Armed Polite Society
Main Forums => The Roundtable => Topic started by: makattak on November 28, 2020, 10:12:30 AM
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I have a puzzle. An outlet was working fine last night.
This morning, no power. Find the right breaker and replace the outlet. No joy.
Checked with multimeter: when touching positive and negative, multimeter reads 0.
When touching positive and ground, it reads 140v.
Is this something I can fix?
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If the outlet is tied into others it might have lost the nuetral at that connection. That could be a tuff one to find or fairly easy.
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I agree ^
Check all the outlets on that circuit.
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If the outlets on that circuit are all using backstab connections, one of the neutral connections may have come loose. I hate backstab connectors as they become unreliable as they age. I've had to replace many outlets where the backstab connections have failed.
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If the outlets on that circuit are all using backstab connections, one of the neutral connections may have come loose. I hate backstab connectors as they become unreliable as they age. I've had to replace many outlets where the backstab connections have failed.
^^^ This.
In 1979 my then-wife and I bought a condominium. In the first year we lived there we had a LOT of electrical gremlins. The receptacles (outlets) were all backstabbed -- why not, it's faster. That's why they were invented. I went through the entire unit and re-wired every receptacle using the screws, and we never had another problem.
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Bad backstab connection is the most likely culprit. Backstabs SUCK.
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Check every outlet on that circuit for a bad neutral connection. Start with the bad one and work your way towards the breaker. If they are backstabs, do yourself a favor and side-wire them to the screws, or replace with new outlets that have a back-insert *clamp* that you tighten with the side screws. (that might be easier if the wires in the box are short)
Might as well check the hot wires too while you're in there.
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Check every outlet on that circuit for a bad neutral connection. Start with the bad one and work your way towards the breaker. If they are backstabs, do yourself a favor and side-wire them to the screws, or replace with new outlets that have a back-insert *clamp* that you tighten with the side screws. (that might be easier if the wires in the box are short)
Might as well check the hot wires too while you're in there.
Good idea. Also, be aware that some jurisdictions require that any new outlets installed be of the tamper resistant variety. This is the case in my county, even though I was wanting to replace like-for-like outlets.
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What's tamper resistant? A butter knife won't fit in?
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What's tamper resistant? A butter knife won't fit in?
Correct, but *two*steak knives will if you put them in at the same time (one in the hot side and one in the neutral, the ground doesn't matter)
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What's tamper resistant? A butter knife won't fit in?
Pretty much. Little kids and idiots won't (theoretically) be able to hurt themselves by shoving small metal objects into the slots.
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Also, be aware that some jurisdictions require that any new outlets installed be of the tamper resistant variety. This is the case in my county, even though I was wanting to replace like-for-like outlets.
Probably not just "some" jurisdictions. The requirement was added to the National Electrical Code in 2005. I would be very surprised if there's any jurisdiction in the United States that's still using an edition of the NEC older than 2005.
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And a new wrinkle:
I put everything back together as I didn't have time/requisite knowledge to deal with the issue. No power after I put it together.
Forgot it wasn't working today and plugged my phone into it. It starts charging.
So the outlet works now. Thanks for all the help to fix it!
(Btw, no backstabs in the outlets. All attached at the side.)
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And a new wrinkle:
I put everything back together as I didn't have time/requisite knowledge to deal with the issue. No power after I put it together.
Forgot it wasn't working today and plugged my phone into it. It starts charging.
So the outlet works now. Thanks for all the help to fix it!
(Btw, no backstabs in the outlets. All attached at the side.)
Eh, plug a space heater in for a few hours. If you've got a high resistance connection somewhere, it'll make itself evident. :laugh:
(Don't actually do this!)
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I put everything back together as I didn't have time/requisite knowledge to deal with the issue. No power after I put it together.
Forgot it wasn't working today and plugged my phone into it. It starts charging.
So the outlet works now.
That's actually probably not a good thing. There's an intermittent problem with the neural on that circuit. It needs to be repaired, and it's more difficult to diagnose an intermittent fault than it is to diagnose a constant fault.
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That's actually probably not a good thing. There's an intermittent problem with the neural on that circuit. It needs to be repaired, and it's more difficult to diagnose an intermittent fault than it is to diagnose a constant fault.
I expected this was the case, but all I can do about it now is laugh until we can get an electrician to look at it.
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And a new wrinkle:
I put everything back together as I didn't have time/requisite knowledge to deal with the issue. No power after I put it together.
Forgot it wasn't working today and plugged my phone into it. It starts charging.
So the outlet works now. Thanks for all the help to fix it!
(Btw, no backstabs in the outlets. All attached at the side.)
The outlet isn't switched somewhere is it? Think like a lamp outlet.
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The outlet isn't switched somewhere is it? Think like a lamp outlet.
Good thought. I hadn't even considered that.
A trick some builders seem to like is to switch half an outlet. It allows plugging in a lamp and controlling it with a switch at the door, while the other receptacle remains hot all the time.
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Like garbage disposals. Don't plug it into the wrong one or it tells you quick.
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Some outlets have removable jumper-like side plates under the screws. When removed it allows separate wiring to the top and bottom outlets. Something to look for.