Breakers off but still power


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Old 03-01-21, 11:27 AM
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Breakers off but still power

Hi, I had solar installed on my house so had a new electrical panel installed. Everything was wired back correctly but nothing was marked.. I then added a kitchen light over the sink so the wiring was changed at the receptacle box. There was an outlet and switch for garbage disposal. That was changed to a light switch with the garbage disposal switch. Everything in the house works fine. I went out to shut off a circuit breaker to change some outlets out and there are 4 breakers that are turned off. One goes to electric stove which is not used since I have gas now, one goes to laundry room for electric dryer which is not used since it's gas. The other 2 which are 20 amp breakers are wired up but if I try to turn on they immediately shut off. Does that mean that they are being back fed somehow since I still have power to all my lights and outlets? How can I trace what those circuits are supposed to be feeding without power.

Could it be due to the kitchen light being rewired and outlet removed?
 
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Old 03-01-21, 12:47 PM
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The other 2 which are 20 amp breakers are wired up but if I try to turn on they immediately shut off.
That tells me you have a direct short.
Who Installed the solar power system? Start with them. You should've had the whole electrical system inspected by the local municipality prior to the solar company flipping the switch to allow integration to the grid system. They should also have a permit from the municipality with very strict rules.

My daughter and son-in-law recently had solar power installed on their home and even several months after the system was installed and wired the town would not allow them on the grid until many things were "fixed". The installers were a national concern with a good reputation.
 
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Old 03-01-21, 01:07 PM
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I don't believe it is the solar installer. I was permitted and inspected by the city and everything works. I believe it has to do with the outlet that was removed by the sink and light switch added.
 
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Old 03-01-21, 01:11 PM
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OK, the garbage disposal switch was disconnected and then used as the light switch for the overhead sink light. Is that correct?
How was the disposal wired up thereafter?
 
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Old 03-01-21, 01:18 PM
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I then added a kitchen light over the sink so the wiring was changed at the receptacle box.
So, you added a switch controlled light to a receptacle circuit? Which receptacle box did you tie into for power?

There was an outlet and switch for garbage disposal. That was changed to a light switch with the garbage disposal switch.
What???
 
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Old 03-01-21, 01:24 PM
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Garbage disposal switch still there. The outlet in the same box was changed to another light swith.
 
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Old 03-01-21, 02:06 PM
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@Pilot Dane...Correct, the receptacle which shared the box with the disposal switch was used to power the added light. So the only thing now is light switch and disposal switch.
 
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Old 03-01-21, 03:34 PM
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I always undo everything I did and see if that corrects the fault.

In your case, I'd totally disconnect the kitchen light and see if it's still tripping. The light may be shorted. Also (with the breakers still off), I'd see if I had continuity between hot-neutral and hot-ground. If you do, then you have a short in your wiring.
 
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Old 03-01-21, 03:49 PM
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Ok i'll try that but why would I have power to all my outlets throughout the house if 2 of my breakers are off.
 
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Old 03-04-21, 10:58 AM
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had a new electrical panel installed. Everything was wired back correctly but nothing was marked.
How did this ever pass inspection with nothing marked?
 
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Old 03-05-21, 05:56 PM
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Things were marked but not correctly...one of the 20 amp breakers that is off is labeled lights, the other 20 amp breaker that is off is labeled washer/dryer. However I have a double 30 amp breaker that is for the laundry and 2 other breakers that are labeled lights. Solar people say they hooked everything up the way it was and all they did was add a breaker for solar panel and put in new panel and breakers. My old panel had nothing but single pole breakers.
 
 

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