Rant: just found out most outlet testers lie about bootleg grounds

Picked up a Klein tester at Home Depot yesterday and after reading the manual realized it can't tell the difference between a real ground and a bootleg ground, so if you're using one to check old wiring you're basically gambling, has anyone else found this out the hard way?

3 comments

3 Comments

wade_anderson4d ago

Even the expensive Fluke ones have that problem too, it's a well known issue in the trade. You gotta use a three-light tester with a built-in GFCI test to even have a shot at catching bootleg grounds.

sethm584d ago

But is anyone actually testing with a three-light tester regularly enough to catch it before it bites them? I've seen guys swear by the cheap two-prong testers and ignore the fancy ones entirely. Feels like the issue is more about getting people to use the right tool than what brand it is.

perry.jesse4d ago

Wait, hold on - "bootleg grounds"? That's a real thing people are actually dealing with? @wade_anderson that's wild, I always thought a ground was a ground no matter what tester you used.