Testing House Wiring Polarity on Old Wiring

Before the advent of high-tech electronics, incorrectly wired household electrical outlets with the hot and neutral wires reversed – known as “reverse polarity” – had little or no effect on lighting and basic appliances. However, plugging modern electronics into an incorrectly wired socket could damage circuit boards, or worse. For example: if a TV is plugged into a reverse polarity outlet, its grounded “neutral” circuit becomes “hot” – and this is used to ground the cable. If the energized cable is tied to a splitter mounted on aluminum siding, touching the splitter, cable connector or siding while you were grounded could electrocute you.

Electronic receptacle tester and circuit analyzer
Masking tape
Felt-tipped pen

Instructions

- 1
  Plug an electronic receptacle tester and circuit analyzer into the electrical outlet nearest the main household electrical panel in a newly purchased older home.
- 2
  Press the activating button to light up the three colored LEDs on the end of the tester; the instructions printed on the top of the tester will explain the different lighting sequence for six circuit conditions: open neutral, open hot, hot/ground reverse, hot/neutral reverse and correct wiring.
- 3
  Move on to the next electrical outlet if the LEDs' lighting sequence coincides with the “correct wiring” lighting sequence displayed on the tester instructions. If not, cover the outlet with a strip of masking tape to prevent someone else using it, and make a note of the faulty condition on the masking tape with a felt-tipped pen.
- 4
  Continue to test each outlet in the home the same way. If one or more outlets test out as faulty, call a licensed electrician to correct the problem.

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