Bad Circuit
 

A neighbor came over today and said she tripped the circuit and when she re-set
it, the outlet did not work. I went over and checked the breaker on the meter
and it tested good, but the outlet did not work. I pulled the outlet and it
appeared good, I put the meter on the wires and nothing. I then replaced the
breaker figuring that may be it and nothing. There are six outlets on this
breaker and the one I pulled I believe is the first one in the line.

What am I missing?

Thanks for your help

Chris

A neighbor came over today and said she tripped the circuit and when she re-set
it, the outlet did not work. I went over and checked the breaker on the meter
and it tested good, but the outlet did not work. I pulled the outlet and it
appeared good, I put the meter on the wires and nothing. I then replaced the
breaker figuring that may be it and nothing. There are six outlets on this
breaker and the one I pulled I believe is the first one in the line.

What am I missing?

If there's power on the wire where it leaves the breaker, and
not on the wire where it enters the outlet-box, then there's
a break somewhere between them. It's possible that the wire
itself is broken somewhere, but it's more likely that you're
wrong about this being the first outlet on the branch.

"ChrisGW" wrote in message
...
A neighbor came over today and said she tripped the circuit and when she
re-set
it, the outlet did not work. I went over and checked the breaker on the
meter
and it tested good, but the outlet did not work. I pulled the outlet and
it
appeared good, I put the meter on the wires and nothing. I then replaced
the
breaker figuring that may be it and nothing. There are six outlets on this
breaker and the one I pulled I believe is the first one in the line.

What am I missing?

Thanks for your help

Chris


Sounds like a GFCI circuit. You fail to mention where in the home this is?
Bathrooms? Kitchen? Age of the home?
If you tested the breaker and it was delivering power why replace it?

ChrisGW wrote:
A neighbor came over today and said she tripped the circuit and when she
re-set it, the outlet did not work. I went over and checked the breaker on
the meter and it tested good, but the outlet did not work. I pulled the
outlet and it appeared good, I put the meter on the wires and nothing. I
then replaced the breaker figuring that may be it and nothing. There are
six outlets on this breaker and the one I pulled I believe is the first
one
in the line.
What am I missing?

Thanks for your help

Chris

I suggest that you look at all the GFCI's. Look in the Kitchen, bath,
garage, basement and outside. I'll bet one of them is really upstream from
the non-functioning outlets and is tripped.

I suggest that you mark all those outlets as being protected by a GFCI
and where it is located. It happens a lot. I have even seen labels made
just for this.

--
Joseph E. Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math

Stop using the meter and test the circuit with a light bulb and pigtail
socket. Are the wires on the receptacle stabbed into the back or are they
tight around the screws? If they are in the back, replace the receptacle
and connect it using pigtails around the screws.

You should also check for a loose neutral connection in the circuit breaker
panel. Tighten all of the screws on the neutral bus bar.

Are the other five receptacles working? Is there anything else not working?
How old is the house? Is there a possibility that this outlet is also
protected by a GFI receptacle located somewhere else?


John Grabowski
http://www.mrelectrician.tv



"ChrisGW" wrote in message
...
A neighbor came over today and said she tripped the circuit and when she
re-set
it, the outlet did not work. I went over and checked the breaker on the
meter
and it tested good, but the outlet did not work. I pulled the outlet and
it
appeared good, I put the meter on the wires and nothing. I then replaced
the
breaker figuring that may be it and nothing. There are six outlets on this
breaker and the one I pulled I believe is the first one in the line.

What am I missing?

Thanks for your help

Chris

John Grabowski wrote:
Stop using the meter and test the circuit with a light bulb and pigtail
socket. Are the wires on the receptacle stabbed into the back or are they
tight around the screws? If they are in the back, replace the receptacle
and connect it using pigtails around the screws.

The wires are screwed on. I have checked with pig tail light. No good

You should also check for a loose neutral connection in the circuit breaker
panel. Tighten all of the screws on the neutral bus bar.


I checked the neutral bar already and everything was tight.


Are the other five receptacles working? Is there anything else not working?
How old is the house? Is there a possibility that this outlet is also
protected by a GFI receptacle located somewhere else?


No GFI in play here. Just 5 receptacles on this circuit.



John Grabowski
http://www.mrelectrician.tv



"ChrisGW" wrote in message
...

A neighbor came over today and said she tripped the circuit and when she

re-set

it, the outlet did not work. I went over and checked the breaker on the

meter

and it tested good, but the outlet did not work. I pulled the outlet and

it

appeared good, I put the meter on the wires and nothing. I then replaced

the

breaker figuring that may be it and nothing. There are six outlets on this
breaker and the one I pulled I believe is the first one in the line.

What am I missing?

Thanks for your help

Chris

ChrisGW wrote:
John Grabowski wrote:
Stop using the meter and test the circuit with a light bulb and pigtail
socket. Are the wires on the receptacle stabbed into the back or are
they
tight around the screws? If they are in the back, replace the receptacle
and connect it using pigtails around the screws.

The wires are screwed on. I have checked with pig tail light. No good

You should also check for a loose neutral connection in the circuit
breaker
panel. Tighten all of the screws on the neutral bus bar.


I checked the neutral bar already and everything was tight.


Are the other five receptacles working? Is there anything else not
working? How old is the house? Is there a possibility that this outlet
is
also protected by a GFI receptacle located somewhere else?


No GFI in play here. Just 5 receptacles on this circuit.

You are really sure of that????

Are these outlets all original? Could there be a switched circuit
involved?




John Grabowski
http://www.mrelectrician.tv



"ChrisGW" wrote in message
...

A neighbor came over today and said she tripped the circuit and when she

re-set

it, the outlet did not work. I went over and checked the breaker on the

meter

and it tested good, but the outlet did not work. I pulled the outlet and

it

appeared good, I put the meter on the wires and nothing. I then replaced

the

breaker figuring that may be it and nothing. There are six outlets on
this
breaker and the one I pulled I believe is the first one in the line.

What am I missing?

Thanks for your help

Chris

--
Joseph E. Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math

Joseph Meehan wrote:
ChrisGW wrote:

John Grabowski wrote:

Stop using the meter and test the circuit with a light bulb and pigtail
socket. Are the wires on the receptacle stabbed into the back or are
they
tight around the screws? If they are in the back, replace the receptacle
and connect it using pigtails around the screws.


The wires are screwed on. I have checked with pig tail light. No good


You should also check for a loose neutral connection in the circuit
breaker
panel. Tighten all of the screws on the neutral bus bar.


I checked the neutral bar already and everything was tight.



Are the other five receptacles working? Is there anything else not
working? How old is the house? Is there a possibility that this outlet
is
also protected by a GFI receptacle located somewhere else?


No GFI in play here. Just 5 receptacles on this circuit.


You are really sure of that????

Are these outlets all original? Could there be a switched circuit
involved?



I just got back from the neighbors. Double checking everything. I found a
ceiling light and switch in a closet on the same circuit. Hard to get to so I
told her I would check that on Monday. (Striper Season (rock fish) is open and I
have been up since 4am) That is the only thing left to check and by following
the cable from the breaker panel into the house ( this is how I found the light)
the light is first in line.


Thanks for your help. Any more ideas are welcome

Chris

My thoughts are to open up the other five outlets to see what is going on.
Another possibility is that there is another junction box somewhere that you
are unaware of. Perhaps where a switch or light is located. The problem
could be located in an outlet, switch, or light that is still working. If
it is an older house, there could be hidden splices buried from past
remodeling jobs.

What was your neighbor doing that made the circuit breaker trip in the first
place? The answer to that question may provide a clue.



"ChrisGW" wrote in message
...
John Grabowski wrote:
Stop using the meter and test the circuit with a light bulb and pigtail
socket. Are the wires on the receptacle stabbed into the back or are
they
tight around the screws? If they are in the back, replace the
receptacle
and connect it using pigtails around the screws.

The wires are screwed on. I have checked with pig tail light. No good

You should also check for a loose neutral connection in the circuit
breaker
panel. Tighten all of the screws on the neutral bus bar.


I checked the neutral bar already and everything was tight.


Are the other five receptacles working? Is there anything else not
working?
How old is the house? Is there a possibility that this outlet is also
protected by a GFI receptacle located somewhere else?


No GFI in play here. Just 5 receptacles on this circuit.



John Grabowski
http://www.mrelectrician.tv



"ChrisGW" wrote in message
...

A neighbor came over today and said she tripped the circuit and when she

re-set

it, the outlet did not work. I went over and checked the breaker on the

meter

and it tested good, but the outlet did not work. I pulled the outlet and

it

appeared good, I put the meter on the wires and nothing. I then replaced

the

breaker figuring that may be it and nothing. There are six outlets on
this
breaker and the one I pulled I believe is the first one in the line.

What am I missing?

Thanks for your help

Chris

John Grabowski wrote:
My thoughts are to open up the other five outlets to see what is going on.
Another possibility is that there is another junction box somewhere that you
are unaware of. Perhaps where a switch or light is located. The problem
could be located in an outlet, switch, or light that is still working. If
it is an older house, there could be hidden splices buried from past
remodeling jobs.

What was your neighbor doing that made the circuit breaker trip in the first
place? The answer to that question may provide a clue.


I opened the first outlet in the run and the last. Found nothing. As stated in
my earlier post I followed the cable from the breaker panel and that is how I
found the light. There does not seem to be anything else.

I re-checked the neutral and it is tight. The only splice that I found was in
the first outlet in the run and that is just to extend to the new breaker panel
when the house electric was upgraded years ago. Having said that it is hard to
tell whether the ceiling light I found is first or second in the run, but I will
know Monday when I check that.

Thanks for your help

Chris

ChrisGW wrote:



I just got back from the neighbors. Double checking everything. I found a
ceiling light and switch in a closet on the same circuit. Hard to get to
so
I told her I would check that on Monday. (Striper Season (rock fish) is
open and I have been up since 4am)

Not good to mess with high voltage without sleep. :-)

That is the only thing left to check and
by following the cable from the breaker panel into the house ( this is how
I found the light) the light is first in line.


Thanks for your help. Any more ideas are welcome

Chris

--
Joseph E. Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math

If the wires are in the "stab in" holes in the back, that's likely to give
you all kinds of problems.

Like the other fellow said, follow it back. Also if it's getting power on
the meter but not working, trace the wire from the breaker up to where it
goes into the romex, and then trace back the white (neutral) wire. Make sure
that's tight in the neutral bar.

I had a case the one time that was driving me crazy. Outlet reads fine on
the testers, but would not run appliance. Finally the gal said she saw it
sparking "up there" and I tightened all the neutrals. Problem solved.

--

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
www.mormons.com


"ChrisGW" wrote in message
...
A neighbor came over today and said she tripped the circuit and when she
re-set
it, the outlet did not work. I went over and checked the breaker on the
meter
and it tested good, but the outlet did not work. I pulled the outlet and it
appeared good, I put the meter on the wires and nothing. I then replaced the
breaker figuring that may be it and nothing. There are six outlets on this
breaker and the one I pulled I believe is the first one in the line.

What am I missing?

Thanks for your help

Chris

Stormin Mormon wrote:
If the wires are in the "stab in" holes in the back, that's likely to give
you all kinds of problems.

Like the other fellow said, follow it back. Also if it's getting power on
the meter but not working, trace the wire from the breaker up to where it
goes into the romex, and then trace back the white (neutral) wire. Make sure
that's tight in the neutral bar.

I had a case the one time that was driving me crazy. Outlet reads fine on
the testers, but would not run appliance. Finally the gal said she saw it
sparking "up there" and I tightened all the neutrals. Problem solved.



Thanks, but I solved it. It turns out the light (see previous post) was where
the problem was. Socket was completely burned.

Thanks to everyone for your help.

Stormin Mormon posted for all of us....

I had a case the one time that was driving me crazy. Outlet reads fine on
the testers, but would not run appliance. Finally the gal said she saw it
sparking "up there" and I tightened all the neutrals. Problem solved.

hey stumped I think you reached that destination already, no need to drive.

Sparking "up where" in the sky? That's lightning - coming to get you.
--
Tekkie