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I frequently feature a super-handy electrical outlet tester as my Daily Tech Gadget Pick on my tech blog, but it just occurred to me that I have never explained how (or why) to use one.
In a nutshell, these devices tell you whether any of your 120V electrical outlets are wired incorrectly and are unsafe to use.
An incorrectly wired outlet can cause all kinds of problems, ranging from surge protectors that don’t work all the way up to a serious fire hazard.
The good news is even the best outlet testers are quite cheap (usually around 10 bucks) and they are very easy to use…
Simply plug the tester into the outlet and look to see which lights come one. Then compare the pattern of the lights to the guide that’s printed on the tester. The combination of lights you see will tell you immediately whether the outlet is wired correctly or if there’s a problem that needs to be corrected.
Here’s a short video that shows how to use one of these testers to check the outlets in your home:
As you can see, these outlet testers are very easy to use. If you do find any outlets that are wired incorrectly you can take steps to have them fixed to ensure your safety and the safety of your property.
There are several really good electrical outlet testers on the market, and they all work basically the same way. The one I use and recommend is this one from Sperry Instruments. It has served me well over the years.