View Full Version : Hot/Ground Reverse
TerryD1197
Nov 18, 2013, 10:37 AM
I woke up this morning and it was cold so I went to turn on our oil/radiator heater plugged in the Family room and it wouldn't turn on. I noticed that the T.V. and Sat. box were off too, also the aquarium on the next wall. They worked perfectly fine the night before. I used my handy outlet tester and it says the Hot/Ground is reversed. How can it just do that out of the blue? And How can I fix the problem?
stanfortyman
Nov 18, 2013, 10:43 AM
This is an indication of an open neutral condition on the circuit. This can happen for several reasons, but heavy draw loads, like a space heater, can tax iffy connections. Connections like back-stabs in the back of receptacles are such connections.
stanfortyman
Nov 18, 2013, 10:48 AM
Remember, the problem could be in any receptacle or splice on the circuit. It is not necessarily on the one the heater is plugged into.