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shoreboy · Dec 30, 2008, 01:21 PM

I just replaced two old outlets with two new ones. I wired them exactly as they were wired originally. When I returned the power to the circuit the voltage is 140 when originally it was 120. What did I do wrong? I tightened everything and rechecked the connections. Will I burn up appliances with higher voltage on the line? Help Shoreboy.

andrewc24301 · Dec 30, 2008, 04:26 PM

Hum... that's weird.

Using your meter at the outlet...
What is the voltage between hot and netural?
What is the voltage between hot and ground?
What is the voltage between ground and netural?

Now check any other outlets on that circuit..
Are the voltages the same across the board?

Now check at the breaker box?
Are they the same here.

Also, at the panel, check another circuit, any single pole circuit. What are the results. Now check a double pole circuit. Is the voltage 240? Then on the double pole, check each pole to ground, and netural. What are the voltages?

Take note of anything else out of the ordinary. Paying particular attention to the breaker panel.

Please write back with your results...

shoreboy · Dec 31, 2008, 09:54 AM

Andrewc24301, Hey thanks for the quick response, I was at my wits end. I did the test you suggested and got more really screwy numbers all high. I then check another circuit and it was high. Now I know I didn't do anything that would have affected the whole house. I ran out and got a new 9 volt battery for my multi-tester (even though it appeared to be working okay) and now the line reading is a very normal 123 volts. Thanks again for the advice. PS: It's a poor workman who blames his tools, but this time it was the tool!
Shoreboy

andrewc24301 · Dec 31, 2008, 11:09 AM

Well, that's good that it was just the meter, because I will admit, the problem threw me for a loop.

shoreboy · Dec 31, 2008, 01:44 PM

Thanks Andrew, have a Happy, Healthy and safe New Year!
Shoreboy

Missouri Bound · Jan 1, 2009, 09:54 PM

Just one question... why did you meter the outlet after you replaced it? Just me being cynical. I would have plugged in a lamp and seen if it worked. And do you have a cheap meter? Seems like a meter that would give false reading needs to be disposed of.

andrewc24301 · Jan 1, 2009, 10:06 PM

Don't know his reason, but when ever I do electrical work, I always check it with a meter just to make sure I'm getting good steady voltage. I check between hot and netural, hot and ground, and ground to netural.

Missouri Bound · Jan 1, 2009, 10:07 PM

Did you meter it before you did the work?

andrewc24301 · Jan 1, 2009, 10:22 PM

Depends on the situation.

For instance, on my last project, which involved replacing some older two conductor wire to ground the outlets in my house, I did not test before the work, other than verifing the power was off. However, in this situation, I was not "fixing something that was broke". I took an otherwise working outlet and just grounded it.

However if I were having a problem, something dimming, or an appliance not working correctly, then I always start at the power source, the outlet. I begin testing there.
Case in point, once my range quit working. The eyes would work, but not the clock. An investigation at the source voltage revealed, 240 volts between the two hots, and 70 some volts from both hots to netural.

The problem turned out to be a loose netural in the breaker box. Simple fix. Then, true to my word, tested and had the correct voltage.

Here latley I've been in my breaker panel a lot performing various upgrades. So I'm aware of the voltage. However, if I hadn't messed with it in a few years, I'd probably do a "courtesy check" of the voltage before I started work just to verify everything, in the event something like this happens.

Likewise, I can understand someone who doesn't work with electricity much would cross every "T" and dot every "I" when they take on a project like this.

KISS · Jan 2, 2009, 12:24 AM

What brand meter do you have? Remind me not to get one.

andrewc24301 · Jan 2, 2009, 03:32 PM

Originally Posted by KeepItSimpleStupid

What brand meter do you have? Remind me not to get one.

He probably got the walmart special.
I had one of these, I installed a 240 AC outlet once, the cheap meter was laying in the corner, I was to lazy to go to my work truck and get the Fluke my company purchased, so I used the cheap one, somehow managed to fry it checking for voltage.

Nothing wrong with the outlet, the fluke revealed 240 volts. I don't know, china made crap I suppose.