Xref: utzoo misc.consumers.house:15871 sci.electronics:16866 Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!zephyr.ens.tek.com!orca.wv.tek.com!nevermore!alanj From: alanj@nevermore.WV.TEK.COM (Alan Jeddeloh;685-2991;61-201;292-9740;orca) Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house,sci.electronics Subject: Re: Improper ground in house wiring? Keywords: ground wire Message-ID: <9832@orca.wv.tek.com> Date: 10 Jan 91 17:38:11 GMT References: <3667@ntmtv.UUCP> Sender: news@orca.wv.tek.com Reply-To: alanj@nevermore.WV.TEK.COM (Alan Jeddeloh) Followup-To: misc.consumers.house Distribution: na Organization: Tektronix, Inc., Wilsonville, OR Lines: 79 In article <3667@ntmtv.UUCP> adrian@ntmtv.UUCP (Adrian Brandt) writes: >... >This do-hickey turns a standard dual 3-prong household outlet >into six surge-protected, EMI/RFI filtered 3-pronged plugs. > >The unit has two LEDs on the top of it. According to the >very brief description on the package, the red LED indicates >that surge protection is working and the green LED indicates >that the unit is properly grounded. > >So, I go to plug it in and expect to see the green LED come >on and stay on, and the red one to flicker on once in a long >while to indicate surge supression. Instead, as I plugged >it in, the red LED came on immediately and the green one >doesn't. It stays this way whether I've got anything plugged >into the unit or not. > >... Could be the hot and neutral are reversed at that outlet. Have you tried plugging the unit into another outlet? Try other outlets on the same circuit (same circuit breaker) and other outlets on different circuits. You can buy a circuit tester at most hardware stores or home improvement centers. It has a three pronged plug and three small lights, two red and one green. If just the green light comes on, everything should be wired correctly. If one of the red lights comes on, of the green doesn't, something is wrong. There is usually a key right on the doohicky to decode the lights. Assuming your house was built in the last 40 years or so (i.e., wired with conventional cable, BX or conduit as opposed to old "knob and tube" wiring), here's how to do a quick check on the wiring of the outlet: (1) Turn off the circuit breaker / unscrew the fuse for the circuit (You may need to run an extension cord to another outlet on a different circuit to plug in a lamp to see what you are doing now.) (2) *TEST* Plug a lamp into the outlet and verify the current is *OFF* ***** WARNING ***** Serious injury or death may result from skipping this step!!!! (3) Remove the cover plate and remove the two screws holding the outlet in the box. (4) Gently pull the outlet out of the box. If it was properly installed the should be enough slack wire to do this. (5) Inspection: (a) The black insulated wire(s) should be attached to the brass or bronze colored screw side of the outlet. (b) The white wire(s) should be attached to the silver colored screw side of the outlet. (c) There should be a bare or green insulated wire attached to the green ground screw on the outlet. If the box itself is metal, the ground wire must also attach to the box. (6) If the Black and white wires are reversed, it is usually a simple matter to reverse them. (7) If there is no ground wire coming into the box, you are in for more major modifications that are "outside the scope of this article". Unless you are more familiar with electrical wiring than this article assumes, you may need to hire an electrician. (7) (Reinstallation) Gently (some force may be required, but gentle force) push the outlet back into the box. The wires should fold back into the box "accordion" style. Be careful you do not pinch or scrape the wires tucking them back into the box. (8) Replace screws and cover plate. (9) Restore power and test. -Alan Jeddeloh (503) 685-2991 Tektronix Network (Yes, we're still here) Displays D/S 60-180; PO Box 1000; Wilsonville, OR 97070 alanj@nevermore.wv.tek.com Quoth the printer, "Nevermore!"