Home Improvement → Re: Hot/Neutral reversed in an old house

I was nearly killed as a child from a shock from a fridge with the same issue - receptacle polarity wired backwards. For some reason, I was touching the metal chasis of the range, and reached over to open the fridge. The shock went through my heart and put me into convulsions.

Best bet is for your dad (or you) to hire an electrician to fix it. Save up some money and pay for it yourself. Make your parents proud. It will be better than someone in your family getting killed over a relatively simple repair for a pro.

PS - my home from 1930 has all original 2-prong polarized receptacles; same as Patcat. (This of course excludes the ones that have been replaced with 3-prong devices.)

OT but whizkid3 do know when they started using polarized outlets/plugs? I remember getting shocked from radios and TVs but don't remember the outlets.

Also got zapped from a vending machine, in a factory, we were working on. Seems the plant electrician reversed the wires.

Someone probably used a metal file on the neutral prong. I have a couple plastic 18 gauge (yes 18, yes they have an UL E number on them) extension cords with GE molded into them, atleast 30 years old. The socket on the end is NOT polarized and the plug is not polarized. To get *some* polarized plugs in takes alot of force to deform the soft plastic on the socket to force the prong in, some polarized plugs just wont go in without a dangerous (stab my hand or break the soft plastic of the socket open) amount of force. I rarely use the 18g cords due to safety reasons and them not taking polarized plugs easily.