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  1. #1
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    Default THREE LIGHTS ON MY OUTLET TESTER

    HEY ALL

    fellow inspector just called me and wanted to know if i have ever seen all three lights on my outlet tester..can say that i have. he stated home was over 100 years old.. and he sees it alot in colorado springs

    any answers

    charlie

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  2. #2
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    Default Re: THREE LIGHTS ON MY OUTLET TESTER

    hey what about my three lights


  3. #3
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    Default Re: THREE LIGHTS ON MY OUTLET TESTER

    Hey, what about your lights?

    Yeah, I have seen it once or twice. It means to me the wiring is fubar is some way the little sticker on the side does not explain. I write it up and tell them to get an electrician to fix it. Usually it is only one of many electrical problems in a house and the entire electrical system needs a good overhaul.

    "The Code is not a peak to reach but a foundation to build from."

  4. #4
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    Default Re: THREE LIGHTS ON MY OUTLET TESTER

    Quote Originally Posted by CHARLIE VAN FLEET View Post
    HEY ALL fellow inspector just called me and wanted to know if i have ever seen all three lights on my outlet tester..can say that i have. he stated home was over 100 years old.. and he sees it alot in colorado springs any answers charlie
    Charlie,

    When I have seen it, it means 240 volt at a 120 volt receptacle outlet.

    The technical term would be "wrong-o".

    Department of Redundancy Department
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  5. #5
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    Default Re: THREE LIGHTS ON MY OUTLET TESTER

    I saw it a couple of times on my old SureTests (the first ones they made), they had three lights with digital readout for voltage and voltage drop, can't remember what else was digital read out - they were the STD-1 model.

    I called Harold (or was it Hal, the man who invented and made the SureTest when he still owned them - I've forgotten his name now), he had no idea what could cause that and had never heard of it before.

    He did some investigating (hooking up receptacles incorrectly every way he could think of) and could not replicate the three lights on condition - so when I talked to him later about it neither of us had any idea what the cause was or what the analyzer was trying to indicate.

    Jerry Peck
    Construction/Litigation/Code Consultant - Retired
    www.AskCodeMan.com

  6. #6
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    Default Re: THREE LIGHTS ON MY OUTLET TESTER

    To clarify. If the little "night-light" type tester, it is 240 volt. If one of the high-end testers, then I dunno.

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  7. #7
    Joe Tedesco's Avatar
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    Default Re: THREE LIGHTS ON MY OUTLET TESTER

    Quote Originally Posted by Jerry Peck View Post
    I saw it a couple of times on my old SureTests (the first ones they made), they had three lights with digital readout for voltage and voltage drop, can't remember what else was digital read out - they were the STD-1 model.

    I called Harold (or was it Hal, the man who invented and made the SureTest when he still owned them - I've forgotten his name now), he had no idea what could cause that and had never heard of it before.

    He did some investigating (hooking up receptacles incorrectly every way he could think of) and could not replicate the three lights on condition - so when I talked to him later about it neither of us had any idea what the cause was or what the analyzer was trying to indicate.
    Jerry:

    I believe that the UL Standard for Safety that covers "Outlet Circuit Testers and Similar Indicating Devices, UL 1436" ISBN 0-7629-0279-5 may help to clear this question up.

    INTRODUCTION

    1 Scope

    1.1 These requirements apply to outlet circuit testers, including screwdriver and pen-style voltage
    presence indicators, for use on 15–, 20–, and 30–A, 3–wire, 125–, 250–, 277–, 480–, or 600–V
    receptacles, ground-fault circuit-interrupter testers and arc-fault circuit-interrupter indicators for use on 15–
    and 20–A, 3–wire, 125–V receptacles, and similar indicating devices that are:

    a) Intended to be connected to the receptacle for a period of time only as long as is necessary
    to note the indicated pattern of lights or other similar indicating means, and
    b) Not intended to be a comprehensive instrument or to determine the quality of the grounding
    circuit.
    1.1 revised June 15, 2004

    OUTLET CIRCUIT TESTER – A device with no receptacle outlets that, when inserted into a
    receptacle, indicates by a pattern of lights, or other similar means, the presence, or absence, of specific
    elementary wiring conditions. An outlet circuit tester may also incorporate the provisions of a retention
    tester.I would contact one of the UL Engineers at www.ul.com for assistance.


  8. #8
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    Default Re: THREE LIGHTS ON MY OUTLET TESTER

    Quote Originally Posted by CHARLIE VAN FLEET View Post
    HEY ALL

    fellow inspector just called me and wanted to know if i have ever seen all three lights on my outlet tester..can say that i have. he stated home was over 100 years old.. and he sees it alot in colorado springs

    any answers

    charlie
    More info on this thread 3-light circuit tester

    The thing to note is that not all 3- light testers are the same.... Some light all 3 with 240v and some give false Hot Neutral reversed.

    Last edited by Vern Heiler; 10-18-2009 at 09:11 AM.

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