[lynx5]

Hey,

I've been setting out to change all the electrical outlets in the house just to upgrade the colour as we will be selling the house soon and like the newer look..

However after re-wiring one of the electrical outlet's it now has no power coming to it at all.
I have checked the wires themselves and they have no power. I was told by someone was some expereince to change the curicuit breaker we thought that would fix it too so we replaced the circuit breaker however there is still no power flowing to the wires.. were kind of baffled as to what the problem could be and about to call an electrian to come take a look at it if this here fails.. would appericate some inexpensive help though, thanks.

I should note that all the other electrical outlets/lighting (bathroom) on that cirucit breaker are also not functioning. However none of those outlets were touched yet.

Steve.

[donf]

Okay, the simplest answer is the up stream of the troubled outlet is an GFCI outlet or breaker, that has tripped. First check the circuits and reset any GFCIs you find.

Next step is to verify whether the outlet is wired correctly. The black lead should go to the side of the outlet with the shorter slot. White should go to the longer slot's side.

[lynx5]

It is wired correctly.. I also unwired it from the outlet and as mentioned above there is no power the wires.

Like I said.. I replaced the circuit breaker to no avail... also no circuit breakers are currently tripped right now. Wires still have no power.

Steve.

Okay, the simplest answer is the up stream of the troubled outlet is an GFCI outlet or breaker, that has tripped. First check the circuits and reset any GFCIs you find.

Next step is to verify whether or not the outlet is wired correctly. The black lead should go to the side of the outlet with the shorter slot. White should go to the longer slot's side.

[No-Tyme]

I did this last year in my home... First make sure the outlet is not on a wall switch, as an outlet sometimes is wired to turn on a light when you enter a room. Usually there would be 2 sets of wires in the box in this case. Next check wires carefully because sometimes the solid core will break. Did you stretch the wires at the point where they come into the box? Also if you replaced some outlets already you may have a bad connection of one receptacle in front of the plug you're trying to install. Wiring is in series so that is another good place to start… I would bet the last is your problem.

[donf]

You dinged my response as "disagreed" because from where you are, you can see that the wires are properly attached and I can't? :) It must have been my monitor. Hold your monitor closer to the outlet so I can get a better look!

OK sparky, do you have a circuit tester or VOM to electrical tests with, if so, have you done that already? What were the results?

Did you check the other outlets on the circuit to see if any were GFCI, as I asked above and then reset them? Are you absolutely sure that there is input voltage into and out of your breaker. Did you make absolutely sure that the problem breaker is the actually in the on position and not in a tri-stated mode. To make sure, simply turn the breaker all the way off. Push it towards "OFF" until it resets, then turn it back on again. If the breaker "trips" immediately, it means there is a dead short somewhere. Where to look would be the current outlet or the outlet you changed just before the one that is currently working on.

Pl;ease, stay with me here. I'll probably be online for another hour or so. It's a bit chaotic right now, my niece Melissa, just gave birth to a Baby Boy, a Future New York Giant to be sure. :)

[hkstroud]

Can you check for voltage at the output of the breaker. If you have voltage there and no voltage at the outlet, the problem must be at one of the other outlets. Since you have not touched them, it is most likely that one of them is a GFI that has tripped or as No-Tyme said it is a switched outlet. How many wires in the outlet box. Tell us what you see.

[lynx5]

Ok so I took some pictures sorry they came out really bad though I don't know how to take better ones.. none of them seemed to have a "GFI" switch at the outlet themselves or anything extra other then the basic wiring. There is only one "GFI" on our circuit breaker and that is too the garage not the circuit in question.

Here's a pic of the outlet that was worked on before it stopped working..
(looks like a small slice in the wire from the picture, there is, but its not as big as look in the picture anyway I put electrical securely around it now)



Here's a light switch that was not touched until I took this picture..



And finally one more outlet on the same circuit that was never touched until today.



And here's out circuit breaker all circuits are switched to ON.




I wasn't sure how to measure the voltage at the circuit breaker as there is only one wire (black) and I'm not sure what to measure it against with the voltmeter. And because it would have to be live power Im certinaly not going to be guessing there.

So to recap, I don't see any GFI's for this circuit.. doesn't seem to be any exposed wiring that isn't covered securely with electrical tape. It is possible that the wires were "pulled" on a little (so what would I do try pushing them back up?. ) the cirucit breaker in question was replaced and all circuit breakers are "ON"..

Thanks,
Steve.

[hkstroud]

Lets go back to basics.

What room is this outlet in?
How many wires are in the outlet box and what color?
How many other outlets are not working and where are they.
What does the switch control?
When you removed the old outlet how was it wired, were the wires under screws on the sides or were the wires stuck in the little holes in the back?

To check the breaker,
Turn multimeter to the V with wavy line.
With the breaker in the on position touch one lead of the meter to the nuetral bus bar. That's the place where all the white wires are connected.
Touch the other lead of the meter to the screw attaching the black wire to the breaker.

I can't see much from the pic because of the reflection of flash. Is the breaker the bottom one on the left (there appears to be a yellow tag next to it)? I seem to see something in the middle of the flash reflection area.
This isn't a GFI breaker is it.

Just to make me happy, press the test and reset on the garqage GFI.

Don't worry we will find the problem.

[lynx5]

This is the 1 front hall outlet/bathroom.
2 black, 2 white, 1 ground.
There are 2 outlets and 1 lightswitch on this circuit. NONE have any power to ANY of the wires associated with them.
The wires were in the little holes in the back. I re-wired it that way a correctly, I also hade the wires out and not hooked up to anything (still no power).

I have pressed the GFI button for the garage and then turn it back on. Seems OK.
The breaker in question is the 2nd one from the bottom left. The 3rd from the bottom the left is the GFI to the garage NOT the breaker in question.

I just measured the volatage at the breaker I get 120 volts there. 0 at all three outlets/light switches.

Lets go back to basics.

What room is this outlet in?
How many wires are in the outlet box and what color?
How many other outlets are not working and where are they.
What does the switch control?
When you removed the old outlet how was it wired, were the wires under screws on the sides or were the wires stuck in the little holes in the back?

To check the breaker,
Turn multimeter to the V with wavy line.
With the breaker in the on position touch one lead of the meter to the nuetral bus bar. Thats the place where all the white wires are connected.
Touch the other lead of the meter to the screw attaching the black wire to the breaker.

I can't see much from the pic because of the reflection of flash. Is the breaker the bottom one on the left (there appears to be a yellow tag next to it)? I seem to see something in the middle of the flash reflection area.
This isn't a GFI breaker is it.

Just to make me happy, press the test and reset on the garqage GFI.

Don't worry we will find the problem.

[donf]

Steve,

I sent a private message to both you and Harold.

[hkstroud]

Do I understand correctly that this outlet is in the hall and the other is in the bathroom?
If so the bath should be a GFI.
How are you checking for power at the outlet? Are you checking between hot (black) and nuetral (white) or hot and ground. Please check for voltage between hot and ground (bare).
Do the same in switch box.
What does switch control, do you have a ceiling light in hall? Do you have a light outside the front door, Does it work?
Do you have an outlet outside the front door, does it work?
Also, how many wires in bath outlet box?

I know that this a lot of questions but...
Electrictian not likely to put only two outlets on a circuit.

[lynx5]

The bath is not a GFI. There is no GFI switch on the breaker board other then the garage.
There is NO power between hot and ground (bare). There is NO power anywhere.
Everything works except those listed above.
There is 2 white, 2 black, 1 ground. This is how both outlets are run that aren't working.
There is a front hall light that is on a switch and works fine. (probably on a diff circuit maybe)

Do I understand correctly that this outlet is in the hall and the other is in the bathroom?
If so the bath should be a GFI.
How are you checking for power at the outlet? are you checking between hot (black) and nuetral (white) or hot and ground. Please check for voltage between hot and ground (bare).
Do the same in switch box.
What does switch control, do you have a ceiling light in hall? Do you have a light outside the front door, Does it work?
Do you have an outlet outside the front door, does it work?
Also, how many wires in bath outlet box?

I know that this a lot of questions but........
Electrictian not likely to put only two outlets on a circuit.

[donf]

Steve,

I'm sorry to do this but I really need to start at step one and logically move upward.

Are you willing to work with me? If you are currentley online and have VOM Meter, we should be able to knock this out today!

[hkstroud]

OK sounds like we can forget the switch. Or do I misunderstand, is there another switch that light is on or is this switch we have been talking about.

The fact that there are two black and two white in each outlet indicates that there is something else on the circuit. It could be a light.

If you have a set of wires (a black and a white) coming into the first outlet, (which ever one that is) and a set going out to the second outlet, and at the second outlet you would have a set coming in and you have a set going out, there must be something else on the circuit.

I know that you are getting frustrated but hang in there.
Are there any GFI in kitchen or other baths?

[lynx5]

Im here...

Steve,

I'm sorry to do this but I really need to start at step one and logically move upward.

Are you willing to work with me? If you are currentley online and have VOM Meter, we should be able to knock this out today!

[lynx5]

I am mistaken there is 1 more switch on the other side of the wall I completely forgot about because we never use it.. it wasn't touched though. I took the panel off now and it looks OK.. tried flicking it on and off doesn't make a difference. Im not really sure what it does anyway could control the power or just be a light switch with no light.. anyway I don't thin it's the problem as it was never touched?. so that's 2 lights and 2 outlets all with no power. Im thinking maybe a wire got pulled on too hard? If that is the case I wouldn't know how about tracing it the wall and making it secure?.

Steve.

OK sounds like we can forget the switch. Or do I misunderstand, is there another switch that light is on or is this switch we have been talking about.

The fact that there are two black and two white in each outlet indicates that there is some thing else on the circuit. It could be a light.

If you have a set of wires (a black and a white) coming into the first outlet, (which ever one that is) and a set going out to the second outlet, and at the second outlet you would have a set coming in and you have a set going out, there must be something else on the circuit.

I know that you are getting frustrated but hang in there.
Are there any GFI in kitchen or other baths?

[donf]

Okay Steve,

Step one, pull the failing circuit breaker out of the panel box. Turn the main power off while you do this but do not remove the black wire from the breaker. While you have the breaker in your hands see how far to the Off position you can move the handle. Now Leave the breaker in the off position. At the Service Entry Panel Box, turn the main power on. Set the meter for 200 VAC. Connect the Black meter lead to the Neutral BUS. This will be an Aluminum bar with all of the White wires plugged into it.

Clip the black lead either onto the white lead coming from the breaker you removed or onto the Neutral Bar itself. Turn the panel box back on and very carefully measure from Neutral (Black) Probe and the bare spot under the breaker. What is the voltage you are reading? If you verify the voltage, then we know that the power to the breaker is on.

Turn Main power back off and install the breaker with the breaker in the off position turn main power back on and with the red probe, check for the voltage level between the Neutral Buss and the black wire on the breaker. It should be Zero Volts AC. Turn the breaker on and re-test the black wire to neutral. What's the VAC now?

Get back to me with the voltage reading as soon as you reasonably can

[hkstroud]

That outlet in the bath has to be GFI protected. It is probably coming through the GFI in another bath.
The other switch in the hall may control the outlet but I doubt it because you have a ceiling light.

[lynx5]

So there might be a "GFI" in the outlet itself in the bathroom on the top floor? You recommending that I check for it?.

That outlet in the bath has to be GFI protected. It is probably coming thru the GFI in another bath.
The other switch in the hall may control the outlet but I doubt it because you have a ceiling light.

[ballengerb1]

Lynx, you used the rate this answer part incorrectly. Your mark basically says Don is inaccurate but based on what you said he was correct in starting there. No need to worry about a newbie mistake. Harold and I have given Don back more than he had.