

    I have an outlet that is reading only 70 volts instead of 110. Any ideas what would cause this? I'm hoping it's the breaker which I have not yet been able to change out. I've also heard it could be loose wires inside junction boxes.

    Anyone had experience with this?

    Thanks in advance,

    Glenn
    hkstroud's Avatar
    hkstroud Posts: 11,929, Reputation: 899
    Home Improvement & Construction Expert
    		  
    #2

    May 3, 2010, 05:25 PM

    Won't be the breaker. Poor connection somewhere. How did you check voltage. Poor connection could be in neutral. Check voltage to ground. If voltage to ground is 120 the bad connection is in neutral.
    Glenn's Avatar
    Glenn Posts: 48, Reputation: 1
    Junior Member
    		  
    #3

    May 3, 2010, 08:09 PM
    Thanks. I initially used a simple 110/220 tester. It did not light up so I thought the outlet was dead. But when I started to take out the outlet, I got buzzed. So I used a multimeter and that's when I read 70 volts.

    The box I was working on was the end of the line. So it sounds like I need to go to each box on that circuit and look for loose connections.
    creahands's Avatar
    creahands Posts: 2,854, Reputation: 195
    Ultra Member
    		  
    #4

    May 3, 2010, 10:06 PM

    Make sure all wires are installed under screws. The quick connects can cause this problem.

    Chuck
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