No power

Specific Inspection Topics Electrical Inspections
1

Today I lost power to the master bedroom. Initially I thought it might be a tripped breaker or even a bad breaker. When I went down to check the main service equipment I found the breaker to be in the on position so I tripped it and reset it anyway. That didn’t work so I removed the conductor and attached it to the 15 amp breaker below just to see if the breaker was bad but still no power. I checked the conductors with a sniffer and I do have power but none in the bedroom.

The only thing that happened was the power went out a couple days ago but when it came back on everything worked, including the master bedroom. I’m probably going to have to call an electrician in but do any of you have any ideas what may be causing this?

Thanks,
Vince

2

Vince,

If you have a meter, measure between the “hot” side of the outlet and the “ground” It should be about 120 VAC. If it is the “Neutral” is open some where between the outlet and the panel.

3

I don’t have any power to the receptacles, or anything else, in the bedroom.

4

Master Bedroom, why do you NEED power in there. Light a few candles and get some strawberrys and whip cream, you’ll forget all about Electrical Power in the Master Bedroom then…

5

Do you know how to TONE out a curcuit? This makes sure you have continuity through the wiring, and making sure you have the correct wires. How old is the home, Aluminum wiring perhaps?

6

The home is approximately 25 years old. I have tried checking receptacles from the furthest to the nearest with no power to anything. I even went up in the attic to check for damage from rodents but everything looked fine.

Not sure how to tone out a circuit.

7

80’s home then, no AL wiring should be there.

Lowes and Home Depot carry sets to tone out wiring. $50-$75 That way you know where you drop the curcuit and can go from there. Simple to use and saves tons of time and you have a new toy to boot.

http://www.valuetesters.com/Ideal-Industry-61-534-Digital-Circuit-Breaker-Finder-Tracer.php

This is a very simple one. But should tell you if you have the correct curcuit wiring in the panel.

8

Vince,

Sorry I wasnt’ clear. I hurried.

Have you tried your three light tester?
What did you get?

With a meter, measure the voltage from the hot of the outlet to the neutral of the outlet. Assuming that is 0 next measure between the hot and the ground hole and then between the neutral and the ground hole.
Unless the hot wire is broken between the panel and the first outlet you should be able to find the problem.

9

Perhaps there is a breaker, AFIC or GFIC somewhere in the curcuit also. Or the breaker for the bedroom may be tripped and the flip hasn’t moved, gently swipe you finger over all the breakers in the panel… and see if one moves then.

10

This is why I TONE out curcuits. much easier to find the location when doing flx and flips… but my toy is a bit more expensive to play with.

http://www.valuetesters.com/Amprobe-AT-4004CON-Advanced-Circuit-Tracer.php

but has paid for itself many times over by getting right the problem quick.

11

That would be my preference as well. But a bit pricy for most not in the trade.

12

This is what a bad backstab looks like. My neighbor found his by plugging a radio in one of the “dead” receptacles that had previously tuned to a station and turned way up. Then he went around and pounded on every device in the house. When he hit the one with the bad stab the radio squalked.
Just don’t use a “tube” radio :wink:

13

I have removed all the receptacles and looked for a loose connection with no luck. Suppose I will have to continue tomorrow.

Thanks for all the help.

14

The next place to be suspect is that cludge in the overhead lights. A lot of times they will make the ceiling J box the central point that they home run back to the panel from. That is where the multiwire for both of the far bedrooms in my house splits out so be careful. You may have a shared neutral in those boxes

15

So I replaced a couple receptacles that were stab lock installed and the power did come on for a few minutes but went out again. I found a few more receptacles that were installed the “quick” was and replaced those as well, six in all. So now all are replaced but still no power.

The search goes on…:mad:

16

When you say the power came on but went out again, did the breaker trip?

If you restored power for a few minutes, you’re almost there.

17

No, it just came on for a few minutes but the breaker did not trip. I’m just have to keep working on it but I will fix it.

18

One of the hard ones to find without test equipment but do not overlook the possibility that a dry wall screw / nail has worked through a wire.

rlb

19

I was afraid that might be the case but I found out what the problem was. A single receptacle in another room was backstabbed and no longer working. After replacing that one as well, a total of 8, the power works fine in the master bedroom.

I picked up around 20 receptacles and will be replacing several others this weekend.

Thanks for all the help.:wink: