ktnwin
DIY
First, I have to apologize for the following really long description. I guess if I draw a diagram, most of the text below will disappear. I will draw diagrams to attach to this topic.
I need advise on this situation (40 Volts at outlet).
When I plug Xmas light in one outlet near the patio door of my living room, the lights do not lit up.
Plugging into a different one , Xmas lights lit up. All outlets in my living room are on same circuit, same breaker. I knew this when I replace all the (40 yrs) old receptacles with new ones and verify all are done properly with 3 prong receptacle tester.
The problematic outlet is NOT on the same circuit,, only get 40 Volts between hot and neutral.
The outlet is near the floor and above it at shoulder level, there is a switch for outdoor light and this works. \I tracked and found the 40 Volts come from the box containing the switch.
I expect to see 3 Romex: an active Romex goes in to bring in electricity. The second Romex goes down to the outlet below. And the third Romex goes to the light outdoor. And the connection should be as below:
The active black should be connected to the black going to the outlet and connected to the switch, the second terminal of the switch is connected to black wire for the light, All the 3 white wires are connected together and so are the 3 ground wires. Pretty straight forward. Right ?
However, what I see is something very abnormal: there are actually 3 white wires connected together, 2 of them have been stripped off in the middle about 1 inch exposing bare copper, the intact one goes to the outlet below. The 4-th white wire goes to the outdoor light and is connected to the black wire going to the outlet below !!! This wire also goes into a terminal of the switch, the other terminal is connected to the black wire going to the light outdoor.
Sorry for the long long description.
OK, I went ahead to take a picture of the connection and disconnect ALL at the switch box.
To my surprise, no wire carry electricity EXCEPT the white wire that goes to (or comes from) the light outdoor. I measure the voltage of this white wire to the other 3, I got 40 volts. That how the outlet below gets 40 Volts.
I have searched the Internet and many people have this same issue, but no one seems to have a solution. All just described the problem briefly.
I greatly appreciate any help I could get. (pictures will be added)
I need advise on this situation (40 Volts at outlet).
When I plug Xmas light in one outlet near the patio door of my living room, the lights do not lit up.
Plugging into a different one , Xmas lights lit up. All outlets in my living room are on same circuit, same breaker. I knew this when I replace all the (40 yrs) old receptacles with new ones and verify all are done properly with 3 prong receptacle tester.
The problematic outlet is NOT on the same circuit,, only get 40 Volts between hot and neutral.
The outlet is near the floor and above it at shoulder level, there is a switch for outdoor light and this works. \I tracked and found the 40 Volts come from the box containing the switch.
I expect to see 3 Romex: an active Romex goes in to bring in electricity. The second Romex goes down to the outlet below. And the third Romex goes to the light outdoor. And the connection should be as below:
The active black should be connected to the black going to the outlet and connected to the switch, the second terminal of the switch is connected to black wire for the light, All the 3 white wires are connected together and so are the 3 ground wires. Pretty straight forward. Right ?
However, what I see is something very abnormal: there are actually 3 white wires connected together, 2 of them have been stripped off in the middle about 1 inch exposing bare copper, the intact one goes to the outlet below. The 4-th white wire goes to the outdoor light and is connected to the black wire going to the outlet below !!! This wire also goes into a terminal of the switch, the other terminal is connected to the black wire going to the light outdoor.
Sorry for the long long description.
OK, I went ahead to take a picture of the connection and disconnect ALL at the switch box.
To my surprise, no wire carry electricity EXCEPT the white wire that goes to (or comes from) the light outdoor. I measure the voltage of this white wire to the other 3, I got 40 volts. That how the outlet below gets 40 Volts.
I have searched the Internet and many people have this same issue, but no one seems to have a solution. All just described the problem briefly.
I greatly appreciate any help I could get. (pictures will be added)
