MJR wrote:
To all posters so far thanks. here are some additional comments

1. The circuit breaker never flipped to off by itself, I identified it
and switched it off and on, to no avail
and then switched it off for the day as a safety measure.
2. There are 3 wall outlets in the garage 2 with external GFI buttons,
with both when I hit reset and hold it , I feel a subtle clicking
noise, when I push the test button, the glow tester in the outlet goes
off, when I release the test button the glow tester goes on. the reset
button never "pops out" as I have seen with some other GFI outlets.
3. there are no other outlets or switches that I know of between the
conduit leaving the house and that entering the garage. alowing with
the hot and neutral wires, there is a 3 way switch bundle for an
outside light on the garage, with switches in my kitchen and in the
garage.

I think I will replace or check the circuit - in the interest of
safety, I will have my wife actually swap it out :-)

Try disconnecting the downstream wires at the GFIs. If things work
normal (other than what would be out because you disconnected parts of the
circuit, then I would guess you have a fault on the circuit you just
disconnected.

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia duit