Question Weird 240V Power Cord Hot Wire

[GabrielKnight01]

I have moved into a new house so im going around and testing the outlets with an outlet tester, I decided to use my multi meter on an extension cord I have, im in Australia I have 240 volts with to hot wires and an earth, my extension cord is giving a weird reading, on one hot wire with the other mulit meter probe in the earth I get 240 volts and if I measure the other hot wire and ground I get nothing but if I use both probes on both hot wires I get 240 volts, I have been reading that im supposed to be getting 120 volts from each hot wire but im getting only 240 from one and nothing from the other and my outlet tester says all is "ok" AC does not have polarity so do some makers of extension cords just combine both hot wires to one wire?

 

[Diddly]

In the UK only one wire is "live" carrying the 240V, then you have neutral and earth wires. I'm guessing Australia would be the same.

 

[makkem]

Hi
You are misunderstanding your electrical system.
You do not have two hot wires,you have a live ,a neutral and an earth.
The multimeter results are correct,L to N - 240V
L to E - 240V
N to E -0V