[whejdak]

Recently I noticed that my garage door was partially open after I thought that I had closed it. When I tried to close it again (or open) the door opener wouldn't work. I could not manually turn the opener light on either. So, I thought it was the breaker. I went down stairs and it was not tripped. I went back into the garage and tried other outlets and much to my surprise, they worked. All of sudden, the opener light came on and power was restored. This has been happening now for a couple of days. I bought one of those idiot test plugs (with three lights). While everything seemed ok again, I plugged it into the socket where the garage door opener was plugged in. According to the lights on the tester, every thing was good. The next time it went out, I got the tester again and plugged it in. Now it says the Hot and Ground are reversed. A little while later, power restored itself again and the circuit is just fine.

What the heck is going on?

I have the garage door opener working off of an extension cord now from one of those good sockets.

Obviously the wire can't be reversing themselves and then again fixing themselves.

Got any ideas??

Bill

 

[backstay]

Those idiot plug things with the three lights never get left home. I use it almost every day. You have a loose connection. Start at the opener and work back toward the panel.

 

[whejdak]

Those idiot plug things with the three lights never get left home. I use it almost every day. You have a loose connection. Start at the opener and work back toward the panel.

I agree that there is a loose connection, but why would the plug indicate that it was reversed. What would it indicate if the hot was loose?

 

[backstay]

I agree that there is a loose connection, but why would the plug indicate that it was reversed. What would it indicate if the hot was loose?

If the hot was loose, you will have no lights. If the ground was loose you would have an open ground indication, but the receptacle would still function. You have a loose neutral.

 

[aftershockews]

Check the sensors mounted to the garage tracks located left and right lower of the tracks.

 

[whejdak]

If the hot was loose, you will have no lights. If the ground was loose you would have an open ground indication, but the receptacle would still function. You have a loose neutral.

This is my thought also. It has to be a neutral that is loose. Still don't understand why the tester says that hot and ground are reversed?

I would have thought it would have indicated no neutral.

 

[whejdak]

Check the sensors mounted to the garage tracks located left and right lower of the tracks.

Check them for what? This are used for control not power.

 

[aftershockews]

Check them for what? This are used for control not power.

I just re read your OP.
My bad. Carry on.:jester:

 

[aftershockews]

Is the GDO receptacle the only device on this circuit?

I went back into the garage and tried other outlets and much to my surprise, they worked. All of sudden, the opener light came on and power was restored.

Do you remember which receptacle you were testing when this happened?

may be where your issue is.

 

[A Little Short]

You (or an electrician) should start at the receptacle that the opener is plugged into. Open it up and check the connections, especially the neutral. If they are good, go to the box/receptacle that is feeding the box that the opener is plugged into.

99.9% chance it is a loose neutral!:thumbsup:

Also, those testers will often times show reversed polarity with a loose/open neutral, I've seen it a lot.

 

[whejdak]

I'm sure that is what it is.
thanks again

 

[sbrn33]

You (or an electrician) should start at the receptacle that the opener is plugged into. Open it up and check the connections, especially the neutral. If they are good, go to the box/receptacle that is feeding the box that the opener is plugged into.

99.9% chance it is a loose neutral!:thumbsup:

Also, those testers will often times show reversed polarity with a loose/open neutral, I've seen it a lot.

Why is there more percentage of an open neutral than an open hot.:jester:

 

[whejdak]

After taking the two socket outlet apart, I found that one of the screws on the neutral side was loose. The other was tight. I think that they are bridged but I'm not sure anymore, I forgot to look close. Anyway, I changed out the sockets with a new one and put it back. I was unable to tighten down the loose screw that I found. It just kept spinning. So everything is back to normal and I'll wait to see if there are any more mysterious outages.
Thanks for all the comments and help.

 

[oldtimer]

After taking the two socket outlet apart, I found that one of the screws on the neutral side was loose. The other was tight. I think that they are bridged but I'm not sure anymore, I forgot to look close. Anyway, I changed out the sockets with a new one and put it back. I was unable to tighten down the loose screw that I found. It just kept spinning. So everything is back to normal and I'll wait to see if there are any more mysterious outages.
Thanks for all the comments and help.

After taking the two socket outlet apart.......:001_huh:


I hope you mean duplex receptacle !

 

[A Little Short]

Why is there more percentage of an open neutral than an open hot.:jester:

Experience!:jester:
Mainly because that's what the plug-in testers sometimes default to when there is a loose/open neutral. You probably wouldn't get a reading at all with these testers if there was an open hot.

 

[backstay]

After taking the two socket outlet apart, I found that one of the screws on the neutral side was loose. The other was tight. I think that they are bridged but I'm not sure anymore, I forgot to look close. Anyway, I changed out the sockets with a new one and put it back. I was unable to tighten down the loose screw that I found. It just kept spinning. So everything is back to normal and I'll wait to see if there are any more mysterious outages.
Thanks for all the comments and help.

Please tell me you aren't using the receptacle as a splice.

 

[sbrn33]

Please tell me you aren't using the receptacle as a splice.

Why not? It is done eveyday thousands and thousands of times with no ptoblems.

 

[backstay]

Why not? It is done eveyday thousands and thousands of times with no ptoblems.

Sounds like the OP had a problem.

 

[bobelectric]

Why not? It is done eveyday thousands and thousands of times with no ptoblems.

How many? Not me.