unsuccesful receptacle change
#1
09-09-02, 06:20 PM
unsuccesful receptacle change
I changed three receptacles because they had been painted over. They were all 15A 125V and I replaced them with new ones of the same. I double and triple checked that I had replaced the wires as I had found them. When I tried to turn the power back on, there was a flash and a surge in from the circuit breaker and the it would not switch to the on position. When I put the old receptacles back on, it was fine. What's going on here please?
#2
09-09-02, 07:14 PM
Its possible that when you installed the new receptacles into the box,that a wire may have gotten pinched or the bare ground was touching the black wire on the screw.When you pulled the new receptacles back out,you cleared this fault.I would remove the old ones,check the wires very carefully for any nicks or cuts in the insulation(repair if needed)and reinstall the new ones, being careful not to let the bare ground touch the other wires.
#3
09-09-02, 07:25 PM
Member
texsparky may be correct, but here's another possibility to consider. Do you still have the old painted receptacles you removed? If so, look at the brass screw side of the receptacle to see if any of them have the brass tab removed. If the receptacles were split wired on a multiwire circuit, or on two separate circuits, this could be the problem. Describe for us the breaker that won't turn back on. Does it look just like all the other 15-amp breakers in the panel? Any chance you live in Canada?
