View Full Version : Eletrical problem with outlets
Rav80
Mar 7, 2010, 08:10 AM
Having a problem with my power outlets on my bedrooms of my house. Getting no power to them at all... I flip the breaker and went through the list of breakers in my box... have all power to lights and outlets in washrooms but I'm sure they all run off another breaker... any ideas? Thinking it could be the breaker itself but have no clue...
hkstroud
Mar 7, 2010, 08:36 AM
Not likely the breaker. Remove one of the outlets and tell us how the wires are connected to the outlet. Are they under the screws on the side or inserted in the little holes in the back?
Rav80
Mar 7, 2010, 12:04 PM
The wire's are connected on the side under the screws...
creahands
Mar 7, 2010, 02:27 PM
Some breakers have to be pushed to off position to reset.
When u find out what breakers control,mark it on chart that is on door. If no chart, make one.
Let us know if this helps.
Chuck
Rav80
Mar 7, 2010, 02:33 PM
All breakers are marked and have went through all of them... my house is only 4 years old , so not thinking it's the wiring but maybe a outlet itself in the system or breaker...
hkstroud
Mar 7, 2010, 03:07 PM
Most likely you have a bad connection somewhere. The reason for asking how outlets are wired is that the quick connect wiring method (using the little holes in the back) is notorious for developing bad connections after a period.
First thing I would do is make sure that no GFI breakers or outlets have tripped. A bedroom area should not be wired through a GFI but you never know what someone has done.
Next try to logically determine what else might be on the same circuit as the bedroom outlets. Keep in mind that the lights in one room are quite often on the same circuit as the outlets in another room.
If you have a meter or test light, check for voltage between the hot and the ground of one of the non working outlets. If you have voltage between the hot and ground you will know that the bad connection is in the neutral wire. You can also determine when you have turned off the breaker to that circuit and what else is on that circuit.
Then begin pulling outlets and switches to find the bad connection. The fault can be at an outlet, a switch or at a light fixture. The fault could be at a working or non working outlet, switch or light.
If you can't determine what else is on the same circuit as the non working outlets you will have to pull everything in that area of the house, looking for a loose wire, hot and neutral.
hkstroud
Mar 7, 2010, 03:33 PM
Do you have arc fault breakers for the bedroom areas?
Rav80
Mar 7, 2010, 06:30 PM
I believe I do... the breaker itself has a test button it... also all the outlets on the bedroom level are all connected, lights are on another breaker... outlets in the washrooms work, so I'm thinking they are running on the lights breaker... 12 outlets total on the bedroom level between the 3 rooms and landing area.. if this helps any...
hkstroud
Mar 7, 2010, 07:07 PM
The outlets would not be on the bathroom circuit.
Test and reset the arc fault breaker. Check outlets. If no power start looking for the bad connection. Should be limited to the outlets and any switches that control outlets.
Rav80
Mar 7, 2010, 07:17 PM
Finshed going through all the outlets found a outlet where one of the wires was loose around the screw... tightened every screw in every outlet and now have power once again.. I would really like to say Thank you for your help... the werid thing is it happened in the one outlet in my son's room that I'm sure has never been used... but any ways Thank you very much...
Rob
hkstroud
Mar 7, 2010, 07:22 PM
Great, and thanks for the feed back.