Possible overload question


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Old 12-31-06, 05:39 PM
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Possible overload question

replaced light fixture in kitchen with recessed lights, after initial wiring bathroom lights went out and have not worked since. Fuse was not tripped to OFF position. Could I have possibly overloaded the circuit and in turn burned out a breaker?
 
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Old 12-31-06, 05:44 PM
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Probably not overloaded. most likely an open ckt. Do the kitchen lights work? Are the 2 on the same ckt?

Obviously something you did in the kitchen affected the bath Light.

Go back to the light where the existing wireing started. It's there.
 
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Old 12-31-06, 05:52 PM
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Very unlikely that you "burned up the breaker". Circuit breakers are designed to handle any overload you could possibly put on them, trip, and then be reset for normal operation when the circuit is fixed. Most have a current interrupt rating of 10,000 amps.

Probably, the bathroom light circuit was tied off a junction somewhere in the area you have worked on, and you did not properly reconnect all conductors.
 
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Old 12-31-06, 08:06 PM
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Originally Posted by lectriclee
Probably not overloaded. most likely an open ckt. Do the kitchen lights work? Are the 2 on the same ckt?

Obviously something you did in the kitchen affected the bath Light.

Go back to the light where the existing wireing started. It's there.
Thanks,
I've looked at the original wiring and even when i reconnected it prior to reconnecting the kitchen lights the bath lights still didn't work????? how do I check to make sure that they are/are not on the same ckt?
 
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Old 12-31-06, 08:09 PM
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Did you(if you have one) reset the GFCI rec in the bath? Or somewhere else.

Next reset every single pole breaker. OFF then ON.

Still most likely a splice. But try this anyway.
 
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Old 12-31-06, 08:45 PM
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Tried both and no luck, how do i fix the splice and sorry but what is a splice, (excuse the lack of knowledge) thanks for the help.
 
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Old 01-01-07, 06:01 AM
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Giuliano,

First, you should not have started this little project until AFTER you you at least read a book or two on home wiring. Electricity kills people. Why would you temp fate by tackling something you (at least seem to) know very little about?

Second, you should have completely mapped out the circuits in your house. You should know what is on each and every circuit breaker in your house, and you should know what circuit breaker controls each and every receptacle, light and appliance in the house. This information is invaluable when you have problems (as in now), and more importantly it could save your life.

In a typical residential wiring setup there is more than one item on a circuit. This applies to most of the circuits in your house, but lighting is rarely one of them. most of the time there is more than one light per circuit. The electric circuit runs from the panel to the first light, to the second light, to the third light, etc. Depending on the exact setup, the wiring may go through the switches, or the switches may be wired as a switch loop. Every connection of one wire to another wire is a splice.

Every splice and every other connection (to a switch, to a receptacle, to an appliance, to a light, etc.) is a potential failure point. When replacing a light, switch, or receprtacle, it is absolutely necessary to make sure that all wires are reconnected in the same manner they were before you continued.

Quite often people forget to take pictures or make detailed drawings of their setup before they start. They end up forgetting to hook up one wire, or they reverse a couple of wires, and then some part of the circuit does not work or works incorrectly after they finish. Usually they have no clue why because they forgot to make notes and/or they don't fully understand how electricity works.

I recommend the book Wiring Simplified. It is available at the big box stores or on-line for a very reasonable amount of money. It is easy reading and perfect for novices. It provides the basics for the work you have attempted to do. I strongly suggest that buy it, or some other book, before you attempt to fix your problem, and most importantly, before you start another electrical project.

Regarding your problem. Barring a tripped breaker or a tripped GFCI, you have an open circuit. This would be because you either did not get the wires hooked back up properly, or because you unintentionally caused a wire at another location in the house to loosen. This can happen when you pound on the walls (such as hammering nails) or when you put stress on a receptacle or light (such as a loose receptacle that you wiggle when you plug something in or unplug it).

To most easily solve this problem, you need to know everything on this circuit. If a portion of the circuit is out, the problem is almost never at the circuit breaker panel, but rather is somewhere else. Your job is to figure out what is working on the circuit and what is not working on the circuit. The problem (unless it is a damaged wire in the wall) is then at the last working location ion the circuit or the first non-working location on the circuit. It is then easy to find.

However, without knowing what is on the circuit, you have to check items on other circuits, etc.
 
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Old 01-01-07, 09:03 AM
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If I may pipe in, I don't quite (duuh) understand Raycraft's exp. of "the proplem is then at the last working station or the first non-working location of the circuit. It is then easy to find. Maybe too much Eggnog last night lol thanx in advanve.
 
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Old 01-01-07, 09:35 AM
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Originally Posted by sidecutter
If I may pipe in, I don't quite (duuh) understand Raycraft's exp. of "the proplem is then at the last working station or the first non-working location of the circuit. It is then easy to find. Maybe too much Eggnog last night lol thanx in advanve.
wiring is typicaly "dasy chained" through the home. so picture a circuit.

panel --------rec-----rec--------rec-------rec------rec

now picture a failed circuit.
Panel--------works----works------works-----dosnt ------dosnt

the problem will either be in the first device that doesnt work or the last device that works.
 
 

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