Lights keep going off
#1
02-06-05, 10:25 AM
Lights keep going off
My kitchen lights,dining room lights and whatever else is on the curcit keeped going off now there off and wont come back on.I checked the breaker and its not poped, when I check the power in the outlet with a lest light I put it in both slots no light but if i put it in the ground slot and then the other end in either left or right slot the light comes on. If I try an outlet that is working properly it lights up on the left and right slot. Now im kinda new to this wiring thing so if you reply to this please explane in training wheels term thank you very much.
PS. I dont have the money for a pro to come in so any help would be great thanx again Ron B.
PS. I dont have the money for a pro to come in so any help would be great thanx again Ron B.
#2
02-06-05, 10:37 AM
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You have an open neutral. Did this problem begin when you were running the vacuum cleaner or similar large load? That's common.
The solution is not difficult, but it can be time consuming. Shut off the breaker and open up every single box on the circuit (including the ones that are working properly). Start with the receptacles because the problem is much more likely there than at the switches or lights. Examine the white wires very carefully, especially those poked into holes in the back of a receptacle. Use a small screwdriver in the release slot, make a small clockwise hook in the wire and reconnect it to the silver screw right next to the hole.
The solution is not difficult, but it can be time consuming. Shut off the breaker and open up every single box on the circuit (including the ones that are working properly). Start with the receptacles because the problem is much more likely there than at the switches or lights. Examine the white wires very carefully, especially those poked into holes in the back of a receptacle. Use a small screwdriver in the release slot, make a small clockwise hook in the wire and reconnect it to the silver screw right next to the hole.
#5
02-06-05, 02:21 PM
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Oh, that explains the light on the kitchen/dining room receptacle circuit. You know, that's a code violation. You should never have done that in the first place.
But anyway, that's not your problem.
You didn't check carefully enough. You say that they are all "good". But what exactly does "good" mean to you?
But anyway, that's not your problem.
You didn't check carefully enough. You say that they are all "good". But what exactly does "good" mean to you?
#6
02-06-05, 03:04 PM
I found it. It was that when I put the new light in the kitchen. The old light had a smaller diameter for the screws and they acted as the ground so when I put the new one on the screw head was touching the frame and working. Well I guest over time it stoped working (my fault) so I used a 12 gauge wire from the metal box to the light frame and now it works. Thank You for all your help PS. my house is 64yrs old and it looks like its the orignal wiring.
Ron B.
Ron B.
#9
02-12-05, 03:31 PM
John you where right. The light in the kitchen has a bunch of wires I took them all apart and turned the braker on found the hot wire and tested it to the ground and the nutral the was no power in the nutral so I went up in the atic and fallowed the wire to where it went and it went down the wall to the bath light so I took the bath light off the wall and there it was the white wires were taped all together and one was not touching so I used a wire nut and made sure they were together good and put everthing back together with out that make shift ground wire and bing go it all worked I don't like how there is a bunch of outlets and lights on this one cerkit and its a 15amp braker can I just put a 20amp in there insted anyway thanks so much for your help Ron B. 
