"Mike Dobony" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 25 Oct 2008 14:13:37 -0400, John Grabowski wrote:

"Mike Dobony" wrote in message
...
I have a dead outlet, but no breakers are tripped. Is there a way to
trace
these unpowered circuits? I have a circuit tracer, but it only works on
powered lines. Thanks.

Mike D.


Forget about a tracer. Start by opening up the dead outlets. Look for
loose connections and burnt or broken wires. This problem is
characteristic
of back stabbed outlets, but not limited to them. If you don't find
anything wrong go to the nearest receptacles or switches that are still
working and open them up.

Already did that. All connections are secure and wires in good shape. In
addition, all the boxes have only one wire pair, which means there are
junctions in the ceiling somewhere.


Junction boxes can be anywhere. Basement, attic or buried in a ceiling or
wall. Many years ago I found a buried junction box using a radio, a PA
transformer, a telephone pick up coil and a handheld tape recorder. I
hooked up the radio's speaker output to the PA transformer and connected one
side from that to the rigid metal conduit that contained the wiring. I
forget where I connected the other lead. Using the telephone pick up coil
plugged into the mic input on the tape recorder I was able to hear the music
from the radio radiating out from the floor and wall and found the box.

You may be able to rent a tracer that does the same thing or perhaps a
telephone tone tracer and pick up might work.