Ask Me Help Desk - Bathroom Plug Problem

If all breakers are good and no GFI, I would remove the non working outlets and look for power. Note if They Have 1 or 2 sets of wires. 1 set would be the end of the line, 2 sets of wires would be in between. You could go further and determine which pair go to the end of the line receptacle, that would mean the other set is what is interrupted.
If in Conduit, see what goes out of the conduit with that circuit, may be in one of those boxes.

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Originally Posted by hkstroud

What Strat is suggesting is that you plug in an extension cord, make sure that it is working by doing a voltage check between hot and neutral.
Take extension cord to bath room. Do a voltage check between the hot of the extension cord and the neutral of the bath outlet. If your meter shows voltage, that would mean that your neutral does indeed go back to the circuit breaker panel. If it meter does not show voltage, you have a broken neutral some where. If meter does not show voltage to the neutral do a voltage check between the hot of the extension cord and the ground of the outlet. A voltage would show the outlet is at least grounded.
Do a voltage check between the hot of the outlet and the neutral of the extension cord. Do that check with the breaker on and with the breaker off. If you have voltage with breaker on and then do not have voltage with the breaker off you will have at least confirmed which breaker controls the outlet.
If you show no voltage with breaker on (assuming all other breakers are on) you will know you have a break in the cable some where.
Have you examined the exterior outlet that you have just found inoperative. Always possible that the circuit to the bath runs through that outlet and has been disconnected in the box of the exterior outlet.

Remove the circuit breaker panel cover and see if anything is connected to the unaccounted for breaker.
Let us know what voltage reading you get, not sure what they will mean but you are just looking for a clue, something to point you in some direction.

Do you have a garage or a basement? Do you have any other exterior outlets, working or non-working. Check to make sure.

Pull a couple working outlets, are the outlets wired using the "quick connect" holes in the back or are they wired using the screw terminals?

I just look back at all your post. No where do you describe the wiring at this outlet.
How many wire in outlet box?

Which wire is hot-the white or black" And what side of the female end of the extension cord is hot-the right side or the left?

The wider slot or opening of a receptacle and the female end of an extension cord is neutral. The wider prong of a plug and the male end of an extension cord is neutral.
The white wire is neutral in most cases. The exceptions are switch loops and 240 volt circuits. When a white wire is used as a hot conductor it is by code suppose to be marked black or some non-white color but often is not.

Now that you removed the recepticles in bath and outside receptacle, how many wires did you find in each box, and are they in conduit?

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Originally Posted by Stratmando

Now that you removed the recepticles in bath and outside receptacle, how many wires did you find in each box, and are they in conduit?

Thanks for the info on the wires. Haven't had any time to work on it lately- I'm back on it now. The bathroom plug has only 3 wires: black, white, and a ground. But the outside plug has 5. A black and a white at both top and bottom and one ground.

Both outlets the wires are connected directly at the back of the plug.

Will get back with you guys on what I find out with the volt meter.

[QUOTE=RJackson4016;3579495]

I did a voltage check between the hot of the extension cord to the neutral of the bath outlet and got 2 volts-the needle barely moved. From the hot of the extension cord to the neutral of the outlet, I got nothing. From the hot of the extension cord to the ground of the outlet is full voltage.

The house have a garage (where the breaker box is located) but no basement.

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From the hot of the extension cord to the neutral of the outlet, I got nothing. From the hot of the extension cord to the ground of the outlet is full voltage.

Sounds like you have break in neutral.

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Both outlets the wires are connected directly at the back of the plug.

That is probably the reason why. Sorry I missed that earlier.
The "quick connect" holes in the back of an outlet are known to develop bad connections over a period of time.
Remove wires and put under screws.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stratmando

Now that you removed the recepticles in bath and outside receptacle, how many wires did you find in each box, and are they in conduit?

The wires are not in conduits. The bathroom plug has one set of wires going to it and the outside plug has two sets of wire going to it but I can't tell where the other set is leading to.

Could the unaccounted breaker control just these two plugs and is defective? Or should the bathroom plug be on the same circuit as the bathroom light? Remember with the unaccounted breaker tripped off-everything else in the house works.

Since both test both showed almost nothing(zero volts and 2 volts)and ground intact, thinking GFI Still.
With Power off, I would see if wiring is intact between Outside outlet and bath outlet. The remaining 2 will need to be traced back, maybe with a Toner or Tracer.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stratmando

Since both test both showed almost nothing(zero volts and 2 volts)and ground intact, thinking GFI Still.
With Power off, I would see if wiring is intact between Outside outlet and bath outlet. The remaining 2 will need to be traced back, maybe with a Toner or Tracer.

Okay. I know the newer houses today have the GFI located on the outlets themselves. Where would the GFI be located on houses built in the early 80's?

If not a GFI receptacle, could be a GFI Breaker, any other Outside recepticles?
Keep us posted. Good Luck

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stratmando

If not a GFI receptacle, could be a GFI Breaker, any other Outside recepticles?
Keep us posted. Good Luck

No sir - no other outside receptacle, but I will keep looking for the GFI and keep you posted. Thanks.