[emllik]

Hello! I bought this house almost a year ago, and recently my TV and Directv box both died. I replaced them, then the Directv box died again!

I started to check my outlets and found several hot/neutral reversed outlets, and strangely, I found 3 outlets that have 120 volts split: between 30 and 40 from ground to neutral, and 80 to 90 from ground to hot. I checked every plug in my house and it was just those 3. There are 16 outlets on that circuit (on a double pole 20A breaker), and my panel is a junky Federal Pacific with 100A service. What am I looking for? Some kind of short involving a neutral wire? What steps would you take to troubleshoot this?

Thanks!

[ballengerb1]

Did you have a home inspection done when you bought, was this problem there at the time?

[emllik]

I did have an inspection but those guys don't pay enough attention to anything to say for sure. He said our roof was fine too, but it leaked in 5 places the first time it rained...

[ballengerb1]

They should have given you a written inspection report which they are legally held responsible for, but that is another issue. When did you first notice an issue, are your lights dim too?

[emllik]

I wish that was how it was here, my written report said that the inspector and his company are not liable for anything... That's the standard in my neck of the woods.

Anyway, the first time I noticed it was about a month ago when the TV crapped out. No other symptoms since then, probably because I have just avoided plugging anything into the 3 outlets in question.

[ballengerb1]

The safe route is to call an electrician, however, many home owners cab track this down using a voltage tester. Starting by finding which fuse or breaker controls these outlets. See if they are all on one circuit and everything is affected the same way. Check inside the panel and make sure every screw on every wire is tight, especially the white neutral bar, safer to shut down your main when the panel is opened

[hkstroud]

on a double pole 20A breaker

A double pole breaker (that is not 240) indicates that these are a multi-wire circuits (two hots sharing a neutral).

found several hot/neutral reversed outlets

How did you determine that. Did you use one of those plug in testers or have you remove an outlet and observed the wiring? Those testers can give you a false reading when you have a faulty neutral.

There are 16 outlets on that circuit

Assuming that means 16 outlets on both circuits. You need to first determine which outlets are on which circuit. Since you cannot turn off one breaker without turning off both, disconnect the wire to one breaker. Make note of what works and what does not. Reconnect the first breaker and disconnect the other. Again make note of what works and what does not.

30 and 40 from ground to neutral,

To me that indicates a faulty neutral

and 80 to 90 from ground to hot

Indicates a faulty connection on the hot side.
Where is the voltage reading between hot an neutral at these outlets?

The most common cause of faulty connections is the use of the "quick connect" holes in the back of outlets and switches. Begin pulling outlets on the circuit with the faulty outlets. If the quick connect holes were use rewire using the screw terminals.
If quick connect were not used try to find the outlet, switch or lighting fixture where the two circuits split off. Knowing what outlets and lights are on each circuits should point you in the right direction. Once you find where the two circuits separate you can begin logically tracing the faulty circuit and locate the problem.

Be patient, it will take some time. I just spent 6 hours trying to trace a dead circuit in my neighbors old, old house. Since the circuit was completely dead it, took hours to determine which breaker it was on. If I am correct, it is also a multi-wire circuit and I think I know where it separates. Notice I said think, this house is old and had lots of changes made over time, some not done very well. I'll be back tomorrow and I will find it, may have to tear the walls down but I will find it.