A receptacle tester helps verify which aspect?

• A. Wiring polarity and outlet condition
• B. Outlet voltage rating
• C. Outlet color coding
• D. Outlet location mapping

Answer: (A)

A receptacle tester is used to quickly verify the wiring configuration of a standard outlet, focusing on whether the hot and neutral are wired correctly and whether a proper ground is present. The device flashes or lights in specific patterns to indicate common conditions like correct polarity, reversed polarity, open ground, open neutral, or open hot. This helps ensure electrical safety by confirming the outlet is wired as intended, without swapping hot and neutral or lacking a ground.

It isn’t meant to assess how much voltage the outlet supplies or its voltage rating, which would require a different measurement tool. It also doesn’t evaluate cosmetic aspects like color coding or determine where outlets are located, which are outside the tester’s purpose.