Probable short?


  #1  
Old 12-27-05, 05:56 PM
cuddledawn
Visiting Guest
Posts: n/a
Probable short?

Okay...here's what happened.....I plugged a vacuum cleaner into an outlet and as soon as I turned the vac on.....the outlet shorted out. Along with this outlet, I have lost power to overhead lights in dining room & kitchen, range hood light, ceiling fan in living room, and all power in master bedroom (but not master bath). This did not trip a breaker and I have not been able to find the correct breaker....it seems all have something that is working on them....except the subpanel breaker which I have no idea about......I changed the outlet to no avail......also.....when I installed the programmable thermostat which is in the same wall as the outlet, I noticed when I moved the wires (on different breaker) the light plugged into the outlet flickered. Can anyone give me a clue?


-------------------------------------------------
| | |
| |
| MB | K DR |
| | -----
| | |____| |
|
--------------- |

LR |
this diagram I did isn't coming out right when I post......
|
___________________ |

Okay....the outlet is at the wall/island in between Kitchen, Dining, and Living room.

Any suggestions?
 
  #2  
Old 12-27-05, 06:08 PM
J
Member
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: United States
Posts: 17,733
Upvotes: 0
Received 1 Upvote on 1 Post
It's an open, not a short.

This event may sound unusual to you, but we see it here all the time. And most of the time, it involves a vacuum cleaner.

Bob will be along shortly with his lecture about how you should have already known what was on what circuit. He does it so well, I'll leave that to him.

Start by going to your home center and spending $8 on an outlet tester, a device that plugs into receptacles and has three lights on it. Bring it home and plug it into that receptacle that the vacuum cleaner was plugged into. Chances are it will show an open neutral. Because it will have one light on, it will enable you to figure out what circuit this is on. That will enable you to shut off the correct breaker, which is necessary before you can proceed. It will also narrow down the possibilities, but I'm betting on an open neutral.
 
  #3  
Old 12-27-05, 06:18 PM
cuddledawn
Visiting Guest
Posts: n/a
Thank you....I will get the outlet tester tomorrow. As far as knowing which breaker was what....the original list is up there......but none of them list anything that is not working.....my luck....anyway....it's my mothers house and when I was checking the breakers tonite......turned them off and then back on one at a time....as I did this...I wrote in more detail what each one was running......okay.....if there is an "open"....what is the next step? I really am a novice.....but mom can't afford to hire anyone right now....and I'm not able to help much either......appreciate any help provided.....
 
  #4  
Old 12-27-05, 06:28 PM
J
Member
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: United States
Posts: 17,733
Upvotes: 0
Received 1 Upvote on 1 Post
Once you identify the correct breaker, then you will be able to shut it off. Everything that is then dead is on that circuit. Open up every box on the circuit, even the ones that still work fine when the breaker is on. Start with the boxes where you're having trouble, then move on to the nearest boxes without trouble. Examine all the connections carefully. Be especially suspicious of wires poked into holes on the back of receptacles (called "backstab" connections). Release the backstab connection by sticking something into the release slot next to the hole. Move each backstab connection to the adjacent screw, wrapping the wire clockwise around the screw and tightening. If there is already a wire on that screw, you'll need to use a wire nut and a "pigtail" (several inch segment of wire of the same color and gauge) to attach both wires to the pigtail and then connect the pigtail to the screw. While you're at the home center, pick up several feet of #12 black wire, #14 black wire, #12 white wire, and #14 white wire, and some wire strippers, a needle-nose pliers to bend the wire, some red and yellow wire nuts, and a book on home wiring.
 
  #5  
Old 12-28-05, 01:13 PM
R
Member
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Central New York State
Posts: 13,245
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Very rarely is a circuit breaker panel ever installed where the list of circuit on the on the panel is correct. Usually an effort is made and the list may be partially correct. Unfortunately partially correct is the same as wrong when it comes to fixing a problem, as you have discovered. The panel manufacturers aren't much help either, as the space they allow per breaker is much too small to allow anything but a few word description.

Everyone, within a short time of moving into a new house or apartment should completely map out what lights, receptacles and appliances are on each and every circuit breaker. The list should be complete, and include everything in the house or apartment. The idea is that you should be able to turn off the breaker controlling a light, receptacle or appliance by consulting your chart, not by trial and error. Further you need to list to decide if a circuit can be extended without running into problems, etc.

If convenience alone or being able to correct a problem is not enough, the information could save your life some day. I urge you, after you fix this problem, to spend a few hours with someone helping you and undertake this task. Yes, it's a chore and no fun, but you'll be glad you did it.

As for your problem, you really do need to find the proper circuit, as the problem cold be at a working receptacle, and you certainly don't want to have to test every receptacle in your house to find the problem.

Using the receptacle tester John recommended, you may very well be able to identify the circuit breaker controlling this circuit. Once you have that you can identify the other receptacles on the circuit. You will have to check them all, those working as well as those that are not working.

Good luck.
 
 

Thread Tools
Search this Thread
 
Ask a Question
Question Title:
Description:
Your question will be posted in: