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Butcher3 · Mar 12, 2009, 05:59 PM

I was drilling a hole for an antenna wire and hit a wire inside the wall. Of course this flipped the breaker. But after splicing the damaged section of wire, the breaker no longer works. Bought a new breaker and after several hours, discovered that the left hot bus bar no longer works. As in every other breaker no longer works. The breakers on the right side that feed from the left hot bus bar don't work either. Any ideas? Thanks

ballengerb1 · Mar 12, 2009, 06:11 PM

Ask your electric company to confirm that they are still supplying power to your panel. It should not happen but you may have tripped one of their fuses outside on the pole.

Butcher3 · Mar 12, 2009, 06:16 PM

Originally Posted by ballengerb1

Ask your electric company to confirm that they are still supplying power to your panel. It should not happen but you may have tripped one of their fuses outside on the pole.

No the breakers that feed from the right side still work.

ballengerb1 · Mar 12, 2009, 06:18 PM

If you have 240 coming in you may have only dropped one line

Missouri Bound · Mar 12, 2009, 08:39 PM

A couple of things. First of all, you "spliced" it? How did you do that? All splices, connections, etc. must be in a box, not just in the wall. Surely you did that. And as far as losing 1/2 your panel; try resetting the main breaker... sometimes (rarely) only one pole of a dbl. pole breaker will trip and it's not too visible. Maybe worth a try.

Butcher3 · Mar 12, 2009, 08:52 PM

No, I just used wire nuts. Need to put 2 boxes in huh. Where I hit the wire was in a corner, so I replaced the wire that ran through the corner studs and wire nutted the 2 (6)connections. Thank you, I'll do the boxes and hopefully the breaker reset will fix the problem.

Tev · Mar 13, 2009, 12:10 PM

You must make sure all junction boxes are accessible. That means you can't cover them with drywall. Personally, I prefer running a new cable to having cover plates looking out of place on my wall.

KISS · Mar 13, 2009, 12:15 PM

Tev & MB:

There is a splice kit available from AMP/Tyco that can be covered and does not require a junction box.

It is available at a local electric supply house.

KISS · Mar 13, 2009, 12:17 PM

At the very least, reset the main breaker and check for power at the input.

It'highly unlikely that the utiliies fuse is the problem because the usually fuse the primary of the transformer.

Your main breaker could have fried.

Butcher3 · Mar 13, 2009, 01:28 PM

Yea, I've tried reseting the main breaker several times, but no go. I'm going to buy a new one. Thanks for the info about the splice kit also. I appreciate everyone's input !

Missouri Bound · Mar 13, 2009, 07:18 PM

Kiss... do you have any info on that splice kit? I haven't found anything from Tyco. I did find a splice kit from Molex, but it's not for in-wall applications.

ballengerb1 · Mar 13, 2009, 07:31 PM

I think this is the info your are requesting. Splice Kits Information on GlobalSpec

andrewc24301 · Mar 13, 2009, 07:47 PM

Originally Posted by Butcher3

Yea, I've tried reseting the main breaker several times, but no go. I'm going to buy a new one. Thanks for the info about the splice kit also. I appreciate everyones input !

Your going to buy a new main breaker?
Before going through all of that, you may want to check the voltage coming into the box to make sure you didn't loose one side of the 240 for what ever reason.

And if it's there and you decide it is the main breaker (which could be the only thing left at this point) I'd recommend an electrician install it, as sometimes you can't cut off the power to the main breaker.

I know, I know, your supposed to have a switch for it, but many homes don't, in fact I have yet to live in one that does. Just my advice, don't get yourself dead or anything...

KISS · Mar 13, 2009, 07:50 PM

MB:

When I try to find it w/o the p/n on tyco's website I never can. I had to grab one.

AMP NETCONNECT Power Distribution

Look at the NEC articles cited.

There is a dash number after the p/n that refers to tap, 3 and 4 conductor versions.

The major p/n is 1116377

The 2 cunductor blister packaged version is CPGI-1116377-2

2005 NEC Article 334-40b approved

It's listed in the energy catalog.

The instruction sheet is #408-4504

I started to look at Electronic Components, Network Solutions and Wireless Systems from Tyco Electronics with the base p/n in hand.

Missouri Bound · Mar 13, 2009, 08:04 PM

Thanks, KISS

Missouri Bound · Mar 13, 2009, 08:47 PM

KISS... OK, I followed your link, read the specs. And then went to the latest NEC. I can't find anything in the code which allows these connectors in anything but manufactured housing... that is, in mobile homes. The Molex connectors, which are similar are OK to use in areas that are open... attic spaces, crawl spaces... etc. Am I missing something or are these items not usable in enclosed wall spaces?
Help me with this one.

KISS · Mar 13, 2009, 09:54 PM

I just looked it up 334.40B (DEVICES of insulating material) in the 2008 code in part says:

"... Tap devices of insulating material shall be permitted to be used without boxes... in exposed cable wiring and for rewiring EXISTING BUILDINGS where the cable is CONCEALED AND FINISHED.

Article 334 deals with NM cables.

The Molex version is for manufactured housing only as I understand it.

Stratmando · Mar 14, 2009, 06:30 AM

Do you have power To the breaker and out of breaker?

Missouri Bound · Mar 14, 2009, 06:37 AM

Thanks again, Kiss

Tev · Mar 14, 2009, 10:57 AM

KISS, we'll have to disagree here based solely on differing interpretations of that code section. It says concealed and fished not concealed and finished. I'd say that is an important distinction in this case. If wiring were fished through the wall those would be acceptable because it would be concealed AND fished. Repairing existing wiring that is stapled to the stud only meets one of the requirements. My reasoning for that making a difference is that a fished (not stapled) cable can be pulled out for inspection and repair without making a hole in the wall while one that is stapled in place is not accessible any other way than making a hole in the wall.