problem with 20a electric outlet

Our oven hood recently stopped working. I tested the outlet and it was showing an 'open neutral' on the tester.

I replaced the outlet but its showing the same error.

Any suggestions?

Thanks for your time,

Mike

Reply to
mike.goodman
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You need to find where the power to that outlet is originating, and check the neutral connection. If its in a panel, check the neutral buss, or if it was tapped from an outlet in the kitchen, check there

Reply to
RBM

I think it's on its own circuit. The breaker is actually labeled 'microwave' and nothing else tripped when I shut it off.

Looks like I'll have to get someone in to take a look at it.

Thanks for the response,

mike

RBM (remove this) wrote:

Reply to
mike.goodman

But the wire to the breaker is not the neutral. Find the other one and check it. On second though, yes, maybe you should get someone to look at it.

Reply to
Edwin Pawlowski

That's because the neutral isn't IN the outlet, and it's not made by the outlet. It's conceivable that the outlet could break, but the neutral extends from the hole that the neutral prong of the plug goes into, through the outlet, through the connection with the usually-white wire, all the way to the breaker box, and from there to the power company iirc. So there are a lot more places for the neutral to get interrupted than just in the outlet. (But if you saved the outlet you took out, you can use it when you know more and want to put an added outlet in somewhere.)

Since the rest of your house works, I assume the problem is somewhere between the connection at the outlet and the other end at the breaker box. It may go through other outlets on the way, even if you have nothing plugged into them.

My range hood is on the same circuit as the dining room ceiling light, because the switch for that light is on the other side of the same wall, about 4 feet away. I think other things are on the same circuit, but I don't know what they are, because I"ve never needed to know.

I think there would be more than a range hood which draws an amp or so iirc, on a circuit that can provide 20 amps. Wait, you're saying the microwaave is on the same circuit as the range hoood. Are they one thing? If not do they use the same receptacle, outlet? Regardless, the problem now is to fix the neutral, unrelated to the microwave or the range hood.

Reply to
mm

The microwave and the range hood are on two different circuits in the kitchen.

I've tested all of the other outlets in the house and they all work (circuit breaker to the hood was off).

mike

Reply to
mike.goodman

white wire on neutral busbar in main breaker cabine may be lose.

had that happen here. screw just a half turn lose

Reply to
hallerb

Then why did you bring up the label on the range hood breaker that says "microwave" if the microwave is really on a different circuit?

Just to waste my time?

Reply to
mm

No intentions of wasting anyone's time. Your explanaition was very thorough, thanks.

I'm fairly certain there's nothing else on the circuit so I'll get the panel checked out.

mm wrote:

Reply to
mike.goodman

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