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steveoley · Nov 10, 2009, 01:10 PM

I replace an outlet in my basement. Was attached to a work bench now it is hanging. After switching the outlet I tested it and I get an open ground reading. What did I do wrong?

steveoley · Nov 10, 2009, 01:14 PM

I switched out an outlet in my basement. It was attached to my work bench. I removed the work bench and the wire and the outlet are just hanging from the ceiling. I tested it and I get an open ground reading. What did I do wrong

tkrussell · Nov 10, 2009, 01:57 PM

Can you provide photos? Otherwise we will just be guessing at what was not connected. Seems to me the equipment grounding conductor was not connected, somehow.

Need more detail for us to help.

Stratmando · Nov 10, 2009, 03:18 PM

If the ground is through the box, and receptacle is hanging outside the box, no connection to ground, then you would have an open ground.
How many wires connected to the receptacle? And what color?
Is the white wire on the silver colored screw, and hot on the dark screw?

steveoley · Nov 10, 2009, 03:22 PM

Not sure how to post a photo on here. I have the hot wire to the brass screw and the neutral to the silver and the ground connected to the grounding screw. In the original outlet the ground wire was cut back and not connected

steveoley · Nov 10, 2009, 03:28 PM

I have the outlet and the box put together.

KISS · Nov 10, 2009, 04:14 PM

Pics can be posted using "Go advanced/Manage attachments".

What people were getting at, I think, when you wire an outlet and there is a metal box involved, you need to ground both the BOX and the outlet.

Typically, the ground is wired to the outlet and then pigtailed (Fork to ground screw) to the outlet box. You don't want to relay on the screw to make the ground connetion either way (box to outlet) or (outlet to box).

Since the ground wasn't even conneted, I suspect, you have problems elsewhere along the chain.

steveoley · Nov 10, 2009, 04:33 PM

I am assuming then that the box was original grounded to the work bench and that is why I have an open ground being that it is only grounded to the oulet now.

tkrussell · Nov 10, 2009, 04:53 PM

So do we have to drag it out of you that the bench is made of metal? Or is somehow grounded?

steveoley · Nov 10, 2009, 05:04 PM

Yes the work bench was metal. It is no longer there

tkrussell · Nov 10, 2009, 05:12 PM

OK then, seems your bench was grounded somehow, even metal legs on concrete would have acted as a ground for the outlet, and seems the wiring you have is not grounded, hence the open ground reading.

Jeez, sometimes we really got to work for our money.

steveoley · Nov 10, 2009, 05:22 PM

Thanks