Wall Plug in outlet reading 50v

[fishtank]

I have a out let in the basement that don’t work, but I use a multimeter it reads 52v . is there a wire missing ? seem to have 3 red black and white coming in from the bottom and only 2 leaving on the top.

[expedition]

It looks correct . Red and black each should read 120 . Check with multi meter red to white and then red to ground . Check direct to wires not in socket . No idea how you could get 52v. Is your multimeter set at a/c.

[Bonescreek]

Sounds like your coming up "Short".

Highly recomended not walk bare foot around the source.
Rubber shoes and rubber gloves or better yet get someone else to
check it out.

[CaberTosser]

I’m betting that you’ve got aluminum wire, it oxidizes at the junctions and conductivity drops to hell. The connections can be redone provided there is enough wire because you’ll typically have to trim the aluminum back as you don’t want to re-do an existing twist because of how aluminum work-hardens and breaks. It’s also necessary to use ‘anti-oxidant’ on the exposed aluminum to prevent the corrosion from reoccurring, it’s available in little bottles and is a viscous liquid designed for the application.

Regarding the wire work-hardening, I’ve had many junctions with the stuff break right off when twisting on the marette (wire nut), it’s something you get a feel for but as a default I always strip the wire back for a fresh connection, the issue arises when you run out of wire to strip back in the junction box.

I tore out all of the aluminum wiring that was isolated to the basement in my old house, I was getting 88 volts. I still have to deal with it on occasion at work as it pertains to the heating equipment, pumps, etc that I work on.

Remember that your voltage drop may not be all at a single junction, you might be chasing the circuit back through numerous junction boxes and the connections within them. Main panel too. It may well be a job for a pro depending on your level of competency with that type of stuff.

[Bonescreek]

CaberTosser your right Alum. is crap.
But if it turns out to be copper ...
I'ld call the man, pay the bill live another day.


Because of all the things Caber said about Alum. wire is true and I know it,
I can't understand why it was ever allowed for use in Com. or Res. applications
to begin with. But it's ok to this day.

Hit me the head to have fun.

It's all about Code, yea man. Gotta be code. Even if your house burns down.

Where money applies and saftey goes out the window.

Price of Alum, price of Copper ??
Do it on the cheep.
We can build and sell this house for 15 percent less if we use Alum. wire.
We can make money, 15 percent more.

[CaberTosser]

The flat screw in that junction box is a hint to its vintage. The aluminum I’ve seen typically had a woven fabric jacket that seems to be painted green, it also has a paper liner spiraled around the conductor bundle.

[Bonescreek]

Guy next door metioned many times his Garage would drop out from time
to time.
He said he had to tighten down the Main srcews and all the others in the
box 1 or twice a year to keep the juice flowing.

Like cleaning out your lawn mower deck or changing out the oil in your car.

Over an over again, every year.


Alum. wire should have been outlawed decades ago.

Besides the fire hazards.

Hey but it's cheep.

[boah]

Do you have a switch on your wall that doesn’t do anything? If so, flip it then measure again. Your plug may be on a 3 way switch??? I have also seen home wiring done through a motion sensor so you only get power when the sensor is activated.

[fishunter327]

Bad neutral connection somewhere on that circuit.Identify all receptacles , lights and switches on that circuit and check connections also connections in electrical panel.Common problem.Hire a sparky if not confident.

[Bonescreek]

Wacky tobacky.
I miss read to OPs oringinal post thinking RED, BLACK, WHITE and or ground was
a clear indication of 220 V. -- 110 Red, 110 Black, 0 ret on White and or Ground.

If the red, black, white are in fact only attached as red and white on the top
of the switch and only black and white on the bottom of the switch that means
the voltage is only 110 not 220 and the third wire is simply unused, unattched.
dead unconnected spare wire.

Even still with no shorts or loose corroded conns. the Meter should show a min.
of 95+ volts 112 to 120 for a high reading.

For a common light switch or reseptical using 110 Volts.

And the wire attaching to the switch or reseptical needs to be ether
14 for lights and other light dudy 15 amp circuit or 12 for receptical heavyer dudy 20 and 25 amp circuits.

It's all according to draw.

[JBE]

Originally Posted by fishunter327

Bad neutral connection somewhere on that circuit.Identify all receptacles , lights and switches on that circuit and check connections also connections in electrical panel.Common problem.Hire a sparky if not confident.

x2 bad neutral connection.

[Predatorhunter]

If it's aluminum wire try tightening up the terminations in the panel or anything in line before the plug

[Arrowhead]

I had a similar problem and it turned out to be a fault with the gfi plug itself and not with the wiring. Replacing the gfi plug solved it.

[Predatorhunter]

Originally Posted by Arrowhead

I had a similar problem and it turned out to be a fault with the gfi plug itself and not with the wiring. Replacing the gfi plug solved it.

That is not a GFI receptacle

[boah]

Originally Posted by Predatorhunter

That is not a GFI receptacle

Could be fed from one though.

[Supergrit]

I would say you have bad neutral connection. Turn off power disconnect wire and read the voltage with out the receptacle maybe it’s a bad connection on receptacle it self. If it was me I would marret the two white wires together and have one wire come off to the receptacle. Right the white are joined together with the screws on he receptacle not that it isn’t totally wrong just I prefer to use marette.

[Windsweptcoast]

I agree it is probably a bad neutral connection. I have seen similar problems before. One time it was a 3 wire circuit and the neutral was loose in the panel. But I would replace that receptacle and redo the neutral connection with a marrette and pigtail.

[-JR-]

Check a working out let ,and tell use what you get .
I was at a job site where pool construction electrician had a cheep meter that read voltage , So I changed out the $1500. battery charger . and it still did not work ! I checked the voltage with a Fluk meter ...and there was no voltage !

Also sounds like your meter may be selected to DC voltage ...set it on A/C.
Then laugh and post us back.