Replies

1. 
   Rav | Jul 07, 2003 04:43pm | #1

   Is there a GFI on the circuit? If a GFI is on this circuit and it's tripped, everything down the line will be dead as well. (It cost me $160.00 for a service call to find out the hard way) Rest the GFI.

   Regards

   Robert

1. 
   darrel | Jul 07, 2003 05:14pm | #2

   Thanks, RRava...actually, that's what I suspected at first as well. But, I reset all of the GCFIs in the house and still...dead outlet.

   Good tip, though!

1. 
   Sancho | Jul 07, 2003 05:31pm | #3

   I would at the very first flip the switches a the panel to see if one needs resettinng. You should do it anyway to ID the breakers. Next I would check for GFI Y/N If N pull outlet and see if its good or not.

   Butthats how I would began also check the other outlets on that circuit while your at it. depending on the way its wired it could also be another outlet gone bad or somethiing as simplle as a lose connection.  

   Darkworks:  No Guns No Butter squilla and the bling bling.

1. 
   JeffBuck | Jul 07, 2003 07:54pm | #8

   Ron...

   This is a family site.

   And this thread was going very nicely....

   Till U started calling someone a "butt-hat"!

   In plural, no less......"butthats"!

   Some people are just plain mean.

   I don't even think that's a real insult, is it?

   Butt Hat?

   Just what the hell does that mean.......

   JeffBuck Construction   Pittsburgh,PA

    Fine Carpentery.....While U Waite                  

1. 
   Sancho | Jul 07, 2003 09:03pm | #10

   Butt hat...I got to remember that one hehehe I know just who to user that on hehehehe<G> 

   Darkworks:  No Guns No Butter squilla and the bling bling.

2. 
   darrel | Jul 08, 2003 06:45am | #11

   hey...thanks for all the advice.

   It's definitely a dead outlet (did the tester thing and all) and it appears to be the only outlet on the circuit...though I need to do all of the basement outlets yet. It's copper wiring. Unforunately, the last time we had an electrician in, he didn't actually map out the circuits as we had requested.

   So, yea...it's something I should get around to doing anyways...

2. 
   dIrishInMe | Jul 07, 2003 05:32pm | #4

   I'm not an electrician by any means, but if it were me, I'd first check all the other outlets in the room and adjecent rooms to see if they were working, to try to get a handle on how localized the problem is.  Normally, outlets are chained together, so, if a circuit is bad, several will go out. 

   If it is indeed just the one outlet, remove the outlet cover, carefully remove the 2 screws holding the box, and very carefully pull the outlet out.  If it is a metal box, modify the outlet removal insturctions to read "very very carefully"!  Now look at the wiring on the back of the outlet device to check for loose wires, burn marks, etc. 

   BTW - what is the location of the outlet: bedroom - bathroom - kitchen - outdoors, etc? Matt

2. 
   Len | Jul 07, 2003 06:21pm | #5

   Do you have a circuit tester? Just one of the little lights that when you plug in it tells you if you have power. I think they only cost $10 or so.

   I've seen an outlet overheat and break the connection inside.

   Test the outlet and the others in the room. If it's a problem with the outlet and the plugs are chained together. (They usually are) then then one side will be hot and the other side will not. (Unless this is the last outlet in the chain.) To find the circuit have someone watch the tester on the live outlet and flip breakers, one at a time. Once you locate the breaker you can safely remove the outlet and replace it.

   If you are not comfortable doing any of this call a Pro.

   You should map out you breakers anyway. This will help you in the future if anything should happen again.

   Hope this helps,

   Len

3. 
   BillHartmann | Jul 07, 2003 06:26pm | #6

   A SHORT circuit would cause excess current to flow and cause the breaker to trip.

   The is caused by an open or "near open" circuit. The fault might not be at the bad outlet. It might be at the one feeding it.

   Go through the house and feel the other outlets. Check the ones that are in the same room and in the room that backs up to this wall. If an of them are more than just very slightly warm then stop using ANY outlets on that circuit.

4. 
   billyg83440 | Jul 07, 2003 07:30pm | #7

   Well, I'd start by seeing if there is power to the outlet box.

   I'll explain my procedure, you sound unsure of yourself though, so my first step would be to go to the library or bookstore and get a good illustrated basic wiring book for reference. Timelife and others put out pretty good ones. (About $20).

   I'd first plug an outlet tester into the outlet. If any lights light up, there's power, and it'll probably tell you if there's an open neutral, ect.. Then I'd take the outlet cover off and look inside with a flashlight (I've found a wire that pulled loose this way before). If the wires are pushed into the back of the outlet, this is a common problem. Next I'd take a power sensing probe next to the power screws to see if it lights up. If it does, there's power to the box, and the problem is with the outlet (burned out, wire pulled out of back ect.).

   If there's power in the box, have a helper start turning breakers off until you find the circuit it's on. Then pull the outlet out and reconnect the loose wire or replace it. If it's a push in the back connection outlet, either switch the wires to the screws, or replace it, those things are nothing but trouble.

   If there's no power in the box, then the problem is upstream. Since you don't know what else is on the circuit, this can be time consumming. Put a plug in tester in all outlets in that area of the house to see if any other outlets have problems. Try to figure out where power to the bad outlet comes from.

   Unfortunately, if you have push in connections, the most likely cause is that a wire has pulled out somewhere. Since the wires powering the outlet with the bad connection are still connected, the outlet that is no longer sending power downstream will still work. So, now you have to start pulling outlets out near the offending one and checking connections until you find the bad one.

   If you have to do this, and they are push in connections, just replace the outlets as you go (replace with 20 amp outlets, and pigtail the connections). Take your wiring book and see how to do this. I say replace the outlets, because these types of problems are common with this type of wiring. Yet, many houses are done this way as it's by far the fastest way to install outlets.

   If your house has aluminum wiring, I'd call an electrician, that stuff sucks.

   You may find some useful info at these sites:

   http://doityourself.com/electric/index.htm

   http://www.homewiringandmore.com/

   
   

   ---

   Edited 7/7/2003 12:42:56 PM ET by BILLYG83440

5. 
   geob21 | Jul 07, 2003 08:01pm | #9

   Is wiring copper or aluminum?

   _____________________________________________________

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