Thanks Tom!
I just posted readings separately... However, I was simply inserting the black (neg) test lead into the 'longer' of the two slots and the red (pos) test lead into the other. I guessing that this is the Hot/Neutral that you refer to.
Mind explaining the Hot/Ground test?
If you don't care to primer everyone, -- prayfamily at sbcglobal dot net
I guess I'll be flipping the breaker and inspecting / redoing the connections at the box...
Rick
-- Computer recommends - Hard drinking calypso poet "I-zheet M'drurz" wrote in message news:Xns946C8CFFEB7F2tomicubedcom@130.133.1.4... : On 10 Jan 2004, pray4surf wrote: : : > How about a hand here... : >
: > I have two switches right as I enter the front door, one : > operates the porch light and the other switches power to an : > outlet 5' away on the interior wall. Both switches are the : > 'Decora' type. They are on a 15A circuit that also provides : > power to the bulk of the houses lighting. : >
: > The other night I went to turn on both the porch light and : > the lamp plugged into the switched outlet. Neither came on. : > Swapping out 'good' bulbs and testing the outlets with : > working lamps had no effect and none of the other items on : > the circuit are affected. : >
: > Using a 'Circuit Alert' tester (beeps and flashes if current : > is present) on the outlet tells me that even with the switch : > 'Off', I have power at the receptacle. Is this normal? I : > thought with the switch off, the tester would've remained : > silent and dark... : : Hard to tell what those are trying to tell you. Use your : multimeter and look for ~117VAC between hot and neutral & : hot and ground. Don't be confused by leakage millivolts (mV) : as they'll show up on most multimeters. : : > House built in 61, I'm at least the third owner. Original : > wiring is the three-wire silver cloth covered type. I did : > swap out the original switches 5-6 years ago, but if I had a : > problem shouldn't I have seen it 'immediately'? : : Nope, not if something popped loose inside the boxes. : : > I'm going to focus my attention on switches themselves : > (cause I can't think of anything else) while waiting on : > replies. I did receive a multi-meter for Xmas, time to give : > it a whirl. : : Educated guess - you lost your wire nut and connection for : the white wires in the box holding the switches, or possibly : at the box riht before that in the circuit. : : That would make everything dead, but the dummy tester could : still be sensing a voltage difference between hot and ground. : : -- : Baisez-les s'ils ne peuvent pas prendre une plaisanterie : -------------------------------------------------------- : Tom Pendergast e-mail is for sissies, say it on line