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My Outlets have 120Volts but Nothing Works?

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My outlets are reading 120V on my meter but when I plug something in they do not work. Why Electrical Outlets May Not be Working.

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Electric Outlets Not Working
Electrical Question: My outlets are reading 120V on my meter but when I plug something in they do not work.

In my house a series of outlets are reading 120V on the meter but when I plug something into any of them the device does not work. I thought it was the breaker so I turned it off then back on again, still, devices do not work. I went ahead and replaced the breaker with one that is 30amp. I am getting the same result. It is really beginning to frustrate me! I have used other voltmeters to test the plugs and all are reading 120V, but when I plug ANY device into ANY of these outlets I get nothing. What is happening?

Sincerely,
Dominick

Dave’s Reply:
Thanks for your electrical question Dominick.

Why Electrical Outlets May Not be Working

IMPORTANT:
NEVER replace a circuit breaker with a larger size. This creates the potential to overheat the circuit wiring and which could cause a house fire!

Here are a few questions I have about the outlets that are not working:
How are you testing for voltage at the outlets?
If your testing hot to ground then make sure to also test hot to neutral.
There could be a problem where the neutral wire is open.
Did this just occur by itself, or has the wiring been altered or new wiring installed recently?

More about Electrical Outlet Problems

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Wiring Electrical Outlets for the Home

Home electrical wiring includes 110 volt outlets and 220 volt outlets and receptacles which are common place in every home. See how wiring electrical outlets for the home are done.

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Licensed Electrician Reveals the Secrets of Successful Electrical Troubleshooting Methods used to solve the majority of the home electrical problems and wiring failures encountered.

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