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That $45 outlet tester saved me from a kitchen fire risk
I was swapping out old outlets in my 1978 fixer upper and one just didn't feel right, warm to the touch. Bought a basic outlet tester from the hardware store for $45 and it showed the neutral wire was backwards. Turns out a previous owner had wired half the kitchen circuit wrong, probably 30 years ago. Has anyone else found sketchy wiring hiding behind faceplates in older homes?
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rowanjenkins7d ago
Was it actually hot to the touch or just slightly warm from the outlet being in use? Kitchen circuits pull a lot through them, and old wiring can run warm without being dangerous. I've seen plenty of backwards neutrals that worked fine for decades, the appliance still gets power, the breaker still trips the same way. Not saying it's good practice, but calling it a fire risk might be a stretch unless the wire insulation was melted or arcing.
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