Then take off the plate and take out the old one , you can now test the wires directly to see if the current is fine in line or if the problem is the outlet itself. tried to run a "continuity" test, between, a nearby outlet, and the "source" outlet, for a "ground", and didn't get a reading, (sound), just a "1785" ohm reading... could this "lack" of ground, be the cause of the low voltage reading? Check the Circuit Ground Wire Bond at the Panel. If this doesn't fix it check your wire nuts to make sure they are tight. One reason an outlet may have low voltage is that it is worn out. The problem might be voltage fluctuations or transients caused by other issues in the facility or on the electric utility supply system. Here are five reasons your GFCI outlet keeps tripping and what you should do. It is not a circuit breaker problem and should be attended to by an electrician. To test a capacitor, a multi-meter that can test capacitance is required. How to Identify the Cause of a Low Voltage Condition of an Outlet. It would be essential to have the electrical utility provider verify that the voltage on there side is within tolerance. A next step would be to connect a voltage-recording device to the receptacle and check the voltage over time. Hi John, You may not have secured the wires properly to the GFCI outlet. What could cause the low voltage at the receptacles and why would the neutral side read hot? The was no way I could blame my wife but I took a few minutes to at least try. Thinking it might be a circuit breaker problem, I replaced the breaker, but still only getting 80V. Important: Electrical troubleshooting is best performed by a qualified licensed electrical contractor. The power at the breaker also reads 198volts. There was a GFI that was no longer being used and I disconnected it and the good white wire. – Suction line clogged or kinked. Background: Paul, a Student from Bremerton, Washington. In certain situations the circuit must be energized to perform trouble shooting. I have receptacles that are not receiving full 120 Volts, they are averaging around 70 volts, and the neutral side is reading hot on these receptacles. Poor or damaged splicing work can also be a cause. Low voltage (when the source is operating properly) will not provide a shock from contact. Electrical outlets can wear out the same as any appliance or electrical device. The constant plugging and unplugging of cords into the outlet can loosen and wear down the connections. If in doubt contact a qualified electrician and have them research the problem for you. We checked the outlet with a meter and it reads that it only gets 203volts. I tried unhooking outlets and lights, starting with the last one on the circuit and working my way back til I … If there is a GFCI outlet on that line that may also have gone bad, and need to be replaced. I changed a normal 120V outlet to a GFI outlet. The electrical circuit load of these high consuming devices is placed on and through every splice or connection within the circuit. When the GFI did not test properly, I then measured the voltage across these wires and found it low. How to Use Electrical Testers. I get 122.6 volts out of my wall socket, is that normal? This is a typical indication that a splice or connection to the neutral has been lost. Take the tool, battery, and charger to a service center. I replaced the gfci with another thinking that was the problem, but I had no success. The house is from the 1930’s and there wasn’t a grounding system. When wiring a GFI outlet it is essential to have the correct Line and Load wiring configurations, otherwise the GFI outlet will not work right, and the additional outlets wired into the circuit will not have GFCI protection. 4. Help! The outlet appears to have 3 wires, I'm guessing the neutral, the ground and the hot wire. Because you have mentioned that this is happening at work, then this could be a commercial or industrial facility that may have voltages other than 120/240.