Answer what you can see below. This ranks the likely causes, gives you one safe next check, and tells you clearly when to stop and call a licensed electrician.
Stop and call a licensed electrician or emergency services now if there's smoke, sparks, a burning smell, heat, shock, or water near the problem. Otherwise it's safe to answer the questions below.
What can you see?
Diagnosis
Example result — change the answers on the left and the ranking updates for your situation.
Most likely cause
About half voltage (~60 V) — a classic open-neutral or shared-neutral signature, or phantom voltage on a high-impedance meter
Ranked by fit to your answers
1
About half voltage (~60 V) — a classic open-neutral or shared-neutral signature, or phantom voltage on a high-impedance meter
85
SAFE NEXT CHECKDon't trust ~60 V as real until you rule out phantom voltage: re-measure with a low-impedance (LoZ) meter or a solenoid tester. If it persists under load, suspect an open or shared neutral, which is an electrician's find.
Where to stop. Measuring at an accessible outlet or on a disconnected wire/fuse is homeowner-safe with a properly rated meter. Anything that requires probing energized wiring inside boxes or the panel is a licensed electrician's job. Note that digital meters can read phantom (ghost) voltage on a dead conductor — confirm a live/dead decision with a low-impedance meter or a solenoid tester, never a single high-impedance reading. This is general information, not a quote and not a substitute for a licensed electrician.
Rule trace — why this ranking
AC-volts function with a "about half" reading decodes to this against the 120 V nominal.
What to do next
Try the safe next check above. If it doesn't resolve the problem — or if sorting it out would mean opening a panel, touching wiring, or anything past a simple visual check — stop and call a licensed electrician. Don't replace parts on a guess.
Confirm it with
Multimeter
Not your exact situation? Change any answer above and the ranking updates — or try a related situation below.
source-governed · verified 2026-06-20
Sources
standard ANSI C84.1 — nominal voltage ranges (120 V service) · verified 2026-06-20
Named standards and manufacturer guidance, re-verified on a freshness schedule. When a source cannot be re-verified, the dependent rule is suppressed rather than asserted.
My outlet reads about 60 volts. Is that dangerous or just a bad reading?
Treat it as suspect, not confirmed. Roughly half voltage often points to an open or shared neutral, but a high-impedance digital meter can also show phantom voltage on a dead wire. Re-measure under load with a low-impedance meter or solenoid tester to tell which.
What does OL mean on the resistance or continuity setting?
OL means over-limit — effectively infinite resistance, i.e. an open path. On a wire or fuse that should be continuous, it means a break: a blown fuse, a severed conductor, or an open switch.
I measured 240 V at a normal outlet. What now?
Stop and shut the circuit off at the panel. About 240 V on a 120 V receptacle is a wiring fault that can destroy connected equipment and is a shock hazard. It needs to be corrected before the outlet is used again.
Electrical Fault Check provides general diagnostic information only. It is not professional advice, not a quote, and not a substitute for a licensed electrician. Do not work on live wiring. If you see smoke, sparks, burning smell, heat, shock, water exposure, or repeated tripping, stop using the circuit and contact a licensed electrician or emergency services as appropriate.