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squash11 · Aug 18, 2009, 08:27 PM

We just bought a 26 yrs old house. I was testing all switches and outlets. All worked fine except one outlet in the living room.

It seems to me that ONE switch in the master bedroom closet controls nothing (or an attic outlet?). I turned it on then both bathroom in the same floor are out of power. The closet(next to one bathroom) is out of power too. The master bedroom still has power.

All breakers are on in the Main Electrical Panel. I couldn't found any Subpanel or GFIC outlet in the whole house.

For the living outlet didn't work in the first time, I took it out and found no wire has power.

Thanks for your input.

hkstroud · Aug 18, 2009, 08:58 PM

One thing at a time.

The living room outlet, could it be on a switch. How many wires, are they under screws or plugged into the back?

KISS · Aug 18, 2009, 09:08 PM

The living room outlet or maybe just half of it is probably controlled by a switch on the wall. Somehow turning on a table lamps is more elegant and typically there are no ceiling fixtures in a living room.

KISS · Aug 18, 2009, 09:10 PM

Is there an attic access panel in the ceiling of the closet where the switch is?

squash11 · Aug 18, 2009, 09:29 PM

The attic panel (entrance) is in the closet

Originally Posted by KeepItSimpleStupid

Is there an attic access panel in the ceiling of the closet where the switch is?

KISS · Aug 18, 2009, 09:36 PM

So, that switch in the closet is probably for the attic and you might have a problem up there.

squash11 · Aug 20, 2009, 08:24 PM

The circuit breaker in the power panel is tricky.

It was the first place I checked, and I put every circuit breaker from ON to OFF, then from OFF to ON. Still no power.

Then I checked all out of power outlets and switches and still had no clue.

Today I was trying to check the attic fan. And one circuit breaker was at the ON position but it was OFF.

BTW: The attic fan should be on its own circuit, right?

Originally Posted by KeepItSimpleStupid

So, that switch in the closet is probably for the attic and you might have a problem up there.

KISS · Aug 20, 2009, 08:38 PM

The attic fan is usually temperature controlled. It's usually such a light load, that a separate circuit is not required.

On a hunch check for GFCI receptacles outside, bath, garage or any place there is water nearby. These can be wired such that everything downstream from the GFCI turns off when the GFCI trips.

squash11 · Aug 20, 2009, 09:28 PM

It is a 4 outlets socket (or adapter?)

Only one (group) wire in. Another one group connecting the outlets. They are under screws.

I've tried all switches, and it seems no one is controlling it.

Originally Posted by hkstroud

One thing at a time.

The living room outlet, could it be on a switch. How many wires, are they under screws or plugged into the back?

squash11 · Aug 20, 2009, 09:32 PM

Thanks for your input. I solved the problem yesterday afternoon by simply turned the tricky circuit breaker back to ON.

And before that, I spent 15 minutes in the attic and found all wires are out of power.

Originally Posted by KeepItSimpleStupid

So, that switch in the closet is probably for the attic and you might have a problem up there.

medic-dan · Aug 26, 2009, 02:29 PM

Please replace the "tricky" breaker, if you have not already done so. It may not function if needed.

I'm glad you solved your problem.

Stratmando · Aug 28, 2009, 08:17 AM

Don't know if it's a tricky Breaker, Sometimes a Breaker will trip, but not throw the lever.
I use slight pressure towards off while running my finger dow both rows of breakers, and usually reveal the "tricky breaker".

Sally Brown · Aug 29, 2009, 07:42 AM

Greetings all,

Thanks for your questions and answers. We had a plug go out in our powder room bath. I didn't think much of it because only my wife uses the plug for her hair dryer. Then noticed the frig in the garage was not working. All outlets in the house worked fine. I had checked all the kitchen GFI's and the breaker box, and pulled the non-working plugs and inspected for damage.

Then read your responses about plugs being in series and perhaps a GFI somewhere else in the house may have tripped. Sure enough, a plug in the upstairs bath that is seldom used had tripped.

Reset it, checked all the previously non-working plugs and both are working. My wife wanted to call a electrician friend. Thanks to your help I saved money, time, and learned something new.

I'm beginning to feel it's never too late to learn something new, though I should've figured this one out myself.

Thanks again.

Sally Brown