Low Voltage Hot To Neutral

From neutral buss to first.

Low voltage hot to neutral. Figure 1 shows a simple diagram of a single phase load connected to a voltage source. If the neutral to ground is 120v and the hot to ground is a few volts or less then the hot and neutral wires are reversed fig. This troubleshooting tip is for licensed hvac contractors. Also the white wire is your first to make and last to break if you get hit the neutral takes current back and you might only get some of it when you get hit to the ground where the neutrals and grounds meet at the main panel only if there s current and you get between the hot and the ground or between two neutral wired taking current back to the panel you become the path and it is much.

Some neutral to ground voltage should be present under load conditions typically 2v or less. It is a low impedance under 25 ω bonding connection between the neutral and ground bus bars in the main service panel and nowhere else. I am getting 120 volts when i check at the panel and put my meter on the affected 15 amp circuit breaker screw to the neutral bus and from the circuit breaker screw to the ground bus. This is the first outlet in the circuit i believe.

The process explained below will help to identify the location of the faulty wire or a connection is causing the low voltage condition. You must measure neutral to ground or hot to ground voltage. If you were to connect a load to the receptacle in question such as a portable lamp i am sure that the voltage measured between the hot and neutral would go to zero. Inductive or capacitive coupling are giving a circuit which your meter sees as low voltage between the hot and neutral.

As the load draws current a voltage drop develops across the supply and return conductors. N g voltage measurements at the load will reflect the voltage drop across the return neutral conductor. When a fault occurs and contact is made with a grounded surface a large amount of current rushes to the grounding bar across the ground neutral bonding connection and back to the source of current. In essence any time current is flowing through a neutral conductor there will be a voltage potential with respect to the earth.

Voltage tests are made at each outlet that is on the same circuit as the affected outlet. A low voltage condition such as this is may be caused by a fault with the neutral wire. Voltage between hot and ground is 120 volts. Once you know the circuit path and voltage at all points we can tell you exactly where the problem is.

All points show low voltage except breaker to neutral bar.