how to test plugs

[daddyhuey]

this website shows how the untrained homeowner can test resepticles in his house

works for every kind.

[Ralph Mowery]

What idiot wrote this ? They refer to the left and right side of recepticals as being the hot and neutral. In some houses they could be reversed, and even in the same house the left and right could be reversed. There is no standard on the way the recepticals are mounted in the wall.

[Kevin Ricks]

Yes the outlet can be mounted with ground pin down, which seems to be most common, or turned 180 deg with ground pin up. Or the outlet can be mounted horizontally as well. Is it as looking at the front or from the back? So saying right or left slot is too ambiguous.

I prefer to reference them as small slot = hot and larger slot = neutral, but then some very old un-polarized outlets the slots are both the same size (small).

The web site could use some pictures or diagrams. Kevin

[Evan Platt]

Ummm a google grouper. :)

[Stormin Mormon]

I've got a dryer socket, that the article didn't say how to test. And, outside my trailer there is a big plug and socket, that plugs my trailer in. Peoples RV have big plugs and sockets, too. No information how to test these.

Pretty useless article. And, I didn't see anything how to test plugs. I've got some plugs on my appliances, I should test those.