Duplex outlet with 2 hot blacks, one hot white, a neutral and a ground. Oh yeah, connected to two breakers too. Can anyone help me unravel this mess?
I was planning to switch out this kitchen outlet to a GFCI when I found this mess. Two hot blacks, and two whites (one of them hot) spliced and then connected to the neutral side. I'm not sure what to do, but I'd like to have a GFCI on this outlet.
Upon testing with a multimeter, I got the following readings:
Ground to Black 1: 121.5
Ground to Black 2: 115
Ground to Hot White (which it was spliced to): 119.6
Ground to Neutral: 0
Black 1 to Black 2: 236
Black 1 to Hot White: 240
Black 2 to Hot White: 2.8
When I turn off breaker 2, and leave breaker 1 on, I get the following readings:
Black 1 to Ground: 0
Black 2 to Ground: 115
Hot White to Ground: 119
When I turn off breaker 1 and leave breaker 2 on, I get the following readings:
Black 1 to Ground: 121
Black 2 to Ground: 0
Hot White to Ground: 0
In addition to all this, when I had the wires disconnected from the duplex, all the other outlets in the kitchen (with the exception of one) had a reading of "HOT/GRD REV" on my outlet tester. When the mystery outlet is wired as it was before, all the same outlets read CORRECT.
I'd love to get a GFCI outlet installed, and to also know that my house is correctly and safely wired, especially as we have an infant.
Does anyone know what the heck is going on with this outlet?
Here are some photos: