My bathroom outlet is dead! When I use the test light (screwdriver type) in the other plugs in the house, it displays a solid light. But with this plug a light displays and instantly goes off.

The breaker is not tripped and as far as I can tell, there's nothing else on the same circuit as this plug because when I turn the breaker off, everything else in the house is live.

I have pulled away the outlet from the socket to check for broken wires.

What could the problem be or what would be the best way to trouble-shoot this?

Is this a GFI outlet, it should be.

GFCI outlet? Would be strange to find only 1 bath outlet on a breaker. Any other GFCI outlet? Make sure it is not tripped. Could be a bad outlet. Get a plug in tester or VOM. $<10 at Harbor Freight.

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Originally Posted by hkstroud

Is this a GFI outlet, it should be.

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No sir-this is not a GFI outlet.

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Originally Posted by ma0641

GFCI outlet? Would be strange to find only 1 bath outlet on a breaker. Any other GFCI outlet? Make sure it is not tripped. Could be a bad outlet. Get a plug in tester or VOM. $<10 at Harbor Freight.

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I pulled the outlet away from the socket, tripped the breaker back on to test the wire connections to the screws of the outlet. Same result from the test-light.

I cannot imagine a 1 outlet bath line, particularly without a GFCI. If such is the case, however, open the panel and tighten all fittings for this breaker. You still haven't done a VOM test at the outlet? Test the voltage at the breaker. If you are sure the breaker and neutral fittings are tight and no voltage on a single outlet line, then you may have a burned, broken or chewed line.

How many bathrooms do you have?

If you have more than one bathroom, check to make sure that any GFCI receptacles in those bathrooms have been reset.

Even if you only have one bathroom, the receptacle in that bathroom must be GFCI protected.

In the 80's they used to put one GFCI in the garage and wire all the bathrooms to it...

This is a very strange and interesting problem.
You say that is not a GFCI circuit and the outlets are not GFI.
As hfcarson suggest, check the garage. Also check any exterior outlets and or basement outlets if you have an unfinished basement for GFI outlets. It would be very unusual to have a single bathroom outlet on circuit. Depending on the age of the house, it would be unusual for a bathroom outlet to not be GFI protected.
As previously suggested purchase small multimeter. They are fairly inexpensive and much more useful than a test light.
How many time can you make the test light flash when testing. I suspect only once.
Reset the breaker and make sure that it is not immediately tripping off. Many breaker so not move very much when tripped and it can be difficult to tell that they have tripped. After resetting the breaker push the handle toward the on position. It should be firm, not springy.
What I suspect is that when you reset the breaker, it is immediately tripping off. I also suspect that there is a capacitor start type motor plugged into this circuit some where. That motor is defective and causing the breaker to immediately trip. When you test the bathroom outlet you are discharging the capacitor in that motor. It is the capacitor charge that is causing the test light to flash.

If you cannot be certain that the breaker is not immediately tripping after resetting, do a voltage check at the breaker.

PS.
Also look for any old style florescent light fixtures that might be on this circuit. They had "starters" which were really capacitors and might have the same effect.

It is very strange to say the least. There's just the one bathroom with no GFCI on the plug. The house was built in the early 80's.
I will have to get a volt meter and I will check the breaker and look for this capacitor start type motor plugged and get back with you guys. Thanks.

I finally got my volt meter and the bathroom plug in question is showing no voltage at all. The other outlets are. Can you guys help me?

It is either supplied from a GFCI or you hlave a broken or disconnected wire.

It definitely is not GFI, so it must have a broken wire-somewhere.

Thanks for your response.

OK, time to put your thinking cap on.

You have said that this is the only thing on this circuit. To be absolutely certain of that you must turn the breaker off and check everything and I do mean everything.
The first part of that is turning off the breaker. If the outlet were working and you turned the breaker off and the outlet no longer worked, you can fairly certain you turn off the correct breaker. But if outlet was not working you, can only hope that you have turned the correct breaker. There is always a possibility that you have turned off the wrong breaker. That also means that you didn't turn on the right breaker.
It would be unusual to have only one outlet on a circuit.
By code for many years a bathroom must be GFI protected. That can be a GFI outlet or it can be a GFCI circuit breaker. You have said that the outlet is not a GFI outlet. Are any of your breakers GFCI breakers.
If the bath outlet is the only thing on the circuit, the cable will run from the breaker to the outlet with no connection in between. If you had a connection in between, you could have a bad connection but to have a broken wire that has no connections is extremely unlikely. That is unless you have been doing some construction and running a saw through the walls. Wires don't just break.
Suggest you reset all breakers. Confirm that you don't have any GFCI breakers.
Eliminate the possibility of a bad breaker by doing a voltage check between the breaker terminal and the neutral buss. Verify that the neutral wire of that cable has a good connection in the neutral buss. Do a voltage check between the hot and neutral wires at the outlet, not by inserting meter leads in the outlet, if you haven't already done so.

Just some things to think about.

Tell how this came about. When did you first notice it. What else was going on?

Ok Harold I got my thinking cap on and understand what you are saying if the bathroom outlet is on a circuit by itself.
I will double check everything as you instructed and will reply.
It has been like this since my ex move in 4 years ago. It was occupied by someone else before then.

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since my ex move in 4 years ago.

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Can we blame it on your ex?

Really sounds like you really don't know what this outlet is connected to, if anything.

Something to think about.
You said that your test light would flash. Your meter should react in the same way. If you have a digital meter it should flash a voltage and then revert to zero. If you are using a analogue meter the needle should temporarily show a voltage and then return to zero.
The only thing that I can think of that stores a charge is a capacitor. When you test a capacitor by connecting a test light or meter it will show a voltage briefly, but that testing also discharges the capacitor. Of course if you test it again it will not show a voltage because it has been discharged.
Using the appliance that has a capacitor will again charge the capacitor.
Things that have capacitors, some motors, old style florescent lights, microwaves, some ceiling fan.

If the test light or meter briefly shows a voltage, then when tested again does not show a voltage, turn on any appliance the might have a capacitor and test again. That might give you a clue to where the circuit may run.

I would verify All breakers are putting out.
As Mentioned, Bathrooms would sometimes be protected by Another Bath or Garage GFI.
If you test a GFI for Voltage between Hot and Ground, it would trip. Measuring between Hot and Neutral should not trip a GFI.
I would plug in an extension cord into a known good outlet, verify hot, neutral and ground are reading at the end of the cord, Then bring the end of the cord to your bad outlet, and measure between The cords Neutral and the recepticles Hot, Then Measure between the Cords Hot and the recepticles.
If you are Just missing the Hot or Neutral, It would be a breaker, or connection.
If you find NO Hot AND NO Neutral, then it is likely coming off a GFI, as a GFI Breaks Both Hot and Neutral.
If you find Not only the hot and neutral not present, but the ground is missing as well, Then a Carpenter May have cut through All 3 conductors(Don't ask how I know).
Good Luck
Oh, Is the wiring in conduit?

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I would plug in an extension cord into a known good outlet, verify hot, neutral and ground are reading at the end of the cord, Then bring the end of the cord to your bad outlet, and measure between The cords Neutral and the recepticles Hot, Then Measure between the Cords Hot and the recepticles.
If you are Just missing the Hot or Neutral, It would be a breaker, or connection.
If you find NO Hot AND NO Neutral, then it is likely coming off a GFI, as a GFI Breaks Both Hot and Neutral.

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Exactly what I meant by "putting your thinking cap on".
You have to do things that might give you a clue as to what is happening, or point you in some direction.

When you talk about using the end of an extension cord to measure, is that still with the plug attached on the other end? I kind of got lost on that one.

Anyway this is what I came up with from your last instructions:

#1 The house is pre-GFI
#2 I discovered an outside outlet that is dead-just like the bathroom. No power!
#3 I have a 15 amp breaker in my panel that is un-accounted for. In other words I have it tripped off on purpose now as we speak, and everything in the house is good except the two outlets.

#4 We can blame the ex-why not?

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?