Is There an Electrician in The House?

[SSGOldfart]

Them are some small feet !!!!!!!!!!!

[Scrounge]

Reverend Al,

“Good decisions come from experience, and experience comes from bad decisions.” Rita Mae Brown

Having gained some experience in the past 5 or 6 decades, I can attest to the truth the statement above. You can, however, gain some experience by following the instructions of those who found it the hard way. Wisdom, of course, is learning from the experience of others, without having to make the mistakes yourself.

Bill

[abunaitoo]

I believe LED lights have to be wired correct.
I've never tried switching the wires around to see what it would do, but I would check on that.
If the LED works find in another outlet. it could be the switch or outlet.
I think.

[Hickory]

Well, 3 hours later, I found and fixed the problem.
The breaker was shot. After rechecking everything I could think of, the last test was the breaker. The breaker did not pass the ohm test.
A quick trip into town and back and I'm back in business.
Now, the wife is happy and so am I.

[abunaitoo]

I didn't think breakers go bad.
They just sit there until something goes wrong.
Good find.

[Hickory]

I didn't think breakers go bad.
They just sit there until something goes wrong.
Good find.

I didn't think they went bad either. That's why I never considered it, it was the last thing anyone would consider or give thought to. I

[lightman]

I didn't think breakers go bad.
They just sit there until something goes wrong.
Good find.

Breakers fail. Its not real common but it happens. Its often related to something like leaving the cover open on an outside panel.

[lightman]

I did think they went bad either. That's why I never considered it, it was the last thing anyone would consider or give thought to. I

Hickory, look behind the breaker and make sure the buss bar is not burned or damaged. Also look at the back of the old breaker for any burned looking places. If you put a new breaker on a burned buss bar it will fail prematurely but it is also a fire hazard.

[Biggin]

Hickory, look behind the breaker and make sure the buss bar is not burned or damaged. Also look at the back of the old breaker for any burned looking places. If you put a new breaker on a burned buss bar it will fail prematurely but it is also a fire hazard.

I was hoping that you would chime in.

[Mr_Sheesh]

Also make sure all connections to your breakers are tight [Please, power off FIRST.] I had a circuit which, when I turned my computer room's lights on, or powered up some of the heavier computer loads, was throwing a lot of sparks - Some out of the panel, which was in that room. The breaker was pretty sick from the output (they usually have a screw holding the wire down) being loose and massively overheating, so I got a new breaker, cut the wire back a few inches, and made the place a LOT safer. I don't like electric sparks of that sort, much

[Hickory]

Also make sure all connections to your breakers are tight [Please, power off FIRST.

Read Op.

[Mr_Sheesh]

I did - But I figure a reminder is always good! Not everyone's an EE type I helped a blind home owner I know do her own electrical work once, we all know folks' experience and capabilities vary, I think of this like reminding a new shooter "Don't aim your firearm at anything you don't want to shoot.", a good habit - Not trying to offend, sorry if it came across that way. Mainly I was pretty annoyed at my breaker panel blowing sparks into my spare winter clothing stash, as some of that stuff's sorta flammable...

[Iron369]

I did - But I figure a reminder is always good! Not everyone's an EE type I helped a blind home owner I know do her own electrical work once, we all know folks' experience and capabilities vary, I think of this like reminding a new shooter "Don't aim your firearm at anything you don't want to shoot.", a good habit - Not trying to offend, sorry if it came across that way. Mainly I was pretty annoyed at my breaker panel blowing sparks into my spare winter clothing stash, as some of that stuff's sorta flammable...

Some of us are ME’s.


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[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Hickory, Glad you found the problem. I've never seen a circuit breaker fail either...But that could be due to this old duplex house having fuse boxes, instead of CB panels, LOL.

Some of us are ME’s.

Some of us are ET's

[Hossfly]

I lost 3 low voltage transformers a couple weeks ago because of loose ground wire. Lucky I don’t throw any thing away, had plenty in my shop from other panels and such to steal from.

Had a small house trailer we lived in while relocating here. The lights started flickering after about a year. Got out the Fluke multi meter and determined the problem was coming from the electric meter. Got power co out to pull meter while I was at work. They left note about it was my problem.

Yep it was the neutral wire corroded and burnt looking at base of meter. Cut back and reinstalled, called and they came back and reinstalled meter, alls well now.

REA came thru here in 1938 and set poles and wires I think I still have some of those poles and original wires here on grand pas place dated back to that era. Wires very thin and look like copper with some steel included.

[gwpercle]

I didn't think breakers go bad.
They just sit there until something goes wrong.
Good find.

They go bad ... I had to replace one , the first clue is everything on the entire circuit stopped working . If all the breakers are about the same age and / or some off brand ...just replace all of them with Square D breakers . Mine were 15-20 years old and NOT Square D made . Junk from China isn't worth doodly squat .
I was going to suggest the breaker ... but Hickory beat me to the answer .
Don't replace them with junk breakers .... after replacing the bad one I started buying and replacing 4 to 6 at a time until all 24 were replaced . Watch your electrical contractor...don't let him use sub grade components ... The breaker box was a 200 amp Square D ..Good but the freaking breakers were made in China... and I didn't think to look at them .
I will admit they did last 15 years ...but still , good ones should last forever .
Gary

[jsizemore]

Do you have a clamp on/inductive ohm meter? If so check the current draw on that circuit. Could be it's drawing at the circuits limit or close to it. Older houses weren't wired for the number of modern conveniences. Folks will fill up every outlet and wonder why it doesn't work. If I pull a cover and see the white insulation on the neutral wire is tan or brown, I'm pretty sure there's too much stuff on the circuit. The suggestion to check the buss bar that the breaker connects to is also a good indicator. I usually put a little antioxidant grease on when installing a new breaker. A little goes a long way.

I've seen breakers that were lumpy on the side and the handle was hard to reset from being burnt internally.

[Drm50]

The 30amp breakers for dryers in the low end makes are the ones that usually go bad. Other than that usually only have breaker trouble if panel is in damp location. I buy Siemens Panels and breakers and have had very little trouble in 40yrs. The only replacements I’ve made are customers upgrading to 200amps.

[bangerjim]

I didn't think breakers go bad.
They just sit there until something goes wrong.
Good find.

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They can an do go bad...............just sitting there!!!!!! The 1st thing I check when having whole circuit problems ( not just a single outlet or lamp) is the breaker. I have replaced at least 5 mag breakers in the 4 houses I have lived in over the years. They (the internal mechanical trip mechanism) become weak and can slowly arc the contacts inside and create resistance in those contacts that will cause light dimming and erratic behavior in the ENTIRE circuit. Dirt invasion will also have detrimental effects on breakers.

Always flip and check the breaker FIRST. Will save you time and headaches in the future. And if you are "out of town", as it sounds,buy a couple spares for those dark and stormy night when the SHTF moments. I am only 2 miles from a Lowe's and 5 miles from a Home Despot. And I STILL have spares in the shop stores.

Glad you fingered it out!!!!

banger

[roadie]

Hickory, Glad you found the problem. I've never seen a circuit breaker fail either...But that could be due to this old duplex house having fuse boxes, instead of CB panels, LOL.


Some of us are ET's

Yep, I've had circuit breakers die for no apparent reason I could see.......never seen one die in a fuse box.....haven't seen a fuse box in about 30 years.

EE's.......ME's......ET's........

I'm just happy to be able to get outa bed in every morning.