Can Moisture Cause a Circuit Breaker to Trip?
Breakers can trip from being overloaded or shorted. A short period of running usually indicates an overload because a short would trip the breaker immediately. It may be possible that the old breaker was bad and would have never tripped and the new one is doing...
Wiring a Bathroom Ceiling Light and Fan Combination?
The old light had a switched live and neutral. The new requires an additional live to power the timer and fan after the switch is off. The live is obtained from the other side (line side) of the switch feeding the fixture.
Fix for Overloaded of 15 amp Breaker?
Flickering is not typically overloaded. Breakers trip when overloaded. Flickering is typically a loose connection somewhere. As the conductors heat from being loaded, they expand and this movement can cause flickering.
Stove Keeps Tripping the Circuit Breaker?
If it is copper wire a #6 can be good for 55 amps, but an electrician needs to look to see if it needs derated. In any case, a #6 copper would not be protected by a 60 amp breaker. If the wire is not protected, it can overheat and cause fire.
Spotlights Tripped Breaker?
What do you mean by the breaker trip switch wont go back on? To reset a breaker it must be shut off and then turned off. If this was done and it tripped immediately, you have a short somewhere, most likely in the wiring box of one of the 20 fixtures. Another...
New Wall Outlets Won't Work?
It could be that a GFCI is protecting the circuit and it is tripped. If so, that is the easy fix. Find and reset the GFCI. More likely is that a bad connection exists in the rewire. draw out a map of the house with the breaker panel and imagine wire running...
Circuit Breaker Keeps Tripping?
It is often said to get an electrician to help. This question requires that solution because they have the tools. Breakers trip from either overload or short circuit, so put an ammeter on it and see if it is overloaded. If not, use a megger to test wiring to...
GFCI Circuit Breaker Plus GFCI Outlet?
It is typical to install GFCI receptacles on standard breakers. This should be fine next to a sink. The other receptacles that are protected by one GFCI circuit, need to be labelled as such. A GFCI receptacle has terminal to feed standard receptacle and protect...
Lights Added to Existing Circuit Don't Work?
If you have power everywhere, but the lights dont turn on, it could be that the neutral splice at the wall switch or in the attic box is bad. An electrician will be able to fix this for you.
One Switch on Multi-switch Panel Intermittent?
Often times garage lights are on three way switches. If installed incorrectly or using the wrong type of switch it could behave as you describe. Its working would depend on the position of the other switch.
Bathroom Breaker Tripped?
I agree that an electrician should be called. It is a possibility the breaker is bad. It is also possible the breaker is doing its job and something electrical has a fault. Prior to calling in an electrician, you could unplug all electrical devices and see...
Popping and Spark In Outlet?
You have a hot to ground short. From what you described it may be in your phone charger transformer. This could easily cause a fire and should be corrected by a professional. If you are certain that the sparks came from the phone adapter, get rid of that phone...
Circuit Breaker Making a Buzzing Sound?
Dinah is correct, an electrician is needed. The buzzing is caused by moving parts, either a loose connection (internal or external) of the breaker or bad contacts within the breaker. I would get it checked quickly. loose/bad connections can be heat generators...
Overhead Ceiling Fan Light Not Working Properly?
It is always a concern for fire when electrical systems behave strangely and the safest thing to do is hire an electrician to correct the issue. I have recently worked on a ceiling fan light that was a high end model. It experienced the same problem you described...
Space Heater Sparked and Tripped Breaker?
It sounds as if the cord or plug is bad and that moving the cord/plug caused a short which tripped the breaker. An electrician could put a new cord and plug on the device and test it if it has value to you.
New Garage Door Opener Trips Breaker?
I dont believe this is an electrical problem. Raising the garage door requires work (horsepower) from the motor in your door opener. A motor is a stupid device (my apology to all motors) and will put out whatever work is demanded of it until it burns up. The...
Outlet Stopped Working?
Beginning with 1999, Arc Fault Circuit Protection was required for bedrooms in dwelling units. Nuisance trips are common with this type of protection and vaporizers. The original protection was at the breaker - the breaker would trip. More recently, the protection...
Light Switch Intermittent and Outlet Sparking?
It could be a number of things and it would be good to have an electrician check this out. There is plenty of opportunity to be hurt or killed if you dont know what you are doing. The situation itself sounds dangerous enough. Although the receptacle is not...
Ceiling Fan Lights Not Working?
It depends on how you tested the voltage in the receptacle. There should be a hot and neutral connection for the bulb. A non-contact voltage pen would show the presence of the hot, but not the neutral. It may be that the neutral wire is open. It could be broken...
Installing a New Light Fixture?
Done properly, the splice should have occurred in a junction box. Under cabinet led fixtures are often reduced voltage. Was it a plug that was cut off or a transformer/plug? Electronics in the fixture may require the neutral and the hot are kept straight (not...
Breaker Won't Turn Back On?
A standard breaker will trip on an overload. This is often a short circuit between hot and ground. The short circuit can be part of your household wiring. But that probably hasnt changed. I have heard of someone hanging a picture by driving a nail in the wall...
Receiving Shock from Porch Light?
Two things, at least, are wrong. The conduit system is not grounded. All metal components should be tied to the ground (green or bare wire) which goes back to the panel. The hot wire is touching the ungrounded metal and is shocking you. If grounded, this would...
Electrical Circuit Problem?
This is an interesting case. It sounds as though the receptacles are on the same circuit. It also sounds like they may be in series instead of parallel. If this were the case, neither would work unless something were plugged in both and even then both would...
Electrical Circuit Problem?
It also may be that the neutral and ground are bonded in the family room and that the ground circuit, which connects the two receptacles does not go back to the panel. A further assumption must be made that the Neutral wire opened to the family room circuit...
Repairing an Electrical Outlet?
It may be that these devices are fed from an AFCI or GFCI receptacle which is tripped. It may be that the breaker did not reset. It may be that the breaker is bad. It may be that the wiring is incorrect. Black is supposed to be hot white neutral and bare or...
Two Prong Plug to Three Prong Extension Cord?
If the compressor came as a two wire unit (not a three with the ground pin cut off) then yes you are good to go. You should verfiy your garage is GFCI protected as is required by code. The purpose of the ground pin is to ground the metal parts of the case of...
Repairing an Electrical Outlet?
Unplug everything from the receptacles on that circuit. Is the breaker reset? To reset a breaker, switch off then on. The receptacles may be grouped on an AFCI or GFCI receptacle. Look for a receptacle that is one of these and needs to be reset and reset it...
GFCI Outlets Not Working?
GFCI receptacles can be daisy chained to standard receptacles and protect them the same as a GFCI (if installed correctly). The standard receptacles should be labelled as GFCI protected. The first receptacle in the daisy chain must be the GFCI type and the...
Replacing Circuit Breakers?
It would not be safe to do so. The 20 amp breaker can protect a #12 AWG or larger wire. Replacing with a 60 amp double pole breaker would allow too much current to flow on the wires (presumably #12 AWG) and could lead to overheating and even fire.
Power Out in Half of Apartment?
Unplug the fan and do not plug it in again without having it checked. The receptacle may be AFCI or GFCI protected by another receptacle. Make sure none of your receptacles are of this type and tripped. If tripped, you can reset them at the receptacle. If none...
Using Space Heater Blew Power to Part of House?
If you overloaded the circuit you either blew a fuse tripped a breaker tripped a GFCI or AFCI or burned up wiring or a wiring connection Check for fuses or breakers - possibly a sub panel. It may be that an electrician will be required to find the open in the...
Replacing a Celling Fan With a Light?
I recommend you get an electrician. This circuit can get a little tricky. I am assuming that your house is wired with multi-conductor cables. If this is true, then the 3 black wires indicate you have 3 cables coming into the box. The 3 cables would go to one...
Replacing a Celling Fan With a Light?
I apologize - The 3 cables would go to one switch, the other switch and the power panel.
Outlets Not Working?
A common way of checking power is with a non-contact volt meter. It will show the presence of 120 VAC hot. However, to make a circuit you also need the neutral. If you have the hot, but lost the neutral, it would act as you describe. The neutral and the ground...
GFCI Circuit Intermittent?
GFCIs do not reset themselves, yet yours are resetting. If wet, they may need time to dry before resetting or - With the GFCI on, see if you can kill power by shutting off the breaker in your panel. If you cannot, then it may be that these receptacles are not...
Intermittent 110 Power Issues?
There seems to be a number of issues here that will require an electrician to troubleshoot on-site. Your stove should be on its own two pole breaker (240 volt). Your receptacles should be on a separate single pole breaker (120 volt). If wired that way, then...
Lights Going Off and On?
A breaker will trip on overcurrent. It will require you to reset it. This is not the problem you are having. You have a circuit that keeps opening, either the hot or neutral. I would assume these lights are all on the same breaker. This can be caused by a bad...
New Light Fixture Causes No Power to Rest of Circuit?
I can give you a scenario of how this could occur. The old fixture was installed some time ago and it was discovered that the neutral wire was not continuous to the previous fixture. Violating code, the person could have then jumpered the neutral to the ground...
Changed Outlet and Lights Won't Turn Off?
If the top of the receptacle is fed from the switch and the bottom is always hot (fed separately), the bridge connecting the two brass screws on the side of the receptacle, with the power off, needs to be cut. An electrician can do this for you with pliers...
Troubleshooting an Electrical Circuit?
I always recommend a qualified electrician be used to perform electrical work. They have the right tools and know to not work things hot. The breaker would trip due to an excessive current. In an existing installation, this would probably be caused be a component...
Water Heater and Stove Not Working?
Power is provided to your house single phase. That means you have 240 VAC from one line to another. Another line often referred to as the neutral provides a center tapped connection so that it is 120 from the neutral to one line and 120 from the neutral to...
Determining Cause of Power Loss in House?
I am sorry that the electrician could not find the issue. I would consider another electrician when funds become available. What I am curious to know is how many circuits (breakers in your panel) are effected. If it is only one circuit, it is something in your...
Determining Cause of Power Loss in House?
Electricians have a device that connects to a wire and puts a signal on that wire. They then use a device that senses the signal to track the wire through ceilings and walls. If an electrician does that in your panel to the hot wire on the breaker (or the neutral...
Replacing a Circuit Breaker?
A circuit breaker trips when the current through it exceeds its trip point. The higher the current, the quicker it trips. The amount of current flowing through the circuit is determined by the load, in this case the stove, and changing the breaker does not...
Main Circuit Breaker Keeps Tripping?
The breaker is tripping from overcurrent. If it trips immediately, it is most likely a short to ground. It could also be a locked rotor on your pump. If it takes time to trip, it is an overcurrent, and for some reason the pump is working harder than it used...
Can't Turn Off Stovetop at Breaker Box?
If you turned off the main breaker and killed power to your entire house and the stove stayed on, then your stove is not on that panel. A residence typically only has one panel in the house, but confirm you do not have two. If you do not, it may be possible...
Power Goes Out Intermittently?
A breaker would not turn itself back on, so thats not it. A loose connection heating under load and cooling could be the culprit. A hidden switch that the people you live with are turning on and off may also be the culprit. I do not know how the furnace would...
Outlet Not Working?
I am glad you killed power at the breaker before working on this system. This always needs to be done. I hope you also metered it before working to make sure power was gone. It is standard practice for multiple items like this to be on one circuit. A 2 conductor...
Turning On TV Trips Breaker?
When you say you have tried different plugs, are these on different circuits? (different breakers?) If it is not to cumbersome, I would try to plug the tv in on another circuit to see if it trips another breaker. If the problem continues then the problem is...
Troubleshooting Electrical Circuit Problems?
It sounds as though an electrical surge on your power took out your bulbs. If that is the case, replacing the bulbs should make it okay. You may find other devices that were on during the surge are now not functioning. I doubt that the water main work had anything...
Troubleshooting an Electrical Circuit?
If your dryer is electric, it is 240 volt whereas your washer and fridge are 120 volt. They should not even be on the same circuit. Unplugging a device should have no effect on other devices on the circuit. There are incorrect ways to wire these devices so...
Repairing an Electrical Outlet?
If the light is plugged in the wall and had no wall switch, have an electrician come to install a new receptacle. Receptacles are cheap. In the process of changing the receptacles, he/she will have to unwire the old and wire the new so the integrity of the...
Circuit Breaker Keeps Tripping?
It may be that everything is working properly. 10 amps is a small breaker and if it is loaded to between 10 and 12 1/2 amps it could take 10, 20, 30 minutes or even longer to trip based on the temperature around the breaker box. Breakers do not trip instantly...
Furnace Thermostat Breaker Tripping?
If I understand correctly, you have replaced the breaker and the thermostat. With these changes, the breaker continues to trip. Even with the thermostat unwired and the wires separated and taped, the breaker trips. From this information, I would assume that...
Light Fixture Stopped Working?
Assuming it is an incandescent fixture, if you have any place you can test the light bulbs (another fixture somewhere) to make sure they do work, that would be a good first step. If the bulbs are good the problem could be in ether the lamp or the switch. If...
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...
Commercial Freezer Keeps Tripping the Breaker?
If you have a single pole breaker - 120 volts, not 240 volts... Your freezer should have a serial data tag. Verify that the unit is labelled as 115, 117 or 120 for volts and 1 for phase. I am assuming this tag is where you obtained the info that it draws 9...
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...
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...
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!
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...
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...
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...
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.
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.
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.
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Light Switch Flickers or Doesn't Work?
Hire an electrician to change the switch. From what you have described, it is going bad.
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...
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...
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...
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).
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 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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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.
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...
Garage Light Switch Not Working Properly?
The ballast control switch, for dimming lamps, and your safety board often require special reduced voltage fixtures.
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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.
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...
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...
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...
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?
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...
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...
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...
