electrical wiring

The light and sockets in one of our bedrooms went out so I went to the electrical panel to find the tripped breaker. Although I could not find a breaker that seemed tripped I turned the one for the room on and off. I found that when I turn the breaker off, the lights and outlets in the room start working. When I turn the breaker on, they stop working. Does anyone have a clue as to what is happening here? I looked out the wiring in one of the outlets and the light switch and everything seems fine. I did find another outlet on the same circut (downstairs laundry room) is not working now that the breaker is off. I would appreciate any hints you may have????????????

 

Do you mean with the breaker off, they work continually? or just flick on for a moment? I any case, I suspect the breaker is shot and should be replaced.

 

Thanks for the come back. The lights stay on continuously and do not flicker.
If the breaker is bad, do you now why some sockets and lights would work when the breaker is turned off and why others (in a different room but on the same circuit) would not work?

Thanks again

 

Hmmm. Missed that in the first post. Another breaker has to be "responsible" for the other outlet. Try flicking others off all the way and on again. Sometimes breakers trip but don't look like they have. It's also possible the outlet is downstream from a GFI, or is it a GFI itself?

Why this would have happened all at once is puzzling though. Could you have had a power surge?