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


Yesterday, I got a Panamax, Max 1500 surge protector and line conditioner. (I got a very good deal on it, and am just trying it out.)

I plugged it into an outlet I've been using for a while and one of the red lights on the front lit up saying "line fault." (I'm not sure how this is different from a "ground fault." Maybe it's the same.) The Panamax does not do this with other outlets in the room. They seem ok.

So, I know this means that the outlet is improperly wired. My question is, might this be a simple thing to check and/or fix? Any suggestions most appreciated. It's the only outlet I can use to have my audio set up where I usually have it. Now is not an optimal time to call an electrician. If this is a big problem, I'll try out my gear somewhere else in the room, but if I can fix this without too much expertise, that would be ideal.
128x128hilde45
heaudio123135 posts  

03-20-2020  
 8:58am  

"3) Measure for voltage from the equipment ground contact to the neutral contact. The neutral contact is the larger of the two slotted holes on the outlet. Make sure the two DMM probes are making good contact. If you measure a good solid 120 nominal voltage then the Hot and Neutral branch circuit wires are reversed on the receptacle outlet. If you do not measure any voltage then you do not have an equipment ground."

I think some clarification here for a novice. When you measure between ground and neutral at a receptacle, most multimeters will indicate some voltage, i.e 0.1 - 2.0V approx.

heaudio123
I think some clarification here for a novice. When you measure between ground and neutral at a receptacle, most multimeters will indicate some voltage, i.e 0.1 - 2.0V approx.


True, If #2 of my previous post above is met. Therein a properly wired receptacle outlet with a Correct AC polarity, and an equipment ground is present.

For the novice a difference of potential, voltage, measured between the neutral conductor and the equipment grounding conductor on branch wiring can be caused by, at least, two things.

1) VD, (Voltage Drop), on the neutral conductor due to the connected load on the branch circuit.

2) An induced voltage that is/may be created by the hot and neutral current carrying conductors onto the equipment grounding conductor.

Jim
Ok, here are some results.

TESTS for two connected outlets:
Ground contact of wall outlet TO Hot contact slot = 4 volt reading
Ground contact of wall outlet TO Neutral contact slot = 120 volt reading

TEST for another outlet on a different circuit in same basement:

Ground contact of wall outlet TO Hot contact slot = 124 volt reading
Ground contact of wall outlet TO Neutral contact slot = 0 volt reading

I suppose this means I have reversed polarity on those problematic outlets?
I don't know why I got a 4 volt reading in from those outlets.

Hopefully you fix the last receptacle in the circuit, otherwise you'll have to change out the rest because they'll now be reversed. 
Well, it seems you've done it. Congrats.
Oh, I misread. You just need to reverse one, then the next one in line will be fixed.