Electrical Issue
#1
03-26-17, 07:55 PM
Electrical Issue
I'm having a weird issue. The other day my porch light and several other lights in my house went out. I checked the breaker but it hasn't been tripped. I then looked for gcfi plugs that might have tripped but couldn't find one. I noticed a plug in my garage next to my opener. It is a two prong plug with a switch. The switch was in the off position, as soon as I turned it to on the power returned to all those lights.
Now here's the weird thing. I tried replacing the plug with a regular grounded plug and light switch combo, however I cannot get those same lights back on. The plug itself is on a different breaker than the lights that are out. When both breakers are one part of what each breaker controls is on and part is off.
Any help or ideas about this would be appreciated.
Thanks.
Now here's the weird thing. I tried replacing the plug with a regular grounded plug and light switch combo, however I cannot get those same lights back on. The plug itself is on a different breaker than the lights that are out. When both breakers are one part of what each breaker controls is on and part is off.
Any help or ideas about this would be appreciated.
Thanks.
#2
03-26-17, 08:49 PM
noticed a plug in my garage next to my opener. It is a two prong plug with a switch.
And you replaced it with a receptacle /switch combo.
The plug itself is on a different breaker than the lights that are out.
Terminology: A plug is male and goes into a female receptacle.
#3
03-27-17, 04:36 AM
Yes it was an ungrounded receptacle, that I'm trying to make grounded.
There are three wires coming in, white, black, and bare. There are no wires going out. I have a voltmeter and checked the wires, the white wire is hot giving 120v when I check it with the ground. The black wire should be my common, but when I check it with the ground I get around 40v.
I did not break the tab.
There are three wires coming in, white, black, and bare. There are no wires going out. I have a voltmeter and checked the wires, the white wire is hot giving 120v when I check it with the ground. The black wire should be my common, but when I check it with the ground I get around 40v.
I did not break the tab.
#4
03-27-17, 05:57 AM
I have a voltmeter and checked the wires, the white wire is hot giving 120v when I check it with the ground.
The black wire should be my common
when I check it with the ground I get around 40v.
With all wires disconnected tell us voltage black to white.
The plug itself is on a different breaker than the lights that are out... I noticed a plug in my garage next to my opener. It is a two prong plug with a switch. The switch was in the off position, as soon as I turned it to on the power returned to all those lights.
There are three wires coming in, white, black, and bare. There are no wires going out.
The plug [receptacle] itself is on a different breaker than the lights that are out. When both breakers are one part of what each breaker controls is on and part is off.
Let's start with the voltage reading I suggested and go from there.
#8
03-27-17, 05:16 PM
bolt on the breaker holding the black wire and the strip of metal with the other bolts, it's 120v
#10
03-27-17, 06:35 PM
So when I check the black and bare wire I get 120v
#12
03-27-17, 06:51 PM
So I get 30-40 for the white to black and 30-40 for bare to white.
Just info: In a properly working circuit your readings should be:
- Black to white = ~120v (± 10%)
- Black to ground = ~120v
- White to ground = ~0v
Also you need to check your meter by testing the voltage between the wide and narrow slots on a known good recptacle.
