[holly1127]

After finishing, I thought, installing a new GFCI wall socket I found it didn't work. I have pretty much tried everything except what will work. There is a light switch right next to the new socket. With the light on the last thing I tried was loosening the light switch enough so I was able using 2 separate wires I touched them to the terminals and to my shock, no pun intended, there is no power coming out even though the switch works perfectly well. I should mention that I got a wire to close to something and it sparked but the switch still works and I have light. I am truly at my wits end which would be fine with me but if anyone out there is married you know what I'm going through. HELP !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you to anyone who submits some kind of solution whether it works or not.

[hkstroud]

but if anyone out there is married you know what I'm going through

You just have to explain that, you just gotta. I am old and slow, I am also married, but I just don't understand. I am not an electrician but I have done a lot of electrical work and I don't see the connection. Maybe I have a short circuit, maybe I have a bad connection, or maybe I have been shocked to many times.

Does it mean that married people share a common bond of being in the dark. Does it mean that being married is a big mystery like electricity? Does it mean that marriage, like electricity, can be very frustrating (I could agree with that).

You explain that comment and I will tell you how to wire the GFI.

[joypulv]

I haven't been married for 20 years, but I know what you're going through.
I too am curious about the connection.
I think it has to do with being at your wit's end? Maybe your socket is trying to tell you something.

[donf]

Okay, I'll chime in, married 49 years and the victim of many honey do requests.

Please help us. "after finishing" - What did you finish?

When you pulled the original receptacle, what wires were where?

But most importantly, please tell us what you are trying t do.

I reread your post. Are yo trying to get power to the receptacle? Did you fish the wall to install the cable?

If you are trying to supply power to the receptacle from a switch, you can't unless there is a neutral in the box with the switch. I suspect that you light is supply power to the switch and it loops it back to the fixture. Be careful, the white wire attached to a switch is normally hot.

[stanfortyman]

If you just installed a GFI, and there definitely is power (both hot and neutral), and it does not work, the most likely cause is you miswired the GFI itself.
You must have the incoming power connected to the line terminals, and be the correct polarity (hot to hot/gold and neutral to neutral/silver). A GFI will not work if it is wired incorrectly.