I had a new cooktop installed but it does not work. The unit replaced an old one and was simply plugged into the existing outlet. After checking the basics (no tripped breakers, etc), I whipped out the old multimeter and measure the voltage difference between each input. The results were surprising:
h1 - h2 = 240 (correct)
h1 - N = 0 (should be 120)
h2 - N = 240 (should be 120)
h1 - G = 120 (correct)
h2 - G = 120 (correct)
N - G = 120 (should be 0)
h1 = Hot 1
h2 = Hot 2
N = Neutral
G = Ground
(Parenthesis are what I expected to measure)
I'm obviously mis-wired, but which wires are in error?
Best Answer
I would open up the receptacle box if possible to see what's going on, but the only way I can think that these readings would be plausible would be if the outlet neutral is not connected to a neutral conductor going back to the panel but is instead shorted to H1. That would produce the readings you've recorded. And if your old stove didn't use the neutral conductor, it would work fine.