Troubleshooting Electrical Circuit Problems?
It is possible that these receptacles are protected by a GFCI or AFCI outlet. If this is the case, look for a tripped receptacle with pushbuttons and push the reset. This could restore power to all of your receptacles.
One Light Fixture in Bedroom Not Working?
It is possible that the light is fed from the load side of a GFCI or AFCI receptacle. If this is the case, it would be an easy fix to reset the tripped receptacle. Going beyond that, I would hire an electrician to help identify that both the power and the neutral...
Troubleshooting Light Fixture and GFCI Outlet Issues?
It is possible that the ballasts have gone bad in your fluorescent fixtures. There is a tester for lamps, but it is cost prohibitive for the home user. Your electrician may have one. You could also see if the lamps are good by placing them in a working fixture...
Electrical Receptacles Not Working?
With a non contact voltage pen, check to see if you still read voltage at the non-functioning receptacles. My guess is you do. The dishwasher needed a neutral to run as well as a hot. It is also my guess that the neutral to your dishwasher goes to the neutral...
Circuit Breaker Keeps Tripping Power problem?
It is possible that an amateur tried to install a 3-way switch to a light by using two single pole switches on two different circuits. This would work until both switches were turned on resulting in a hazardous dead short. Have an electrician check the wire...
Troubleshooting Electrical Circuit Problem?
It sounds like the lights and receptacle are on the same circuit which could be tripped. A circuit can be tripped at: * the breaker * a GFCI receptacle * an AFCI receptacle Check to make sure that no other receptacles are tripped that could be AFCI or GFCI...
Troubleshooting an Electrical Circuit?
Have an electrician check it out for you. The Skil saw should only taken out the breaker of the circuit you were on unless something extreme occurred like you used it to cut through the service to the panel. If this is on a sub-panel in a shop or garage, it...
Identifying the Breaker for an Outlet Circuit?
If you only have one electrical panel (could you have a subpanel feeding this outlet?) and you have tried killing power on each circuit (I assume you checked the single pole breakers), and you are not generating electricity, then my guess is that a 240 volt...
Troubleshooting a Breaker Box?
I am sorry you are experiencing this difficulty. I always recommend an electrician to troubleshoot electrical problems because of the danger associated with working electrical. One possible cause of this problem would be a broken / fractured backpanel connection...
Power Irregular After Installing New Breaker Box?
Have an electrician check your neutral connections at the panel.
Breaker Arced When Installing New Wire?
It sounds as if the load was connected and the breaker was turned on when installed. Installing a breaker with a live panel is not uncommon for a qualified electrician. The electrician would not have the breaker wired or turned on when installing because this...
Troubleshooting Circuit Breaker?
Have the electrician measure the current. It sounds as though the circuit is overloaded. Is this tripping breaker a recent problem? Has electrical load been added to the circuit? An overload may take time to trip the breaker.
Problem Adding a Receptacle to Existing Circuit?
An electrician can fix this for you. A hot and neutral wire were probably taken to the switch and from the switch a switch leg and neutral were taken to the light. You need a hot and neutral to your receptacle. This can be done with an additional wire from...
Troubleshooting a Circuit Problem?
It would be best to get an electrician. The panel cover to the breaker panel needs to be removed and the breaker (or all breakers) checked to make sure voltage is still being supplied to each circuit (the breaker is actually on). Working electrical hot like...
Electrical Repair Help for Low Income Homeowners?
I am sorry that this is happening. I do not know of any government organization that can help. I hope the previous response was helpful. If it was not, and you are still searching for assistance, do not be afraid to ask at your church (if you attend). These...
Troubleshooting Electrical Voltage Drop?
A poor connection. A possible culprit here could be a poor electrical connection that is high resistance and when placed under any load produces a significant voltage drop. Be warned that a poor connection causing voltage drop produces heat. Have an electrician...
Breaker Won't Reset?
Yes, Id call an electrician. You have a short in you wiring. The electrician will unwire the hot wires from the breaker and measure resistance between the two and between each of them and ground. These should all be open. If the light switch were in the on...
Breaker in RV Keeps Tripping?
Another box would probably require another feed, maybe another generator or power source. The breakers is protecting the wire within the walls. It does not allow more current to flow through them than what they are rated for. This is to prevent overheating...
Breaker in RV Keeps Tripping?
I apologize I missed that the AC units were 120 VAC. This means that they must be less than 1440 (120 x 15 x 0.8) watts and not run on the same leg at the same time. Again, please consult an electrician.
Some Rooms Without Power After Storm?
I would suspect you lost the neutral feeding your home. If so, this is for your utility to resolve.
Power Out and Breaker Not Tripped?
An electrician would really help here. The breaker could be tripped and not indicating. An electrical would check the output of each breaker for voltage with a meter. The circuit could be on a GFCI receptacle that has tripped and needs reset. The circuit could...
Power Out in One Room?
A device such as a switch, light or receptacle could have failed. A loose connection could have opened due to the circuit overheating. A rodent could have chewed through wiring..... An electrician can check this out for you. Electricity runs on a circuit (a...
Smoke Alarm Keeps Beeping?
The smoke alarm is chirping because: - The battery is dead - The unit is not receiving hard wired power - The unit is dirty - The unit is broke Make sure the replacement battery is good, that the unit is plugged in firmly. Use canned air to blow the dirt out...
Problems Getting Circuit Breaker to Reset?
A breaker can trip from overcurrent (a condition in which too much current is flowing and heats an element in the breaker causing it to trip - this can be reset after cooldown after several minutes) or from short circuit (way way too much current causing an...
Bypassing an Outlet?
I would hire an electrician to fix this. The receptacle can be removed and a cover plate installed but it would be about the same cost as replacing the receptacle. The wiring broke free on its own so it is probable that it has experienced some heat damage from...
Appliance and Electrical Fixtures Not Working?
It could be the neutral. Here is why (assuming you have a common single phase panel): It once was common to run a shared neutral. The breakers in your panel provide 120VAC relative to the neutral. Adjacent breakers provide 240VAC. A black wire would be connected...
Breaker Will Not Reset?
It sounds as though your fan motor failed. You will need to replace the unit. If you dont use the fan, you could have an electrician unwire the fan and leave the lights connected. They could also verify there is no damage to the lighting circuit while doing...
Troubleshooting Electrical Circuit Problems?
Power is voltage multiplied by current. Voltage is supplied by your utility and current is determined by the load you place on the circuit. If you have low power it is possible you have low voltage. Since some devices are constant power, a low voltage will...
Wiring a Light Switch?
Since you added the switch, you no longer have a hot to the light, you have a switch leg which is only hot when the switch is on. The other switch was fed from the hot which is now a switch leg. You need to feed it with a hot. This can be done if there is an...
Hot Smell from Breaker Panel When Using Clothes Dryer?
If the hot smell is from your panel, it would be good to have an electrician look into this for you. You dont want to risk a fire. The heat could come from a loose connection, either hot (black)at the breaker or neutral (white) on the bus. The heat could be...
Lights Work When The Switch Is Off?
Is the off and on labelled? If not, it could be that the switch was installed upside down. Have an electrician turn the switch over. Is this part of a three way circuit? Is there another hidden switch that got flipped?
Repairing Outlets and Light Switches?
Something has failed - Breaker - Wiring - Receptacle An electrician can meter the breaker to make sure voltage is present after being reset. The electrician would then check to make sure voltage is present at the receptacle and behind the receptacle. This would...
Increasing Load Capacity by Joining Two Breaker Circuits?
The 20 amp breaker is designed to limit current flow through the wires (20 amp is 12 AWG or larger wire) to protect the wire from overheating (fire). Your power panel is staggered between two legs with the neutral being center tapped. The voltage between opposing...
Beeping Coming from Housing of Smoke Detector?
Another device must be making the noise. Make sure other detectors (smoke, CO) are in good working order. Sometimes it is hard to determine where the sound comes from. If the ceiling is new, it is possible that someone covered a detector and the battery has...
No Power to Electrical Outlets?
A tripped breaker. A tripped AFCI somewhere. A tripped GFCI somewhere. Not wired Damaged wire (nail, rodent,...) Hot not connected Neutral not connected If you have access to a plug in electrical tester, it is a good start to figuring out the issue.
No Power After Installing New Ceiling Fan?
A breaker can trip from a short circuit and be immediately reset when the fault is cleared. A breaker can trip from and overload condition (such as 30 amps on a 20 amp breaker) and can be reset after the breaker has cooled down. I would suspect there is something...
Kitchen Light Switches Not Working Properly?
One of your three way switches has gone bad (unless it was replaced with a standard switch?) The first three way switch will take power and switch it to two travellers (type of conductor). One of the travellers will be hot with the switch in one position and...
Resetting Circuit Breaker Panel?
It sounds as though the circuit was overloaded, so resetting the breaker is correct. To reset a breaker, first shut off then turn on. Most breakers have a red flag in a window to signify they are tripped. This , I assume is what you already did. Breakers, on...
Bathroom Light Trips Living Room or Hallway Breakers?
I am not a fan of AFCI breakers. They are a good idea in theory but there seemed to be a rush to put them into law. That being said, you need to work with what you have. Most times when a breaker trips, it is because it is doing what it is designed to do. Could...
Troubleshooting an Electrical Outlet?
This is probably one for an electrician to handle since they have the meters and test equipment necessary to test the voltage at your receptacle. It is possible you have a loose connection that when heated with current flow, opens or better closes the circuit...
One Receptacle on Double Outlet Not Working?
A duplex receptacle has a bridge between the two neutral slots (tall ones) and a bridge between the two hot slots (short ones) and the grounds are tied together internally. It would be difficult for one to be working without the other unless a bridge was cut...
Breaker Not Working?
I cannot tell from the picture, but I am assuming that is your phone charger. It appears as though it failed. When it failed, it probably shorted the circuit and tripped a breaker (or blew a fuse) in your panel. This can be reset (turn breaker off and on) or...
Intermittent Electrical Outlets?
It sounds like a loose connection in your household wiring. Your wiring is metal, most likely copper (maybe aluminum). A loose connection generates heat causing the metal to expand. This can cause the circuit to open. Once open the connection cools down and...
Circuit Problems and Breaker Won't Reset?
It is probable that the ceiling fan is on the same circuit as the master bedroom if they all lost power at the same time when the breaker tripped. It is possible that it is a bad breaker. If so an electrician could change it. Were any changes being made to...
Garage Light Switch Not Working Properly?
The ballast control switch, for dimming lamps, and your safety board often require special reduced voltage fixtures.
GFCi Outlet for Christmas Lights Keeps Tripping?
Electricity works on a loop. Current flows out on the hot and back on the neutral. A standard breaker trips when the flow in the loop is too great. A GFCI trips when the current flowing out exceeds the current flow returning by 4 to 6 milliamps (.004 to .006...
Lamp Does Not Turn On Right Away?
A little more trouble shooting may be required. Does the lamp turn on quickly at other receptacles? Does the fluorescent lamp work at other receptacles? If they do, consider have an electrician meter the voltage at your receptacle.
20 Amp Circuit Breaker Keeps Tripping?
Breakers can trip from short circuits and overloads. From what you describe, it is not overloaded (it is idle). An electrician can verify this with a ammeter. A short circuit can be caused by water to a damaged or improperly installed wire. (an electrician...
Wiring an Electrical Switch?
I would talk to an electrician. They have the tools and meters to make sure the job is done safely. Box fill could rapidly become a problem here. Without meters, assumptions have to be made that code was followed (black is hot, white is neutral.....) I have...
Troubleshooting a Bad Circuit?
The job of the breaker is to protect the wire in your walls. It is unsettling when a breaker fails because it is not doing its job. I think you need to get a professional in to determine if your wiring is damaged, they have test equipment to determine that...
Intermittent Power in Two Outlets?
Breakers and switches, when shut off or tripped, stay off. Checking for loose connections is what is required. If your power is shutting off and turning back on it sounds like a loose connection somewhere (maybe inside a device such as a switch or breaker but...
Electrical Outlet for Cooktop Not Working?
If not qualified, I would recommend getting an electrician to resolve the issue. It sounds as though the neutral connection is open somewhere. Yes, it could be at the panel. It could also be at an electrical box between the stove and the panel. A digital meter...
Repairing a Light Circuit?
The capacitor is there to debounce the switch. When the button is pushed, the negative terminal of the op amp is at 0 volts. The positive terminal is at 2/3 of Vcc. This drives the output of the op amp high (to Vcc). With the button released the positive terminal...
Intermittent House Lights?
I do not know if your lamps are CFL, LED or incandescent, but I have experienced this issue with CFL lamps, and a new one takes care of the problem. Make sure the packaging does not restrict orientation of the lamp. I doubt that your home wiring would be causing...
Electrical Problems in Old Trailer?
The trailer sounds unsafe. If you need to stay at this place, have an electrician look at it.
Half of House Electrical Not Working?
If half the power is out, in sounds as if you lost one leg of your electrical power. Power comes in on three wires with two hots and a neutral. 120 VAC from hot 1 two neutral. 120VAC from hot 2 to neutral. 240 volts AC from hot 1 to hot 2. The two hot wires...
Electrical Problem in Old House?
Copper, like any metal, will expand when heated and contract when cooled. If your house has aluminum wire this is even more pronounced. The pen you described is a good troubleshooting tool that indicates you have voltage at the hot but it does not show that...
Electrical Problem in Old House?
A couple of things: I do no know if your wire is copper or aluminum. Both metals grow when heated and shrink when cooled. If metals are mixed (wires, wire nuts, landing screws), it can result in a bad connection. Your voltage pen is a great tool for detecting...
Electrical Circuit Problem?
The kitchen light fixture should have a switch leg (hot) and a neutral. The neutral on your kitchen fixture is tied to the hot of your living room fixture (instead of the neutral).
No Power to Circuit After Changing Switches?
An electrician is always your best choice. Electricity can hurt and even kill. Never work a circuit energized. An electrical circuit consists of two current carrying conductors coming from the breaker panel. The hot wire is black and the neutral wire is white...
Surge Protector or Breaker Problems?
Surge strips often have breakers that trip. A button will pop out that needs to be pushed in to reset. Electrical loads often have an inrush current many times the steady state load. It is possible that your television may pull 3 or 4 amps ordinarily and 20...
Troubleshooting a Circuit Problem?
I recommend hiring an electrician. He/She would verify the hot and neutral legs arent switched by metering the wires to ground. If the dimmer is wired correctly, the electrician would then verify that the range hood is tied in ahead of the dimmer and not downstream...
Outlets Not Working?
The most common cause of outlets failing would be a tripped breaker in your power panel. You have correctly troubleshot the situation by unplugging the connected devices and turning the breaker off then on to reset it. Still, no luck. The second leading cause...
Light Switch Flickers or Doesn't Work?
Hire an electrician to change the switch. From what you have described, it is going bad.
Electricity Out Breaker Not Tripped?
This needs to have an electrician look at it. I would suspect that all these loads are on the same breaker as the stove. Does turning off the stove breaker kill the other loads? If so, it sounds as if you lost the neutral somewhere. Possibly the breaker panel...
3 Way Light Switch Mess in Old Farm House?
One of the two switches has the power coming in with no ground. It would be good to run a ground. This switch has the hot wire connected to it (or possibly the neutral if someone crossed the wires). The two wires coming off the switch on a three way will always...
Troubleshooting Electrical Circuit?
It is possible that the short in the vacuum was insufficient to trip the breaker but large enough to cause a voltage spike which could have damaged the television. This is supported by your husband hearing crackling noises at the same time. This is made more...
Circuit Breaker Keeps Tripping?
You are on the right track. I would always recommend a qualified electrician to troubleshoot such a problem. Removing loads to eliminate possible problem loads is a good start and usually identifies the problem. Make sure all loads have been removed from that...
Replacing a Wall Switch?
I would call in an electrician. You replaced a switch, presumably because it was not working, and the fan still doesnt work. I assume this is the only switch for the fan. Usually, and with good working practice, the hot wire is switched. But for the fan to...
No Ground Wire in Electric Switch Box?
Please use an electrician. You should never work on electrical when it is energized. The two wires, one copper and one covered in red, on the switch should both have insulation because both will be current carrying conductors. Again, an electrician can fix...
Circuit Breaker/Ceiling Fan Issues?
Thanks Louise! Using an electrician is a very good idea. Never work things hot. The red flag on your breaker indicates there is a short to ground. The black wire has a path to the ground bus in your panel either through the ground wire or the neutral wire. The...
Electrical Outlet Stopped Working?
An electrician could fix this for you. You need a meter to detect if voltage is present at the receptacle and if the neutral is connected by measuring resistance to ground. There exists a plug in device with three lights that will give you that information...
Troubleshooting Wiring After Replacing Breaker?
Yes, the wire could be bad or something may be wrong in the panel itself. I would get an electrician in quickly. The burnt plastic residue in your breaker box is not normal. The double pole 30 amp breaker being turned on and passing no power is not normal.
Troubleshooting AC Thermostat Circuit?
Most HVAC units are controlled with 24 volts AC. This requires a control transformer usually located in the HVAC unit itself. My first thought would be that this is failing and that cycling power to it allows it to start working again. It could also be that...
Touch Lamp Won't Work in All Outlets?
The touch switch works on capacitance of the human body interfering with the electric field set up by the control box inside the lamp. Human capacitance can vary with surroundings, causing the lamp to work in some rooms and not in others. The sensitivity of...
Circuit Breaker Tripped?
If the lights outside were on and your breaker was tripped, they are on a different circuit. Talk to the neighbors to see if they had plugged into a receptacle that did not work or stopped working. That receptacle, if it exists, is the culprit. If talking does...
GFI Not Resetting?
There is no standard on the red light. It could mean everything is okay. However, if there is no power, then push the test and then the reset. If nothing changes... Check other receptacles in the vicinity that are not GFCI and unplug their loads. (It could...
Using Switch for Ceiling Fan Affects Lights?
It is typical for fans made since 2009 to have wattage limiters which add a slight delay when turning on the ceiling fan light. The rest of the circuit should not experience the delay. (other receptacles) It sounds as though other loads in your house, intentionally...
Circuit Breaker Keeps Tripping?
I would strongly urge you to get an electrician to look into this. At first, it sounds as though the circuit is overloaded and the living room breaker is tripping on thermal overload. ( a 20 amp breaker allows 25 amps to flow for a period of time while its...
Power Only Works When Stove On?
An electrician can fix this for you. It sounds as though you have a 4 wire stove (neutral and ground go to stove), other loads are on the same circuit, and the neutral wire is open. Two hot wires going to the stove, typically red and black will measure 240...
Lost Power to Lights After Rain Leak?
If you are certain that no breaker has tripped and yet you have lost power, the circuit must have opened somewhere. Most likely at a fixture. You will need an electrician to assist in finding where this circuit opened. If no work was being done in the boxes...
Circuit Breaker for Dishwasher Keeps Tripping?
If the breaker is tripping without running the dishwasher, then you need to look external to the dishwasher. An electrician could fix this for you. Dishwasher End of Cable: The electrical connection under the dishwasher could be seeing water and tripping the...
Replacing a Light Switch?
I would always recommend an electrician. Assuming the other switch is for a different light fixture, what may have happened was that in the process of changing your switch the hot wire feeding the other switch came loose under the wire nut.
Ceiling Fan Wiring Problems?
The power to the fan is now switched, so it is on the same switch leg as the light. If you want the fan to be controlled by the pull chain and not a switch the power feeding it must be a hot and not a switch leg. An electrician can fix this for you.
Stove on New Breaker Not Heating Up?
Verify that you are connected to a two pole breaker (240 VAC) not single pole (120 VAC) and that your stove requires 240 VAC (most stoves do). The two pole breakers take up two spots in your panel.
Electrical Circuit Issue?
This could be explained by the loss of a shared neutral wire, which takes an electrician to fix. Example: --breaker 1--------------| Load 1 -- neutral ---------------| Load 2 --breaker 3--------------| If the neutral wire gets broke, it takes two loads to complete...
Electrical Outlets Stopped Working?
The outlets are probably on the same circuit. Care must be exercised when changing the receptacle so that the correct breaker is shut off and power is killed so that you can work the job safely. Typically power does not just die from a bad receptacle. The daisy...
Electricity Is Out Upsatirs?
I am sorry to hear about your electrical issue. I would always recommend an electrician for troubleshooting since they have the knowledge and tools to identify and repair the problem efficiently and SAFELY. From what your describing, your entire upstairs is...
Replacing a 200 Amp Breaker Box?
I do not know. Perhaps you can speak with your local electrical inspector (authority having jurisdiction). They may let you put a box above the panel location for splicing. Good Luck!
Lights Don't Work in Hot Weather?
It sounds like a bad / loose electrical connection. Heat causes copper and aluminum to expand (copper and aluminum are two common conductors). Get an electrician to make sure the wiring connections to the fixture are tight. Along the same line, it is a bad...
Electrical Circuit in Bedroom Not Working?
This is a difficult problem to troubleshoot. Having replaced the breaker, the attention needs to go to where the air conditioner was plugged in. Power to receptacles is typically daisy-chained from one to the next. The air conditioner is a major cord and plug...
Circuit Breaker Keeps Tripping?
Your circuit breaker is tripping on overload. Pulling too much current thought the main causes the internal bimetallic strip to heat up and trip the unit. After tripping, the internal bimetallic strip is still hot and must cool down before it can reset. (The...
