Electrical oddity

Specific Inspection Topics Electrical Inspections
1

Found a complete mystery today that I cannot explain, thought I would share..

30 amp breaker for the dryer recep is off, but I was still getting current at the recep with the tester.

So I removed the cover to look closer. The conductors back to panel were in fact dead with the breaker off, but then I still get current on the bottom half of the receptacle..

Looking back, I should have grabbed my multimeter, but even the neutral was dead when testing. (The sniffer looks funny because the cap broke off)

Bizarre

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2

When I try to play the video, it goes black, and then refreshes right away.. Not sure why.. Is the video working for anyone else?

3

I’m going to guess a small amount of stray voltage through the conduit. Just a WAG though.

4

Yeah, I’m kicking myself for not grabbing the multimeter. I wasnt going to make a big deal about it in the report, just weird.

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5

I had to download it and play it through a different media player.

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6

I’m sure it’s a non-contact tester anomaly.

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7

wonder why? I had this problem last time I uploaded a video too..
Samsung S23

8

Yeah, that’s what sucks about the non-contact testers. One can never really know for sure. So many stray currents that they will pick up on. Not sure if “stray currents” is the right terminology, but that’s what I call it. I have had instances where they go off and then don’t go off under the same test parameters.

Anyway, what kind of hillbilly set up you got there? Lol. Lose the top cap? :sweat_smile:

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9

The video is black but the sound is on for me.

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10

haha yep! broke off when I dropped it, havent been to HD yet to pick up another.
But I actually like it, because it fits in the slots of the dryer recep better! HA

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11

Agree with Dom and Ryan. You can stand underneath power lines crossing over a road and the sniffer will go off.

12

Since you can’t see the video, here are screenshots of the tester.
Conductors dead, bottom of recep hot (both sides)

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13

Video works fine for me.

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14

I bought one of these last week thinking it would work well for dryer outlets…

I haven’t opened it yet.

15

thanks, I might try that.

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16

Reminds me of a tidbit of info from a video I posted a day or two ago regarding “objectionable current”… wait till the end for the connection (pun intended)…

https://forum.nachi.org/t/inspector-memes-redux/244780/546

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17

This is happening more and more to me… assume it’s related to the BS that Discource is pulling with changes to the Forum system!

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18

Me too. Using a tablet with Opera browser.

19

I think the problem you’re having is on your end. When was the last time you updated your browser or media player?

20

Induced voltage or capacitive coupling. I.e. Ghost voltage. If you shut that other conduit off, it probably would have stopped, unless there’s something in the wall behind the receptacle.

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NCVs detect the electric field generated by the AC voltage in the wire. DC doesn’t have the same field, being a static field.