Hi,

We have just moved into a house and now and again the a circuit will break resulting in the bathroom lights turning off along with 2 x bedroom lights a the living room light.

This morning I noticed a burning small coming from the bathroom and am starting to get worried.

any ideas what it can be? My only idea is the bathroom light?

What gets me is what caused the overload in the first place. Try to identify the initiating culprit. If you're saying this just happens over night when no one turned on an appliance and the circuit just blew on its own then you should be very worried.

Let me know what you find initiating the issue. Can you answer these questions?

1. How many circuits in house?
2. What and how many receptacles and fixtures are on circuit that blew.
3. Do you think you have any aluminum wiring in the house? (If so. It should be copper)
4. Do you have any extension cords mysteriously going here or there in partially concealed areas?

This one circuit can flick over at any time, with nothing being turned on... so basically last night everything was turned off, the bathroom lights didn't turn on this morning so I flicked it back on, then that's when we noticed the burning smell

On the circuit are as follows - 2 bed room main lights (sockets still work)... bathroom light, living room light. I have noticed every time I flick the switch back on the living room light comes back on even when it was turned off before it flicked

The living room light is a dimmer/fan type light and has a remote that turns it off/on etc.

No extension cords are on this circuit, I do have them round the house but all still work when the one circuit breaks.

I am not sure what does how many circuits you have means to your problem.

If the wiring is aluminum, there are other remedy's besides replacing all with copper, which is not very practical to replace all wiring in an existing home.


The smell could be coming from a loose connection at any switch or receptacle, since the smell is in the bathroom, most likely whatever device is in there.

The possible loose connection can get hot while the bathroom is not being used, depending on the current passing through to another fixture or appliance that may be on the circuit. Once a connection gets hot, the circuit can open and cause the circuit or certain lights and outlets to stop operating, and start operating again later when the connection cools down.

This burning smell is not going to go away on its own. If your not knowledgeable enough about wiring, I suggest you contact a service electrician quickly and find the reason for the smell ASAP.

Before you need fire trucks.

O.K. Try to find an electrician with a reasonable hourly rate. It may take some time for him to trace the issue.

Here's what you may have. Light fixtures are often over lamped over the years in a house. This results in cooking the insulation around the wiring, which often causes shorts or sometimes loose wire nut connections. You've seen a wire nut before. Those funny looking thimbles used to twist wire together. Also some seasoned electrcians and amatuers don't know how to connect them(They twist the wire before insertion of wire nut). Those conditions could exist but be easily found by a competent electrician.

My money says its at the light fixture in the bathroom. I've seen this issue more than once. It's pretty obvious when found.You may have to have the sparky pull new wire in that area because once the wire end insulation is deteriorated you almost always need to pull new wire. Some old timer quick fix tricks are not the best way to go.

P.S. Don't delay on this one. Faulty wiring does not wait for homeowners!

Many thanks, I have an electrician coming tomorrow morning, in the mean time I'm leaving that circuit switched off.

Thank you, electrician is coming out tomorrow morning.

Ivan,

What are you talking about, with respect to twisting the wires together.

The NEC does not prohibit the practice, nor does it require the wires to be twisted.

However, since a wire nut is a pressure device, twisting the wires together will add to the strength of the connection.

Where you get in trouble is if you twist the wires in the wrong direction. For example, twisting the wires in a counter-clockwise direction and then twisting the wire nut in a clock-wise direction, which will loosen the connected wires.

You've seen a wire nut before. Those funny looking thimbles used to twist wire together. Also some seasoned electrcians and amatuers don't know how to connect them(They twist the wire before insertion of wire nut). Yeah, I agree with Don. I have no idea what this inaccurate statement has to do with the situation.

Regarding wirenuts, this seasoned electrician will be twisting wires before installing any wire connector.

Regarding the theory that the light fixture is the problem, how does a light fixture that may have overheated insulation on the wires shut off the circuit?

Wrong! Read the instructions on the box! They typically say in bold " DO NOT TWIST". Dude what else can I tell you. Follow the manufacturer's instructions. Go get a box and see for yourself. I also learned this by electrician.

They typically say in bold " DO NOT TWIST".WRONG!

They typically say "pre-twisting not necessary". I AM an electrician and I know this for a fact.

You say you learned this from an electrician? He was wrong as well then.

Can you find me typical?

IDEAL INDUSTRIES, INC. - Twist-on Wire Connectors (http://www.wirenut.com/products/wire_termination/twist-on/)

3 M Products (http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/3MElectrical/Home/ProductsServices/ProductCatalog/?PC_7_RJH9U52300RQ50ISL93Q0T24Q5_nid=LMD7GKM7BHbe7 Z8SB3Q0VCgl)

There is not a twist on wire connector that will require wires not to be twisted, this is the basic splice method that is tried and true.

Some are marketed to be a labor saving means to allow twisting not required.

Ivan welcome to the group, I will add please be ready to quote chapter and verse of the electric code on here. Most of our experts are professionals or in the business for years.
And there are many differences in home do it yourself and commercial, even different codes for commercial work.

I will leave you a note, most of the web sites on electric wire tie connections all show a professional electrician always twists them first

Wire Connectors - What are Wire Connectors (http://electrical.about.com/od/electricalbasics/a/wireconnectors.htm)

The above site is one example.

So please be ready to back up statements with web sites, specific brands and mades and additional info

While I will agree many will say that twisting is not needed every professional electrician I have ever known has always pretwisted theirs, perhaps a left over from the days before these little caps ( anyone old enough to remember those days)

But we are a friendly group, but as a newer member sometimes a little sugar works well esp when dealing with professionals in the field.

Please heed TK's advice immediately. What may be causing the problem isn't nearly as important as fixing it NOW. Get an electrician out now. A burning smell is a sign of serious trouble.

I agree. I'm wrong however. Some wire nuts "allow but do not require". While others do not recommend. And yet other say DNT. But this subject is an age old flame spot for forums and is best laid to rest. There will never be 100% agreement which suggest merit to both viewpoints.

But this subject is an age old flame spot for forums and is best laid to rest. There will never be 100% agreement which suggest merit to both viewpoints.I do agree with this, but I have never in all my years seen ones that say "do not recommend" or "do not" pre-twist.

I have and believe me I was a little stunned when I read it! The chief electrician, Tucker looked at me and
Said, " Can't you read?". I forgot what brand it was however.

I'd be very interested to know which myself.