I have no idea. I’m not an electrical engineer and have zero knowledge of how Sperry Testers are made or react to any given input. Ask Sperry when you get a hold of them.
Did you email their Tech Support?
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…and NO, a GFCI does NOT require a Ground to operate!
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This is results on all 15 amp circuits? (bedrooms, living room, hallways)
Find the common denominator. Or don’t. Recommend a licensed electrician.
TC
Very unlikely. Much more likely is a bad connection in your outlet tester that was corrected by pressing the button. Get a solenoid tester and learn how to use it and how an electrical outlet should be wired.
When you are testing something a proper diagnosis depends on repeatable results (as does the repair). If you can’t repeat the problem chances are it was test equipment failure or operator error.
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Klein Tools RT310 AFCI and GFCI Outlet and Device Tester for North American AC Electrical Outlet Receptacles https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PMDRHXB/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_RwUp3mowkUdMO
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As soon as you say digital two things come to mind. The first is batteries which is just a pain in the ass to my mind. They fail at the worst possible time and you don’t happen to have a spare. The second is the erroneous belief that digital means more accurate. " But," you say, “I can read the results more precisely, 120Volts exactly!” Hold on here, son! Digital simply means it has greater resolution not more accuracy. It is easier on the eyes, you don’t have to read a scale past a little needle, but just because its easier to read doesn’t mean it’s more accurate.
If you want to drive a carpet tack, you wouldn’t use a framing hammer.
Get yourself a solenoid tester (“wiggy”) Learn how to use it. You’ll be way ahead of the game!
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The two independent probes may cause issues with tamper resistant receptacles and contact force. It would require simultaneously inserting the probes and square to the shutters. A 3 light removes part of those issues. It sounds like the 3 light is already complex enough.
No more than the last three light I had. One of the tester prongs would recede slightly into the tester body. I had to keep getting out my probing awl and sticking it through the tester prong holes to align them again. I have nothing against three light testers but it’s helpful if it’s understood how they work (simple wiring). Many of the houses inspected won’t have tamper proof outlets.
@rkenney just saw that we are almost neighbors.
Having alternative testing devices is great and I use them too, but my 3-light tester is my quick and simple go-to tester. I’ve had the same thing happen on a GFCI. I call it out for evaluation by an electrician.
The 3-light tester basically does the same thing that dropping a mixer into a sink of water does to the GFCI. If the GFCI does not respond correctly to the tester, then that indicates something wrong (even if the GFCI responded to its test button). Also, the 3-light is a quick tool for confirming that outlets down stream from a GFCI are wired correctly.
A weakness of a 3-light is that in older homes where the original 2-prong outlets have been replaced with 3-prongs, they cannot detect bootleg grounds.
Why do you say there is an issue if the gfi does not respond to the tester but operate when using the recognized test method? Wouldn’t that point to the tester?
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If the GFCI does not respond to the tester but does respond to the test button that indicates the receptacle is not grounded (no EGC). Even the Sure Test (and three light testers) uses the EGC at the receptacle to trip the GFCI. The test button on the GFCI uses the neutral (GC) to trip and will work (trip - either by test button or ground fault) with no EGC.
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Does “almost” convert to miles or towns?
Miles.
I didn’t think post was about an ungrounded receptacle so I did not consider that aspect.
The OP was about a Sperry three light tester. Lon Henderson’s post was about a GFCI which is what I responded to.
Agree 100%.
Update: I got a second tester. The first one continues to give the same curious readings on some outlets which the newer tester reads as correct. Pretty good evidence that the sperry tester is defective.
And this is why myself and others carry multiple electronic testing devices. Good lesson learned.
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What’s interesting though is that it still works fine on some outlets.