This is a typical outlet tester. It can identify several common three prong outlet electrical problems. This particular model is the GB Electrical GFI-3501 Ground Fault Receptacle & Outlet Tester. This model will detect:
1) OPEN GROUND (no GROUND wire connection)
2) OPEN NEUTRAL (no NEUTRAL wire connection)
3) OPEN HOT (no HOT wire connection)
4) HOT/GRD REV (uncommon, but usually the HOT is jumping to the NEUTRAL)
5) HOT/NEU REV (HOT and NEUTRAL wires are crossed)
When purchasing a home this little $12 tool can save you big hassles when it comes to one of the major systems of your home. I also use it prior to plugging in any device that require a ground, such as computers and big screen TV's. If the device reads an open ground I know that I need to use a heavy duty surge protector in order to protect my expensive equipment. If you have conduit running through out the house, it is not too expensive to have an electrician run a ground wire from your outlet to the electrical panel. No additional equipment should be required.
Picking one of these along with a non-contact voltage tester can help you save time and money when it comes to locating and repairing electrical issues in your home.
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