Line fault at the outlet -- do I need an electrician?

I would not open the panel if you dont have to. You've gotten a lot of good advice here. Like mentioned above, I would shut off the breaker to the circuit, then open up the closest receptacle to the panel that would be reversed polarity.  If you fix that one, then every other box will be fixed. Highly unlikely it is reversed inside the panel. 

2 tips. Be conscious of any switches outlets when testing, so there are no surprises.
When trying to find the first receptacle box, you can disconnect one pair of wires from the receptacle. THEN reapply power to find out if you're in the beginning or middle of the circuit. OR a more safe way is to test for continuity from one box to the next WITH THE POWER OFF. Then you'll know which is first. 
I also would not open a light fixture for starters. I say this only because of your experience.. It may very well be in a light fixture feeding the first receptacle box. So the first box may look correctly wired, but the connection from the fixture may have been reversed. This last scenario is my best guess.
Good luck
Yes, please update if you can. Curious...
Thank you

Jim: "Is the wiring in the old part of the house original wiring? Any idea what year that part of the house was built?"
Not likely. House built in 1910.
I don't know what else is on the circuit. I need to test.
Other questions will require inquiry, and I'm a novice, so may be inconclusive.

Cissado -- I will avoid opening the panel. I like your idea of trying to fix it with a receptacle.
I will watch for switches, and try the disconnect method.

Bottom line is that I'm curious up to a point. I am suspicious of the overall electrical job done in the older part of the house (DIY from previous owner). So, it won't take much to push this off onto a fully qualified electrician who will be working on other jobs (and perhaps installing a dedicated line).

The reason I'm curious now, as I think I mentioned, is that I'm trying out my audio gear and have been shoved to an inconvenient side of my room because of this polarity problem; so, a fix would be helpful in terms of audio set up.

I'll try to update soon. I have a stack of midterm exams to grade. (He says, posting on Audiogon anyway. ;-)

@ cissado

Good post except in the case of where the duplex receptacle device may have been used as a junction for the make up of neutral and Hot conductors coming in and going out of the outlet box.

We don’t know what type of wiring materials/methods were used for the branch circuit wiring.

What year NEC was in effect at the time? What were the AHJ electrical code standards/requirements back then for where he lives? Was conduit required in basements back then? Is there a chance the branch circuit is part of a multi wire branch circuit? What happens if he breaks the feed neutral at an outlet and the other circuit of the multi wire branch circuit has a connected load on it?

The OP is not an electrician. An electrician would know what to look for. Like another Hot circuit conductor passing through the box he is about to open a neutral. An open neutral on a multi wire branch circuit has killed many a electricians.

Jim

hilde45 OP288 posts

03-23-2020
11:44am



The reason I’m curious now, as I think I mentioned, is that I’m trying out my audio gear and have been shoved to an inconvenient side of my room because of this polarity problem; so, a fix would be helpful in terms of audio set up.

For this task only.

IF all you want to do is to correct the AC polarity at the outlet you want to plug in the power condition for your audio equipment. Nothing more at this time.....
If you want to do more than that I would suggest you hire an electrician. Better safe than sorry....



From one of my posts above:

Make 100% sure the breaker that feeds the outlet is turned off. Plug a lamp into the outlet. Turn the lamp on. The bulb lights. Go turn off the breaker. The light bulb is no longer lit. Use your mulimeter to verify the outlet is DEAD.

Carefully pull the duplex outlet from the wall box. HOPEFULLY there is only three wires connected to the outlet device.

If more than 3 wires connected to the outlet device,... stop..... Do not proceed.... Draw a picture on a piece of paper showing exactly how the device is now wired noting exactly how and where each colored black and white wires are connected on the outlet device. Make sure to note if the black and white wires are only connected to the side screw terminals. Or maybe also stabbed in the back into quick connect pressure terminals. **Look for any other color wire that may be passing through the outlet box.

Post back you findings.

Note, for the branch circuit wiring:
(Per NEC there shall be only one equipment grounding wire connected to the equipment ground terminal on the duplex receptacle outlet device. All equipment grounding conductors within the outlet box shall be joined/jointed together with a pigtail extended out for connection to the duplex receptacle device.) If the outlet box is metallic, made of steel, the box shall be grounded as well.

Jim.