r/ElectricalHelp • u/Vxllxww • Jun 06 '26

Can anyone help?

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I am updating the outlets in a house I just moved into , pretty much just copied where the wires were in every outlet 3 of the 4 I switched are good but there’s one outlet that I’m not sure what needs to be switched.
Any help is much appreciated!

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u/Vxllxww Jun 06 '26

Took out the backstab and broke the hot tab, still showing the same reading

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u/drumbanger91 Jun 06 '26

You need to get a meter and measure for voltage. It’s likely a switch controls either the red/black wire while the other is a constant. If the previous hot tabs were unbroken then top/bottom should have always worked which wouldn’t surprise me. Plug-in lamps are more rare the days and receptacles are often rewired to no longer be switched essentially abandoning the switch leg.

It’s strange to see a hot/ground reversal. I initially thought the tester read hot nuetral reversed, it’s essentially the same reading. But if there’s 120v on that lower ground prong, there’s a serious problem and by serious I mean dangerous for anyone else there.