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I am facing open neutral issue but I am not an electrician therefore hoping if someone might be able to help out here. I figured it is most likely an wiring issue. so I have 4 outlets that on the same circuit on kitchen countertop. They were all working fine but due to remodeling I asked a handyman to replace two outlets with white receptacles. one of outlets is a combo, where the switch controls the garbage disposal. the switch and disposal is working fine, however all receptacles shows open neutral when I tested them. I think something is just not wired correctly in the two outlets handyman replaced. I have attached photos here. any pointers would be appreciated.

combo1 combo2 outlet2-1 outlet2-2 outlet3 outlet4 GFCI

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    Yes,the handyman botched something in the box or boxes he worked on. I can't tell what from the photos. He owes you a fix, if you think he's competent to find and fix it.
    – keshlam
    Commented Jul 8, 2023 at 1:49
  • he was not able to and claimed there are some problems with my circuit system
    – Vince Hung
    Commented Jul 8, 2023 at 2:15
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    Where is the GFCI for this circuit? Why is the disposal connected to the countertop outlets? I'm suspecting multiple code violations here.
    – Robert Chapin
    Commented Jul 8, 2023 at 3:50
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    Fair chance that in the course of working on the circuit, the person shorted wires and caused a big current surge. And it's possible that surge burned out a neutral connection/splice somewhere.
    – Harper - Reinstate Monica
    Commented Jul 8, 2023 at 4:13
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    More likely just making poor contact. That can be a particular problem on backstabs. However if people don't tighten wire nuts enough that'll do it too.
    – Harper - Reinstate Monica
    Commented Jul 8, 2023 at 4:56

1 Answer 1

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Possible problems

  1. Illegal rough in of countertop outlets. The presence of a white wire with red tape on it suggests someone ran a 12/2 switch loop from the disposal, meaning there is no way to add receptacles to that end of the circuit because there are not enough wires present. Also note the NEC does not allow the disposal to share a circuit with countertop outlets. To check for this, just open up the disposal outlet and confirm the white wire with red tape is present, not visible in the photos. Also double check for any wire nuts near the combo switch, not visible in the photos. If this matches your scenario, then you are missing at least one entire circuit in the kitchen.
  2. You might have a HOT neutral condition. Outlet testers are not designed to detect outlets with shorted neutrals. To check for this, you need to measure neutral-to-ground voltage using a multi-tester.
  3. Poorly installed wire nut. As mentioned in other comments, the neutral wire nut at outlet 2 does not show any wire twist and might be loose. With the circuit off, tug on those wires to find out if they are secuely seated.
  4. GFCI missing or not yet identified. Because the GFCI required for this circuit would open and close the neutral and hot wires at the same time, it is possible you have one, maybe even in the panelboard, where the load neutral is not connected.
  5. Broken neutral wire. As you indicated the open neutral affects the whole circuit after the disposal, the problem has to be somewhere between the disposal and panelboard, so you can focus troubleshooting in those areas and not all of the outlets.
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  • Thanks for your answers! I do see another circuit in the same area that controls dish washer, refrige and compressor. and there is a GFCI located at bottom of the sink and trash compressor is plugged into that outlet and it is working (see updated photo). however, GFCI shows tripped, and I am not able to reset it. I pressed reset and it kept tripping and when I turn off the circuit and turn it back on, it shows tripped right away. How is the GFCI in another circuit link to the outlets that I am having open neutral issue? I did check voltage between neutral-to-ground is 0.
    – Vince Hung
    Commented Jul 8, 2023 at 16:36
  • @VinceHung There is not a simple answer for this. Kitchens normally have several circuits. The GFCI that won't reset is likely a separate problem not even related to your countertop outlets. It indicates the device is not connected properly or has failed.
    – Robert Chapin
    Commented Jul 8, 2023 at 16:41
  • Re "illegal rough-in of countertop circuits": If it was code compliant at the time this poster's house was built to use a white wire as a hot and marking it with black or red tape, then this is grandfathered, right? My undersink duplex "disposer receptacle" is on the same circuit as two countertop receptacles, and I am pretty sure it is in a switchloop so no line hot in the box. I think this was allowed when out house was built in 1970. Of course, it has not had a disposer on the circuit since the original disposer died about 30 years ago. Out food scraps go into the garbage.
    – Jim Stewart
    Commented Jul 8, 2023 at 19:58

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