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    lcocke's Avatar
    lcocke Posts: 2, Reputation: 1
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    #1

    Apr 7, 2007, 09:47 AM
    Dead outlet that reads 120 volts
    The outlet that supplies my washer recently went dead. I replaced the outlet. Standard two-conductor grounded romex wire. Hot, common, and ground. The new outlet reads 120 volts with a voltage meter but will not power anything, not even a 20 watt lamp. Am I missing something here? Very confused. Checked the breaker, everything appears normal. Thanks for your help. Lewis in new Orleans (no flooding)
    tkrussell's Avatar
    tkrussell Posts: 9,659, Reputation: 725
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    #2

    Apr 8, 2007, 04:40 AM
    Sounds like a broken shared or common neutral for two circuits. In any case need to trace the cable from the panel to the outlet checking for loose ,broken, or corroded connection in the white wire.
    JackT's Avatar
    JackT Posts: 260, Reputation: 19
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    #3

    Apr 9, 2007, 10:16 AM
    Check the voltage with the light plugged into the receptacle and turned on. See if it's still 120 volts. With the device still plugged in and turned on, check the voltage between the hot wire and the neutral and the from the hot wire to ground. Also check the voltage at the circuit breaker with the light still plugged in and turned on. Sometimes you'll see voltage with no load on the circuit. Bad breakers can leak a small amount of voltage with little or no current. If you have 120 volts between the hot wire and ground but not to the neutral, you have a broken neutral.
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