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View Full Version : Why are half my kitchen outlets working, and half are not?


billcurry
Jan 9, 2011, 10:45 AM
Yesterday,
5 of my regular kitchen outlets stopped working (when tested, they had power until any one item would get plugged in, then they all test "dead".

3 GFCI's still worked throughout, unless I turned off the circuit breaker.

*the new item added in the last week to the load was a oil heating space heater on a GFCI outlet (hasn't tripped).


Here's what I tried:
-replaced the 20amp breaker with a new one, but it did not change the symptoms.
-tightened all the nuetrals on the ground strip in the box, no change.

Any ideas on what I should do to solve this problem?

ballengerb1
Jan 9, 2011, 11:18 AM
Can you clarify how you did this or what you mean by "(when tested, they had power until any one item would get plugged in"

Missouri Bound
Jan 9, 2011, 01:25 PM
Are the 5 outlets on the same circuit? Can you pull the first one in the circuit and check it's wiring? Is it "back stabbed" or is it wired to the screws? Are there any outlets on that circuit which work?

billcurry
Jan 9, 2011, 07:59 PM
To clarify: I had a small tester in the plug, which lit the red bulb on the tester until a lamp was plugged into one of the plugs on the circuit... then all would test as "dead".

billcurry
Jan 9, 2011, 08:01 PM
Yes, all 5 outlets are on same circuit. They are all wired to the screws. There are 3 outlets that work (all gfci's) running down the other kitchen wall.

Missouri Bound
Jan 9, 2011, 08:24 PM
How are the 5 connected to the other three? Are they wired AFTER those, or are they fed from a junction box that splits the feed?