House wiring is about 25 years old (built 1979). Aluminum wiring.

Residential home. I did check other outlets, lights, breakers etc. They all
seem to work. Voltages at the breaker panel measured about 130 volts to
a ground wire. (I did not test to neutral). Voltages at all receptacles is
in the range of 124.6 to 124 8.


So it was easy to narrow down to one circuit.
I pulled apart the switch boxes, and two fixtures, plus a ceiling box that was
originally used for a ceiling light, checking all connections.

There is power up to a receptacle
box..... and (after testing continuity at different boxes) I finally got to
the point where I could identify the first ceiling fixture junction box after
the receptacle. At this fixture junction I removed the fixture and pulled apart the hot
and neutral connections andcontinuity tested every wire using a DVM to find which
pair of wires went to the receptacle and which continued to other fixtures.

And then, I connected the two wires together at the fixture junction box (power
off)..... and disconnected them from the preceding receptacle.. No continuity in this
loop. I checked the hot (black) from receptacle to fixture and that had continuity. but
the neutral did not.

Also powered on the circuit and used a light probe to ground to check for voltage. There
was voltage
at the first fixture junction box and nothing at anything beyond that point..
which makes sense because I had disconnected everything else from
that fixture box.

A three prong electrical tester showed all receptacles to be wired correctly.

I was up in the attic looking for squirrels, there was no way they could have
gotten to the wiring.

That's why I'm confused because usually wires in the wall are usually solid,
except when conditions change for whatever reason, construction, damage
overheating, etc. But everything was normal...and suddenly it didn't work.

I don't have much more than the standard experience with switches, fixtures
and receptacle so feel a little over my head at this point.









On Thu, 02 Jun 2005 09:43:10 -0400, Phil Munro wrote:

Perhaps you should tell us whether or not you knob and tube wiring,
and what the age of the house is. It your wiring is K&T, then it is
definitely possible that a junction inside a wall/ceiling area is bad.
Otherwise, everything shared by others should be considered. --Phil

Peter wrote:
Help and expertise desperately needed....

My kitchen lighting circuit is not working.

Circuit breaker checks out and I have a ceiling/fan and receptacle in
another room on the same circuit that works. When checking the romex
cable coming off the receptacle to the first kitchen light..the black wire
has continuity, but the white (neutral) does not. I disconnected the wire
pair at both ends, (fixture and receptacle) and connected wires together.
Tested with no continuity.

Final test.... I ran another neutral from the panel to the first fixture and all the
lights are working.

So it looks as if the neutral is defective. But it's about 15 feet away
from the fixture, traveling inside a wall and through the ceiling.

How does one replace a cable run in the wall. Does this mean
tearing down the sheetrock both on the ceiling and in the wall???

Are there tools or meters available that test out a break in a wire ???

I'm thinking that hiring an electrician might be a good idea ??? Can they
do this job faster than a DIY'er and approximately what would they charge ??

Thanking you in advance for your help and recommendations !!!

Peter