Outlet popped. No breaker trip
#1
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Outlet popped. No breaker trip
hello I just moved into a house and I plugged a nightlight in and the outlet popped burned allitlle bit of plastic. Went to check breaker nothing popped. Tracked the wires found out half my house runs off this damn breaker. Half of everything is on but nothing in other rooms. We checked and the outlets have hot going through them using current tester but neutral is obviously the problem. What happened and how can I fix it? By the way it's all old wiring no grounds.
#2
What kind of tester are you using? You need to be using a analog Multi meter,check out the one that popped first,sounds like there is a loose connection .
Geo
Geo
#3
Welcome.
- Check each receptacle for loose wire nuts.
- Check if receptacles were wired using backstabs. If backstabbed, move the wires to side terminal screws.
- Turn each breaker on and off completely, sometimes it's hard to tell if tripped
Receptacle wiring should be permanent, but I can't tell you how many times I have pulled a receptacle from the wall and wires just fall out of backstabs or wire nuts. It's improper installation.
This may or may not be the problem. Start there and please update.
- Check each receptacle for loose wire nuts.
- Check if receptacles were wired using backstabs. If backstabbed, move the wires to side terminal screws.
- Turn each breaker on and off completely, sometimes it's hard to tell if tripped
Receptacle wiring should be permanent, but I can't tell you how many times I have pulled a receptacle from the wall and wires just fall out of backstabs or wire nuts. It's improper installation.
This may or may not be the problem. Start there and please update.
#4
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The tester that tells me the hot is working is one of those beeping push button tester. When we shut off breaker it won't beep. Flip it back on and it beeps. That's y I figure it's a white wire somewhere. But I too think it has to be where the outlet popped but we can't get a reading using my analog tester. It feels like I basically have to rip my walls apart to find where this legs off to my room. Because half of the other stuff on breaker all works fine. All the rooms R freshly remodeled there's gotta be an easier way.
#5
So you do have an analog tester, with needle?
You don't tear your walls apart.
Check each receptacle box for 120v between hot and neutral.
It's a matter of elimination, what works and what doesn't.
IF the cause is a loose wire, it shouldn't be too hard to find.
If you can't find a loose wire at receptacles, start checking switch boxes.
You don't tear your walls apart.
Check each receptacle box for 120v between hot and neutral.
It's a matter of elimination, what works and what doesn't.
IF the cause is a loose wire, it shouldn't be too hard to find.
If you can't find a loose wire at receptacles, start checking switch boxes.
#6
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Half of everything is on...