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Home Electrical Help

911 Views | 8 Replies | Last: 1 yr ago by TexAggee05
TexAggee05
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AG
Need some help, Ags!

All of my living room outlets have no power. The breaker is not tripped. Checked every receptacle and all wires are securely connected to the screws and not backstabbed. Checked continuity and I have a signal between each outlet and all the way to the panel. Replaced the breaker (15amp AFCI) and still no juice.

What am I missing?!?!
BenTheGoodAg
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AG
Can you add some detail?

How do you know you have no juice? Voltage non-contact tester? Multi-meter? Devices not working?

What device are you using to check continuity? Did you check continuity of both the line and neutral?
TexAggee05
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AG
No power by all of the above.
I used my wire tracer (the kind used to trace phone/network cables, but used the alligator clips on the hot/neutrals) I didn't have a long enough wire to use the continuity function of the multi-meter, but I'm headed out to buy a spool of wire and some alligator clips. Would that be a better way to check?
BenTheGoodAg
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AG
If you have a long extension cord, or multiple extension cords, that's easier than a spool of wire to start. Just plug it into the outlet in question and drag it over to the panel and use that for continuity/impedance testing with a multi meter.

I would suggest starting by taking a multi-meter to the load side of the breaker and measuring voltage to the neutral bar to make sure you have 120V at that location.
tgivaughn
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AG
Once upon a time this happened in a very new custom built by a very cheap new builder.

The breaker tripping was in the daughters' bathroom where they was overpowering the GFCI outlet with a large wattage hair dryer. The gals soon learned how to reset the outlet AND employ dryers in their bedrooms = SOP, else Living Rm & Ent.Ctr goes off.. Worse yet it was discovered the wire gauge was the absolute minimum and of course NOT supposed to Zone to all that. Tip of the iceberg of what was to come ... war.

Hoping yours is a simple fix.
Ten words or less ... a goal unattainable
TexAggee05
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AG
Loaned my hundred footer out and haven't gotten it back yet, and yes I've got 120 V at the breaker
BenTheGoodAg
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AG
Idk, there's a lot of things you can probably try, but I think you're on the right track starting with a multi-meter for continuity testing.

I don't use the network tracers, but I know there are cheapies that can be influenced by EM fields, especially in the middle of a power panel, and others that are more sophisticated.

My guess is you've got another box/outlet somewhere between the panel and first outlet and it has a loose connection on the line side.
JP76
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If the outlets don't have pigtails at every box then you probably have a bad outlet up stream. Also there could be a gfci outlet somewhere hidden. I have seen them in weird places like attics that were tied to living rooms I would mark every outlet that has no power with blue tape. Then shut the breaker off and see if any more outlets or lights power down.
TexAggee05
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AG
Found the rouge outlet that wasn't anywhere near the living room. Had a loose screw on the hot side.

Crisis averted.

Thanks for the help!
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