Whats wrong with my Electrical socket/line?

Question

I have an house electrical line(more then one outlet controlled by the same breaker) that works intermittently. When it doesn't work I noticed its putting out around 60 VAC, not 120 VAC. Any advice is welcomed. thanks.

Answer 1

old house or new ? old?-----------------ok     ---then try this   ........

the right side of plug should be the hot.....check it to ground  if 120 there then try left side of plug  .....  if nothing then you have a bad neutral ....  if nothing at all then you have a loose connection  possibly.  turn off power----  at the plug closest to the panel  pull out of wall   check screws in receptical sometimes over time they will loosen - if ok there check next one down the line and so fourth until you find it remember - breaker OFF. plugs are daisey chained from one to the other

Answer 2

Trace the wire back to its source  ie attic and check for cracks and cuts or signs of age Also check for varment ie rat chewing in attic Also check fuse panel for legs (wire) attached

Answer 3

If you have only 60V AC across the white and black wires intermittently (two vertical connections on outlet) there is a high resistance connection somewhere.  Check the breaker box to make sure the connections are tight (all three wires:  black, white and bare) then move on down the string to see that all connections at the outlets are tight.  If someone has use the back stab method of connecting the wires to the outlets, reconnect them to the screws.

Answer 4

Identify all the other receptacles on the circuit.  If you have one of those three pronged receptacle testers test all the outlets on the circuit to see if they are all wired correctly.   It will tell you if there is a missing ground,reversed polarity, short in the common and short in the hot.  Very often the wires are not uniformly hooked up and the common and the hot get crossed.   Very often the receptacles get daisy chained [hooked in series]  so if one has a problem the others further on down the line have a problem.