Couple of bathrooms and 1 bedroom lights blinks and then goes out. Then it comes back it self sometimes whenever we turn one of the random lights in bathroom or room. Sometimes it comes back, other times it does not. I noticed whenever I go to main board and turn off/on a few times the circuit breaker (for this bedroom and bathrooms), the light comes back. I checked all the switches and outlets, everything is pretty tight. What could be the problem? It is just this breaker. We just bought this house and only added a couple of extra lights in the bathrooms.

Did you check the wires to the breaker itself?

Just for clarification, bathrooms require individual branch circuits. A bedroom or bedrooms have n business on the same branch circuit,

I've seen circuits going through receptacles that use stab-in type wire connections; they can become loose or even break off and still be barely making contact.

Please learn how to use a voltage meter or sensor... even the sensors that only need to be held closely to an energized conductor can provide valuable information.
This kind of sensor is widely available and only about $10 to $15.
You can use this to follow the voltage along a conductor or through a switch until it disappears... Aha that may be your problem.
Okay, of course it may not be that simple but it is a far more productive thing to do than guessing at a problem and guessing at the solution.

I agree with hfcarson, this needs to be tracked down methodically. If you are not comfortable or simply don't have time, get some help. Loose connections can be tricky; they also create heat and can lead to bigger problems.

Did you check the wires to the breaker itself?

I did not open the breaker itself as I am not comfortable doing that. The confusing part is, the breaker when turned on/off few times (5-6 times) only bring the lights back in.


Please learn how to use a voltage meter or sensor... even the sensors that only need to be held closely to an energized conductor can provide valuable information.
This kind of sensor is widely available and only about $10 to $15.
You can use this to follow the voltage along a conductor or through a switch until it disappears... Aha that may be your problem.
Okay, of course it may not be that simple but it is a far more productive thing to do than guessing at a problem and guessing at the solution.

I have not used a voltage meter before but I will try but my problem is I am not sure when the power is go out. It does occasionally but it does started happening more often. Could one of the older wires be broken somewhere along the way?


Just for clarification, bathrooms require individual branch circuits. A bedroom or bedrooms have n business on the same branch circuit,

It is 2 bathrooms and one side of the bedroom (the wall which is adjacent to both bathrooms. The other side does have power. e.g. we have a walk in closet and it does have power.
I checked the breaker is 20 amp.
And I have
Bathroom1 - 1 fan with light
1 light bulb with 2 bulbs
1 vanity light with 3 bulbs
1 - GFCI outlet

Bathroom2 - 1 fan with light
1 light bulb with 2 bulbs
1 - GFCI outlet
1 vanity light with 3 bulbs

Bedroom - 1 fan with 4 lights
1 outlet

Is the above too much for a 20 Amp? FYI.. I don't have all the bulbs lit up though. I removed some of the bulbs and kept 1 bulb in each to troubleshoot. I initially had the energy saver bulbs (14 W) and 60 W regular bulb in vanity and fan lights. I thought may be there is disparity and it is getting confused so I removed the 60 W bulbs


I agree with hfcarson, this needs to be tracked down methodically. If you are not comfortable or simply don't have time, get some help. Loose connections can be tricky; they also create heat and can lead to bigger problems.

Thanks. I wanted to get a feeling of it. I think I am going to get some help.
I have turned the breaker off for safety.


I've seen circuits going through receptacles that use stab-in type wire connections; they can become loose or even break off and still be barely making contact.

I opened all the outlets and switches to make sure they are tight. A couple of them were loose and I tighten them and I thought it is fixed but it was not. The power went off again.

Did you do this to just the ones in those rooms... or all the others in the house too? For the sake of clairity.

Just in those room. Everything else is good

So you feel confident that the things listed above are everything on the circuit (closet and everything else are on other circuits)?

And when these go out you still read power at the breaker?

So you feel confident that the things listed above are everything on the circuit (closet and everything else are on other circuits)?

And when these go out you still read power at the breaker?


I am not 100% sure. When I turned the breaker off, it looks like everything else is working fine. Another Question I have, is 20 Amp switch good enough for the lights I mentioned above?

20A should be fine for this load. Besides, if it was too much it would be simply tripping the breaker, not giving these strange symptoms. Newer houses will have dedicated circuit for bathroom receptacles--you could trip the breaker if you add hairdryers, etc. to the load, but that's another story.

It would be good for you to figure out what each breaker feeds, not only for your own sanity, but would save time should you wind up paying an electrician by the hour later.

Again, the next time lights goes out, verify that there is power at the breaker. It's not too common for breakers to go bad, but occasionally they do.

So at this point you still have not checked the wires connected to the breaker, right?