Detecting reversed polarity and/or bootleg grounded electrical outlets

1. A device comprising:

a hot test prong configured for electrical coupling a test transmitter with a hot line of an electrical circuit; and

a signal generator, coupled to the hot test prong, configured to generate a ping signal on the hot line.

2. The device of claim 1 ,

wherein the hot line is electrically coupled to a first electrical outlet; and

wherein the hot test prong is configured for insertion into a hot receptable of the first electrical outlet.

3. The device of claim 1 ,

wherein the hot line is electrically coupled to a circuit breaker;

wherein the circuit breaker couples the hot line to an external power line via a main hot line;

wherein the circuit breaker, when configured in an open-circuit configuration, electrically isolates the main hot line from the external power line; and

wherein the hot test prong is electrically coupled to the main hot line.

4. A device, comprising:

a hot receive prong configured for electrical coupling with a hot line of an electrical circuit; and

a signal receiver, coupled to the hot receive prong, configured to detect presence of a ping signal at the hot receive prong.

5. The device of claim 4 ,

wherein the ping signal is received over the hot line from a test transmitter coupled to the electrical circuit.

6. The device of claim 4 , further comprising:

a neutral receive prong, coupled to the signal receiver, configured for electrical coupling with a neutral line of the electrical circuit; and

wherein the signal receiver is further configured to detect presence of the ping signal at the neutral receive prong.

7. The device of claim 6 ,

wherein the ping signal is received over the neutral line from a test transmitter coupled to the hot line of the electrical circuit.

8. The device of claim 7 ,

wherein the signal receiver indicates a reversed polarity wiring configuration exists when the ping signal is detected at the neutral receive prong.

9. The device of claim 4 , further comprising:

a ground receive prong, coupled to the signal receiver, configured for electrical coupling with a ground line of the electrical circuit; and

wherein the signal receiver is further configured to detect when the ping signal is present at the ground receive prong.

10. The device of claim 9 ,

wherein the ping signal is received over the ground line from a test transmitter coupled to the hot line of the electrical circuit.

11. The device of claim 10 ,

wherein the signal receiver generates a bootleg ground condition signal when the ping signal is detected at the ground receive prong.

12. The device of claim 10 ,

wherein the signal receiver utilizes time domain reflectometry to detect a bootleg ground configuration of the electrical circuit.

13. The device of claim 9 , further comprising:

a neutral receive prong, coupled to the signal receiver, configured for electrical coupling with a neutral line of the electrical circuit; and

wherein the signal receiver generates a reverse polarity bootleg ground condition signal when the ping signal is detected at the ground receive prong and at the neutral receive prong.

14. The device of claim 4 , further comprising:

an output module, coupled to the signal receiver, configured to provide a humanly perceptible output indicative of a fault condition in the electrical circuit.

15. The device of claim 14 ,

wherein the fault condition is at least one of a bootleg ground configuration and a reverse polarity bootleg ground configuration of the electrical circuit.

16. The device of claim 4 , further comprising:

a wireless communications interface module, coupled to the signal receiver, configured to communicate a fault condition signal to a mobile device.

17. The device of claim 16 ,

wherein the signal receiver is further configured to generate the fault condition signal when the ping signal is detected on at least one of a neutral line and a ground line for the electrical circuit.

18. The device of claim 16 ,

wherein the signal receiver is further configured to determine whether a test result of Table 1 occurs and generate the fault condition signal when the test result is one of a bootleg ground and a reversed polarity bootleg ground.

19. A method comprising:

generating a ping at a hot terminal of an electrical outlet coupled to an electrical circuit; and

wherein the ping is generated for use by a test receiver, coupled to the electrical circuit at a second electrical outlet, in determining whether a bootleg ground configuration exists for the electrical circuit.

20. The method of claim 19 ,

Wherein the ping is generated for use by the test receiver in determining whether a reverse polarity bootleg ground wiring configuration exists for the electrical outlet.