I recently changed some outlets in the upstairs bedroom. On this circuit there are a number of lights throughout the house, outlets in the bedroom, and two outlets on the main floor.

The issue is now with the two outlets on the main floor - niether work. And both are giving me an open neutral when I test.

I did not touch these two outlets. Every outlet I replaced upstairs is working fine - test it - get double orange - use it - it works fine.

I am really at a loss as to what this good be.


Of the two non functioning outlets one is the last in the series. A single wire which suggests that the other non working outlet is the second to last. So I have been hunting for an issue in the switch or plug that precedes these last two switches but everything on the circuit seems to test fine.

Help

Ok,

Are you describing a tester failure or outlet failures?

Do the outlet work? If they do, test with a voltmeter, is the voltage level correct?

An open on neutral is saying that the "White" wires are not connected. You could remove the face plate and check the wires.

Neutral is never switched, only load (black), however, you will find a White with black, blue or red wrapped around it indicating that the white wire is now carrying a load voltage and is no longer a Neutral wire.

I would go back to the outlets you worked on and check the neutral connections. If you are not getting a good connection for the neutral that feeds the non functional outlets, that could be the problem. I have never noticed a problem, but some of the more experienced people here say the push the wire in the back, back stabbing, is unreliable. When ever I have a problem like that, usually it is something I did wrong where I last worked.