Posted: 4/13/2015 10:32:00 AM EDT
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I have a couple of rental properties and received a call from a tenant that two of the outlets are not working in the living room. One had the tv plugged into it quit working. They checked the breaker before they called me and said it was not tripped. I asked them to double check and to throw it back and forth a few times. Still not working. There are no GFI's in the wall or in the panel. The two outlets are wired in series the first one being closest to the breaker box.
I went down and checked the breaker again and it wasn't tripped. I went ahead and put a new receptacle in the first series hoping their was something wrong with the old one though there was nothing visible. Hit the breaker and still nothing. Aside from perhaps a bad breaker, what should I check? The breaker may seem a little weak compare to the others but I can't say for sure. Should I shut off the main and swap breakers and see if that does anything or is there a better way to troubleshoot? |
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Outlets are not wired in series. Thet're wired in parallel. Quoted:
The two outlets are wired in series the first one being closest to the breaker box. Outlets are not wired in series. Thet're wired in parallel. Correct, been a long time since I've read about basic electricity 
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Quoted:
Outlets are not wired in series. Thet're wired in parallel. Quoted:
The two outlets are wired in series the first one being closest to the breaker box. Outlets are not wired in series. Thet're wired in parallel. I think he means that the second outlet is connected to the first outlet, which is commonly done. |
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Kill the circuit that feeds the dead outlets.
Determine if there are other receptacles on that circuit. Check any other receptacles that are one that same circuit. You have an open connection somewhere. A bad connection on the out going wire of an earlier device would allow that device to still work, yet not pass power to the next device. |
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Quoted:
Kill the circuit that feeds the dead outlets. Determine if there are other receptacles on that circuit. Check any other receptacles that are one that same circuit. You have an open connection somewhere. A bad connection on the out going wire of an earlier device would allow that device to still work, yet not pass power to the next device. This is where I'm having a little trouble. My panel is labeled but it is faded badly. I flipped the breaker and the next closest outlet still has power. There is a switch that runs the fan on the fireplace and it is off. This circuit may feed the bedroom above but I didn't check and they didn't mention any problems up there. |
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This is where I'm having a little trouble. My panel is labeled but it is faded badly. I flipped the breaker and the next closest outlet still has power. There is a switch that runs the fan on the fireplace and it is off. This circuit may feed the bedroom above but I didn't check and they didn't mention any problems up there. Quoted:
Quoted:
Kill the circuit that feeds the dead outlets. Determine if there are other receptacles on that circuit. Check any other receptacles that are one that same circuit. You have an open connection somewhere. A bad connection on the out going wire of an earlier device would allow that device to still work, yet not pass power to the next device. This is where I'm having a little trouble. My panel is labeled but it is faded badly. I flipped the breaker and the next closest outlet still has power. There is a switch that runs the fan on the fireplace and it is off. This circuit may feed the bedroom above but I didn't check and they didn't mention any problems up there. Not enough info to further diagnose. It only takes a couple minutes to pull cover plates off. A good flashlight will often show a burnt connection. |
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Not enough info to further diagnose. It only takes a couple minutes to pull cover plates off. A good flashlight will often show a burnt connection. Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Kill the circuit that feeds the dead outlets. Determine if there are other receptacles on that circuit. Check any other receptacles that are one that same circuit. You have an open connection somewhere. A bad connection on the out going wire of an earlier device would allow that device to still work, yet not pass power to the next device. This is where I'm having a little trouble. My panel is labeled but it is faded badly. I flipped the breaker and the next closest outlet still has power. There is a switch that runs the fan on the fireplace and it is off. This circuit may feed the bedroom above but I didn't check and they didn't mention any problems up there. Not enough info to further diagnose. It only takes a couple minutes to pull cover plates off. A good flashlight will often show a burnt connection. The two that aren't working looked fine. |
| They make an LED electric Voltage tester that senses the AC current without having to touch wire. They are about $5. Pull the panel cover and go to the breaker you have and test the wire coming out of the breaker. If the stick doesn't go off then you have a blown breaker. Replace breaker. If it is working then work your way down the line to the next receptacle and test the voltage coming in and keep working down the line. |
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Are there any GFI outlets in the house at all ? if so check to make sure their not tripped. I have GFI outlets outside that trip the bathroom outlets and one on the porch that trips for the kitchen lights and outlets. When I moved in and the first time they tripped I went crazy until I found this out.  |
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Quoted:
Are there any GFI outlets in the house at all ? if so check to make sure their not tripped. I have GFI outlets outside that trip the bathroom outlets and one on the porch that trips for the kitchen lights and outlets. When I moved in and the first time they tripped I went crazy until I found this out.
Unless there is one outside that I do not recall there is no GFI outlets. These units were built in the late 70's fwiw |
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Fucking lazy asshole electricians backstabbing outlets instead of wiring a proper pigtail for each one. Backstabbing does sort of put outlets in series because the power flows into and out of one outlet before connecting to the next. OP - Replace both outlets (they're cheap) and wire up a pig tail on the first one in the chain. 
Potato - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOX-UQwlsa4 |
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Quoted:
Kill the circuit that feeds the dead outlets. Determine if there are other receptacles on that circuit. Check any other receptacles that are one that same circuit. You have an open connection somewhere. A bad connection on the out going wire of an earlier device would allow that device to still work, yet not pass power to the next device. This. Quite a common service call. Wire nuts work loose, small partial nicks in wires unnoticed during installation become complete failures 10, 20 or 50 years down the road... while it has a magic aura to many, electrical wiring is a mechanical process... I have used the analogy of it being plumbing for electrons - except it's possible for a "pipe" to break and you never see the "leak". |