I have an electrical problem In a kitchen area one recpt. doesn’t have any power and a recpt strip on the island also doesn’t . I checked all breakers in the panel box this house doesn’t have any marked . I removed recept. and checked no loose wires also checked recpt. it’s good . there are 2 sets of wire in that box i’m assuming one feeds and the other is going to power another recpt. there is no power on either set . My question is what to do next my thoughts are to open every recpt. in the house & see if a wire came loose or is grounding against the box or worst case it’s in a j box in the attic or behind the drop ceiling in the finished basement all of this will be very time consuming . I’m open to any and all suggestions
PS
also checked gfi’s in kitchen they are ok
this is not new construction this house is about 15 -20yrs old
Thanks in advance
Zeeya
Replies
look for a tripped GFI... like behind the refer... or even in the next room...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Imerc been there done that even all 3 baths
is there a GFI in the circut....
it may be bad and not tripped...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
While checking for that GFI look outside as well.
I had a similar problem a couple of months ago.
Lady said outlets outside didn't work so i checked everything much as you did. Everything was in order but still no power.
Then the lady mentioned that her brother, who was an electrician, wired the house. A quick call to him and we found he had wired it thru a switch. So obvious yet so easily overlooked.
Dan
Dan019
I've checked near by switches also but now that you mention switches I remember HO said dimmers were replaced in dining & living room will check tomorrow
thanks
Zeeya
Thanks for all the adviceI've done all that was suggested and still can't find the problem. I know there's a tester that can trace it out but at $400 I can't see buying it I'm going to look for a possibility of a rental & talk to a couple of sparkys I know who might be able to help me out meanwhile I'll keep on hunting for it
Zeeya
The receptacle may be on a switch.A couple of months ago my wife tells me the tv in the bedroom doesn't work. Just to get to the receptacle was a major PITA.I had to remove the drawers from the bureau so I could pull it out to get to the receptacle.Then tested it with a lamp. no juice . Went downstairs to the garage, checked the breakers,there okay. Get a few tools and a new receptacle ,back upstairs.Checked the receptacle,no loose connections. Sat down and thought about it for a minute. I then noticed a wall switch, we don't have a ceiling light. Flipped the switch and the lamp shines. I only wasted an hour and a half. Wife then tells me she was dusting around the tv that morning but knew she hadn't touched the switch.Maybe the cat did it, yeah sure.
mike
You say there are two sets of wires. Maybe one is going to power another receptacle. The incoming black "hot " conductor goes to the side where there is a brass strip. The other conductors go on the opposite side; sometimes they are silver screws. I had a similar problem, but that is the reason : "hot" wire to the brass strip connection.
Greetings from California.
Unfortunately, it will be a process of elimination and probably will consume time.
Look at the dead outlet / power strip boxes - are they wired with #12 or #14?
Once you identify wire gauge you can eliminate all other circuits, i.e., if it is #12 you are looking for a 20A circuit, if #14 you are looking for a 15A circuit.
This of course assumes the kitchen was wired properly in the first place.
Has the kitchen been remodeled? If so, a j-box in attic or basement is a distinct possibility.
If you have already investigated the possibility of switching and tripped GFCIs, I would start my search in the kitchen and broaden it from there. Most likely suspects being the outlets adjacent to the one which is now dead.
This would be a good time to at least start mapping the house electrical system and marking breakers - you will undoubtedly learn something about the house wiring during this process - capture the information for future use.
Good luck!
Jim
Also, using a voltage meter, checking continuity could be helpful/useful between receptacles/switches, etc. A few times I've strung wire between electrical configurations (receptacle/switches) as a voltage meter has what, a two, three foot reach at the most.
Story: was helping my bro-in-law's bro on his remodel with some electrical after I had just wired my new house. I think, if memory serves me right, I had wired a shared, dedicated 20A circuit for both bathroom receptacles. Wired everything up, tested, all was fine. A few weeks later my b-i-l's bro calls me and says neither receptacle was working in the bathrooms...hmmm, I could have sworn I checked before walls were covered up et al. So I go back out to his house, do the continuity thing by stringing wire from outside at the panel, all the way through the house (not that far, less than 50 ft) to the bathroom(s). Sure enough, there is a break in the line.
Duh, I go out in the garage and see that some drilling had been done on one of the garage walls--someone, he (or one of his helpers) had pretty much gone through the #12/2 wire. I said, well, if I brought my wire stretcher you'd only have to put in one junction box, now you gotta put in two to make the repair in the line! Hey, I said, the two blank faceplates on the wall will just add to the garage's decor!
>>
Hey, I said, the two blank faceplates on the wall will just add to the garage's decor! <<
You been lookin' in my garage? At least the faceplates would be clean! :-)
No body fessing up about the drilling? Check their tool boxes for a drill bit with copper welding spatter stuck on it and/or arc marks. Bill accordingly.
Jim
Never underestimate the value of a sharp pencil or good light.