[cgfrank]

So, funky problem.


My son goes to turn on the TV downstairs this morning. For 5 years it has been plugged into a surge protector, along with his xbox, a surround sound unit, receiver, dvd player, and a powered subwoof. None of the surround sound components have been turned on in ages, as our upstairs TV has become our main movie center. He occasionally unplugs the xbox to take it to moms, but otherwise nothing has changed.


He said that as soon as he turned the TV on (its an older 32" tube style tv) the lights dimmed slightly, then resumed power, then everything went out. The entire downstairs living room has no power (plugs or light fixtures), the light fixture in an adjacent bedroom doesn't work but the plugs DO, and the lights AND plugs in the other adjacent room work. Also, the bathroom off the living has full power. Everything upstairs is normal.


Naturally I assumed it was a breaker. Not so much. I even reset ALL of them including the master. I tested and reset all the GFI plugs (even though these rooms still had power). I went as far as to turn open up the breaker panel, turn off the main power and all breakers, remove the one suspected bad breaker, pull a matching breaker from the opposite side (my understanding is with 220, 110 is split down each side?) and tested it. No luck. But even if one of the 110 circuits was toast, why would all other breakers on that side work. I subbed in a good breaker of the same amperage from a known working circuit into the couple that I thought it could be (two are labelled "downstairs lites and plugs", which is helpful... ) and still had no power on that circuit. Just for kicks, I took the wire from the bad circuit and plugged it into a known good breaker on the other side and flipped the power on - no luck. So I reconnected everything as it was originally and in my head I can rule out bad breakers.


Next I went with a popped off backstabber on one of the switches or light fixtures. I pulled a few random ones in that room (two switches, one plug, one fixture) and they're all screw type - not spring type backstabbers. All the wires appeared secure, intact, unburned, and the grounds were all secure. For kicks I gave each one a little wiggle and made sure they were tight with the screwdriver. I did NOT do this with all of the plugs/switches/wires. My assumption is that if SOME are screw style and not backstabber style, I probably don't have a popped off backstabber.


Which leads to me this: Now what?

[ma0641]

Depends on how the basement is wired. Could be pulled to a junction box and then out with separate hots. I think you have a burned or disconnected wire, my guess in a junction box. Trace the wire from the box and see where it goes.

[hfcarson]

You didn't mention whether you were using a voltage tester...
Without one you may never find the problem...
With one you would be done by now.

[hkstroud]

My assumption is that if SOME are screw style and not backstabber style, I probably don't have a popped off backstabber.

That is probably not a good assumption. Check them all. Also check the neutral connection in the panel.

A meter and a no contact voltage sensor would be helpful. In locating problem.