[pastor1189]

Part of the circuit doesn't work. two outlets do not have any power.
Breaker Number 5 works okay. But with breaker on the circuit works all the outlets
Except the two wall outlets in the bedroom. Do you think a wire has come loose on one outlet in the bedroom and the power is unable to be sent to the other outlet further down the chain?

[stanfortyman]

You need to explain this a little clearer. And try not to describe it like we know the setting, because we don't.

[donf]

Pastor,

A blessed and happy Easter to you and yours.

The way you have written your question is difficult to understand.

You have Circuit Breaker Number 5. Is that the circuit breaker that controls the circuit that feeds the circuit with the two failing receptacles?

If it is, then shut the breaker off and go to the receptacle immediately in front of the failing receptacles and start by checking the connections on the receptacle.

If the receptacle has the wires backstabbed (stuck into the holes in the back of the receptacle instead of under the screws, remove the wires from the back of the receptacle. Make sure there is enough bare conductor to place the conductor under the screws and tighten the screws.

If that does not work, please let us know.

By the way, did you ever have your electrical system inspected?

[pastor1189]

Pastor,

A blessed and happy Easter to you and yours.

The way you have written your question is difficult to understand.

You have Circuit Breaker Number 5. Is that the circuit breaker that controls the circuit that feeds the circuit with the two failing receptacles?

If it is, then shut the breaker off and go to the receptacle immediately in front of the failing receptacles and start by checking the connections on the receptacle.

If the receptacle has the wires backstabbed (stuck into the holes in the back of the receptacle instead of under the screws, remove the wires from the back of the receptacle. Make sure there is enough bare conductor to place the conductor under the screws and tighten the screws.

If that does not work, please let us know.

By the way, did you ever have your electrical system inspected?

[pastor1189]

Correctamundo. Your interpretation is correct. Will confirm it later today.
Happy Easter. We are all in Gods hands

[pastor1189]

The outlet connections hot and neutral were intact.
But the ground wire was just dangling in space. I connected the ground
wire to the metal box and the whole circuit is working now. didn't know the ground wire was so important?

Pastor,

A blessed and happy Easter to you and yours.

The way you have written your question is difficult to understand.

You have Circuit Breaker Number 5. Is that the circuit breaker that controls the circuit that feeds the circuit with the two failing receptacles?

If it is, then shut the breaker off and go to the receptacle immediately in front of the failing receptacles and start by checking the connections on the receptacle.

If the receptacle has the wires backstabbed (stuck into the holes in the back of the receptacle instead of under the screws, remove the wires from the back of the receptacle. Make sure there is enough bare conductor to place the conductor under the screws and tighten the screws.

If that does not work, please let us know.

By the way, did you ever have your electrical system inspected?

[Missouri Bound]

Ground is important... but it shouldn't be what makes the circuit work. If it won't work without the grouind, you have an open neutral. You still have to have an electrician check the connections. If the neutral burned out (or off) you have a serious overload situation, and that ground connection is NOT a fix for that, it just increases the chance of more problems, perhaps fire. Thread lightly and avoid using these outlets until a professional checks the system out.

[smearcase]

Were the wires connected to the screws? as per don's question: ["If the receptacle has the wires backstabbed (stuck into the holes in the back of the receptacle instead of under the screws, remove the wires from the back of the receptacle. Make sure there is enough bare conductor to place the conductor under the screws and tighten the screws."]

The outlets worked in the past- correct?
If so, it is very unlikely that connecting the ground now, was the solution to the problem.
Possibly handling the receptacle restored a faulty connection, temporarily.
I'm just not convinced that the problem is totally solved, pastor.
Especially if the wires were inserted into the openings in the back as don suggested, you can save yourself or others problems in the future by attaching the conductors to the screws.

[pastor1189]

The hot and the neutral wires were wrapped around the screws. Only other problem is the receptacle is far back in the wall. Causing a space between
The cover plate. It is too far receded in the wall. Otherwise everything seems
To be working okay .

Were the wires connected to the screws? as per don's question: ["If the receptacle has the wires backstabbed (stuck into the holes in the back of the receptacle instead of under the screws, remove the wires from the back of the receptacle. Make sure there is enough bare conductor to place the conductor under the screws and tighten the screws."]

The outlets worked in the past- correct?
If so, it is very unlikely that connecting the ground now, was the solution to the problem.
Possibly handling the receptacle restored a faulty connection, temporarily.
I'm just not convinced that the problem is totally solved, pastor.
Especially if the wires were inserted into the openings in the back as don suggested, you can save yourself or others problems in the future by attaching the conductors to the screws.

[smearcase]

Maybe it was struck by some strange chain of events- and damaged. Sounds like you have isolated the problem to that location.
Is it a modern receptacle with two sets of, two slots and round holes for grounds? Or just two sets of two slots each?
If it just started working because you handled it (unconnected ground wire not the likely problem as mentioned earlier), arcing and fire hazard are possibilities.

[donf]

Pastor,

Ground is not a normal current carrying conductor. If your circuit now works because you connected the ground conductors, you have a potentially very dangerous situation, both from shock and fire!

Current carrying conductors are required to be insulated. In a branch circuit, Black is the supply and White (Neutral) is the return. Ground is present to prevent voltage on normally non current carrying metal.

The danger here is that someone handling this ground conductor may accidentally bridge the bare ground with the hot conductor and receive a serious shock. The risk exposure to fire is equally high because the current traveling along the bare conductor creates heat which can easily ignite surrounding materials. So pick your poison, let someone get shocked and possibly dead or witness the fire that destroys the bedroom or entire home, depending on how fast the fire department can arrive on the scene.

Now, with that said, what MUST happen now is that you or a licensed electrician trace this circuit and find where the Neutral and ground are either shorted together or miss wired. Have that done first thing Monday morning.