Ira wrote:the boatyard power source was kind of screwed up...
So I get a "standard" 3-wire tester, under 4 bucks, and it's just like a little plug with 3 lights that you stick into the outlet. There's a chart printed on the plug, and depending on your problem or NO problem, the 3 lights light or DON'T light in various configurations. You simply then match up the lights with your chart and you know what the deal is.
3) My first step is taking this $3.49 beauty to test the source, which believe it or not, is just the female end of a heavy gauge extension cord hanging from a 1967 mobile home (which has three sockets.) But it was a bitch trying to insert it in there:
For whatever reason, the round ground plug on the tester fits okay into a standard home receptacle, but it's a tiny hair too large for an extension cord. I push, and push, and push, until it's like 95% in.
Nothing on the tester lights up. So I bring it into the boatyard office, test it there in a standrad receptacle, and that office line tests okay.
Which means, I think, that my other source has an open hot--no lights lighting up means an open hot. Whatever THAT means.
So I fall back to plan B, check the box for frayed wires through the punchout, remove the box from the wall in case any screws are driving into wires, reverse the whole procedure and put those screws back in different places...
And all works fine. Plus the outlet tests perfectly with my gorgeous new little tester...which I know I'm gonna eventually lose because it's so small.
So for NOW, Steve--three more questions:
1) Why the heck do I get Open Hot on the source, but all is okay at the outlet? Am I cool here?
2) What I bought is to test a receptacle, real cheap, so what do I use to test non-outlet appliances like my lamps? Gotta buy something else, like in your link? (I just didn't see it at HD or I didn't know what I was looking at.)
3) With the panel connected to power but the main breaker OFF, that second light of the main breaker was ON. Like you said, my panel may be different than yours, so maybe my second light there is just to indicate that it's connected to power, even if the main breaker is off? My instructions for the panel tell you nada.
And try as I did, I can't now remember whether that second light was on or off when I turned the main breaker on. (It was COLD, I tell you!) As you said, YOUR second light indicates reverse polarity, and automatically trips the main. I guess I'd better call them to ask what the deal is here.
Anyway, thanks, thanks, thanks again--and answer ASAP or I won't be able to get a moment's worth of sleep tonight.
I know I won't get any sex, so I'm at least shooting for some sleep.
answers to questions but no hypothesis
1. About the 3 female outlet extension cord hanging out of the 1967 mobil home. Since you tested OK farther downstream and you had trouble inserting the tester into the 3 female outlet extension cord hanging out of the 1967 mobile home. Your "No Light" test was invalid due "Ira's insertion problems". (Inuendo intended).
2. A cheap VOM (volt/ohm meter) radio shack is a source, get the cheapest they have. You will not ever need accuracy when checking ohms, some people do, most likely you won't. Shouldn't be more than $15.00.
3. Panel lights for your main breaker are no doubt thusly; 1. plugged in, breaker off, 2nd light is lit showing power is available. 2. plugged in, breaker on, 1st light is lit showing breaker is on. No indication for reverse polarity no doubt, that is where our two panels are different. Mine was originally made for a French sailboat built for the American market. Perhaps slightly different specfications.
So with all you did, moving the box, unscrewing, rescrewing, rewiring, removing the plug from the source, replacing the plug into the source. You resolved the problem.... So in the end we really don't know what was wrong, and we really don't know what fixed it. But that's the way life is sometimes. Anyway, you're right, it was about 50 degrees here too, almost too cold to go out and work on my TD. Looking at TomS' snow pictures today I agree with Tom, I too could see enough from the window.
Steve
by Steve_Cox » Sat Feb 11, 2006 9:10 pm 
