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    kasper37's Avatar
    kasper37 Posts: 27, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #1

    Jul 16, 2009, 05:55 PM
    Electrical outlet nor working gfci
    I have an exterior electrical outlet that is not working, (gfci), however I was trouble shooting the outlet and I came across that two outlets in that circuit are not working.. here is the scenario; I placed the electrical tester on the wires and what is confusing to me is that when I placed my tester on the black wire the sensor lights up which is normal the black wire should always be hot.. here is where it gets confusing, when I move my tester to the white neutral wire the sensor lights up as well as if it was hot, and that is not what should happen, I grabed a piece of wire and I connected one end of the receptacle to the black wire and the other piece of wire I placed it on a metal pipe and wouldn't you know it it worked the receptacle worked that means that there is no neutral connection on that circuit, what I would like to know is why is it that the neutral wire that is in the circuit is hot that is not normal.

    Can someone help..
    Stratmando's Avatar
    Stratmando Posts: 11,188, Reputation: 508
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    #2

    Jul 16, 2009, 06:27 PM

    Do you have something plugged into one of the regular(GFI Protected) Recpticles?
    Missouri Bound's Avatar
    Missouri Bound Posts: 1,532, Reputation: 94
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    #3

    Jul 16, 2009, 07:55 PM
    It is carrying voltage doe to something plugged in a receptacle, or light on that circuit... or it is wired incorrectly. Turn off the breaker, disconnect the wires to the outlet and check it with a voltmeter... not a neon tester.

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