Breaker Panel Problems.


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Old 12-12-16, 10:36 AM
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Breaker Panel Problems.

Can someone please help me identify the problem?

Power to the bathroom is out along with half the kitchen and a few outlets in each bedroom. This is a house I am currently fixing up and it has been vacant for about a year. The basement was flooded at some point so water damage is possible.

The breakers were not labeled so I am not positive which ones are having problems.(picture is sideways)

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After doing research I assumed the house was only receiving 120v vs. 240v and figured one half of the breakers were not getting power. So I installed a new main breaker hoping that would fix the problem and it did not.

The only other information is that the top right breaker does trip even though its a new breaker as well. Is the problem the panel? Could the top right breaker be the problem? Or could it be something else? Here is a picture of my meter if it helps.Name:  IMG_1345b.jpg
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Help identifying the problem would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
 

Last edited by ray2047; 12-12-16 at 11:27 AM. Reason: Rotated images.
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Old 12-12-16, 11:34 AM
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Rotated image.

Safety first: Did you install a hold down clip on the main breaker. I can't tell.
Power to the bathroom is out along with half the kitchen and a few outlets in each bedroom.
Both bathroom and kitchen should have GFCI protection. Have you looked for a tripped GFCI receptacle. It could be anywhere inside or out.
 
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Old 12-12-16, 12:20 PM
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You are going to need an electrical tester to see if there is 240 coming into the panel. After that you will need to check the branch circuit breakers for voltage.
 
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Old 12-12-16, 01:36 PM
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To be clear acceptable test equipment would be a multimeter (preferably analog), solenoid voltage tester, or a neon test light. A non contact tester is not acceptable. It often gives false and misleading positives.
 
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Old 12-12-16, 04:14 PM
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An experienced person will test for 240 volts entering the house by measuring the voltage between the terminals at the top with the two fat wires.

An inexperienced person should not touch that area. It is easy for a test probe to slip and a huge short circuit spark jumps possibly sending out molten metal that can burn or blind someone.

Indirect testing can be done by measuring voltage between the terminals of breakers further down with thinner wires. Usually it is alternate breakers that will have 240 volts between them. I can safely say that if you get 240 volts at all when you have lights plugged in and switched to the on position on on both live circuits and dead circuits. then you are getting 240 volts into the panel.

(With nothing plugged and switched to the on position you could read 240 volts while there is a loose connection that loses most of the voltage when you do plug in something and switch it on.)
 
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Old 12-12-16, 05:28 PM
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Those breakers are not made for that panel.
 
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Old 12-13-16, 10:47 AM
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Those breakers are not made for that panel.
That's right!

Who is manufacturer of the panel? I suspect it is either a Siemens or Murray. Those Square D Homeline breakers are only UL Listed for use in Homeline panels and need to be replaced.
 
 

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