I just put in a brand new 15amp outlet receptacle. It's on a 20amp circuit, so I used 12/2 wiring. I tapped into another 15amp circuit for power.

I have a voltage detector that just measure High/Low voltage. It does not give me the actual numbers. It's kind of like the bars on your cell phone service or wifi. More bars, higher voltage.

Normally, when I plug the voltage detector into the existing receptacles that came with the house, I get a really low reading.

When I plug it into the new one (I purchased a cheap Eaton one from Lowes for like $0.80), it shows high voltage.

When I look into the receptacle, the ones that came with the house look like they have black tabs inside the outlet, almost like a safety feature if someone sticks there finger in there or something. It also "clicks" when you plug something in.

The Eaton one I got does not have that. No tab, just open plug that slides right in.

Here is my voltage readings New/High Voltage. Old/Low Voltage.

I will add- no matter what, when I put the voltage detector on the hot wire, it goes full red like the New Eaton picture.

My question is, is it normal that two different receptacles may display different voltage like this?

My theory is the existing ones have the metal contacts within the receptacle farther back than the Eaton one I purchased. My voltage detector probably would go full red on the old ones if I could stick it in farther.

Plug works fine. No issues. Just hadn't seen this before and figured I'd ask.

I just put in a brand new 15amp outlet receptacle. It's on a 20amp circuit, so I used 12/2 wiring. I tapped into another 15amp receptacle for power.

I have a voltage detector that just measure High/Low voltage. It does not give me the actual numbers. It's kind of like the bars on your cell phone service or wifi. More bars, higher voltage.

Normally, when I plug the voltage detector into the existing receptacles that came with the house, I get a really low reading.

When I plug it into the new one (I purchased a cheap Eaton one from Lowes for like $0.80), it shows high voltage.

When I look into the receptacle, the ones that came with the house look like they have black tabs inside the outlet, almost like a safety feature if someone sticks there finger in there or something. It also "clicks" when you plug something in.

The Eaton one I got does not have that. No tab, just open plug that slides right in.

Here is my voltage readings New/High Voltage. Old/Low Voltage.

I will add- no matter what, when I put the voltage detector on the hot wire, it goes full red like the New Eaton picture.

My question is, is it normal that two different receptacles may display different voltage like this?

My theory is the existing ones have the metal contacts within the receptacle farther back than the Eaton one I purchased. My voltage detector probably would go full red on the old ones if I could stick it in farther.

Plug works fine. No issues. Just hadn't seen this before and figured I'd ask.