View Full Version : Wall recepticles not working
nccogan
May 24, 2007, 08:21 AM
This morning one wall of recepticles stopped working. The fridge is on one of them and was on earlier then suddenly stopped. I checked the two GFI's that run in the kitchen (one under the sink and one on the breaker box). How can I figure out what happened? I am not even sure if I know which breaker these plugs are on. Does anyone have any ideas as to where to start?
Thanks,
N.
ballengerb1
May 24, 2007, 08:36 AM
I hope you don't mean that your breaker has a GFI and downstream there is another breaker on the circuit. Lets start at the outlet. Open the box and test for current. If yes then your frig is bad, if not go to the panel and check all breakers for any tripped ones. If yes, re-set, if not open the panel and test the feed to each beaker. You have lives wires here so be careful or call an electrician if you are unsure.
nccogan
May 25, 2007, 07:06 AM
Thanks for the response - The two GFI's are on different lines
- I will test for current at the plug and try and back-track.
None of the breakers were tripped and I am sure that it is the outlets and not the fridge as it works on a different plug. I like the idea of testing the feed to each breaker - part of what I don't understand is why it would happen immediately as it did. My first thought was a breaker since it seemed to go from working to not quickly and there is no flickering on and off power. Is it possible that the feed dropped that quickly? Would that be the stupid armidillos work?
Thanks again,
N.
trucknts
Jun 16, 2007, 10:54 PM
Some times the circuit breakers look like there on but in reality there off. I would turn them completely off one by one then if the outlet works you found your problem. If that doesn't work unscrew the outlet carefully and check the wires with a tester while its still hook up to the hot and neutral wire, to see if there is any current. If the black is hot then it's your switch. First find out which breaker cuts off the power then replace the outlet. When you find out what circuit breaker it is Mark it with a black marker.
Stratmando
Jun 17, 2007, 08:19 AM
Refrigerator should be on own circuit and not on GFI. Different circuits all at once is strange. I would check recpticle at either end, or last live one.
Along with the above breake test, and the one's that don't show "Tripped"
nccogan
Jun 17, 2007, 12:08 PM
Thanks for the help. Turns out that it is NOT on the GFI circuit. I had checked that all wires from the breaker box were live. There were two bad plugs on the same path. We just moved into a mobile and I did not realize how many plugs they put on the same wire - not sure if it is normal in stick built or not.
I appreciate all the pointers - I am learning a lot through this site.
Nick
Stratmando
Jun 17, 2007, 02:24 PM
If able to get Fridge on own circuit Better. Don "back stab" recepticles. Wrap wires around
Screw , and tighten. Pigtail recepticles so if receptacle removed, power remains.
Use #12 on a 20 amp for fridge.