Living room circuit

[Andrew Cox]

My mind is not working tonight...
Inspected a house built in 1966. Most of the electrical was great, but one outlet in living room was dead, then 2 others showed ok with the tester.

When I check an outlet, often, I press the GFCI test button, just to see if it does something. One time I found a living room with GFCI outlets all around...
Anyway, these other 2 outlets were OK, but with the trip button pressed, the middle light and the Red light came on, indicating the Hot/Neutral reversed - only when the GFCI trip button was pressed in.
What does this indicate? Please?

[Bob Elliott]

It means nothing.

[Doug Edwards]

Built in 1966....I bet two things...the living room did not have a ceiling light fixture and second, that "dead" outlet is on a wall switch so a lamp could be plugged into it and when someone enters the room they can turn on a light (lamp) at the wall switch. See it all the time especially in older homes from that era.

I plug a tester into the receptacle then try all the switches at the entrance areas until I find the one that operates the receptacle, identify it to the customers.

[Andrew Cox]

Doug - that's the 1st thing I try - the outlet was dead - not controlled by the switch. There is a ceiling fixture. I am sure that at some time, some wiring work was done as the kitchen and baths have GFCI outlets.

[Doug Edwards]

Then it is still easy to write up and let the electrician "finger it out".

[Jeffrey R. Pope]

Originally Posted by acox

Anyway, these other 2 outlets were OK, but with the trip button pressed, the middle light and the Red light came on, indicating the Hot/Neutral reversed - only when the GFCI trip button was pressed in.
What does this indicate? Please?

It indicates that your finger was on the "trip" button.