Electrical Outlet - Help

Yes that would be a bad contact in the outlet. If the jumper bars between the terminals on each side are intact, the only reason for the top part to work different from the bottom would be that the outlet itself is bad.
 
I’ll second that you should test the individual wires, but since the top outlet works, I’m guessing it’s the entire receptacle.

Get yourself a volt meter. Check hot to neutral and hot to ground.
 
It would make more sense to just add a ground wire. Now there up to code and costs less.
It still wouldn’t be grounded though. The only thing a 3 prong would do is make your life easier with 3 prong cords.

If you want it grounded, but only have non grounded receptacles and wire, a GFI upstream of the other plugs would fix that.
 
Sometimes the wire are loose under the wire nut.
It happened to mine.
The electrician found it when he is hooking up attic fan to the circuit.

If that is not the case, then just buy a new one.
If you want it to be good, buy the commercial grade, it cost double, $1.20 instead of 69 cents
 
Are commercial grade outlets that cheap now ? I'm replacing all of our outlets with decora style outlets and am putting in commercial grade in various locations (all of the kitchen counter outlets are commercial grade) along with the ones that we typically plug/unplug things (vacuum). They're costing me $5+ each.
 
Are commercial grade outlets that cheap now ? I'm replacing all of our outlets with decora style outlets and am putting in commercial grade in various locations (all of the kitchen counter outlets are commercial grade) along with the ones that we typically plug/unplug things (vacuum). They're costing me $5+ each.
They were never really that much, you need to shop around or shop online. Maybe they're just out of the cheaper ones at your store.


The non tamper resistant ones are even cheaper.

 
Are commercial grade outlets that cheap now ? I'm replacing all of our outlets with decora style outlets and am putting in commercial grade in various locations (all of the kitchen counter outlets are commercial grade) along with the ones that we typically plug/unplug things (vacuum). They're costing me $5+ each.
I went with an Industrial Grade outlet in my bedroom where I run my 1500 watt heater........ it was about $4

 
They were never really that much, you need to shop around or shop online. Maybe they're just out of the cheaper ones at your store.
Decora

Now that I think about it, I don't think they were $5+ when I bought them, that's just the price of them now, so I think the price of them has went up (like many things have). I want to say they were $4 and some change....
 
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It still wouldn’t be grounded though. The only thing a 3 prong would do is make your life easier with 3 prong cords.

If you want it grounded, but only have non grounded receptacles and wire, a GFI upstream of the other plugs would fix that.
Your Right >>>>>>>>>>>

 
Are commercial grade outlets that cheap now ? I'm replacing all of our outlets with decora style outlets and am putting in commercial grade in various locations (all of the kitchen counter outlets are commercial grade) along with the ones that we typically plug/unplug things (vacuum). They're costing me $5+ each.

Honestly I buy hospital grade Lev-Lok outlets online. Very high quality.
 
It would make more sense to just add a ground wire. Now there up to code and costs less.
There's probably knob and tube wiring somewhere. That's not up to code.If you are sure about that, I can't figure why you would be asking the original question in the first place and not just simply replace the outlet.
 
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