Any Electricians out there? Need some advice.

[margotspop]

It means the black wire is indeed hot. Are BOTH switches (OH light and switched outlet) receiving power? Typically one is daisy chained to the other.

So, take one room (which is probably representative of them all). The power comes in and goes to the double switch on the wall. The first switch controls the ceiling light. The power is there but the light won't work. (I haven't checked the ceiling light to see if the power is getting through to it, but see below). The power then goes from that switch to the switch next to it which controls the switched outlet. This switch has red and black wires connected to it. The black has power (it's just come from the switch next to it) and so does the red when the switch is turned on - as you would expect.

I then check the switched outlet to which it's attached. It has white wires one side and red the other. The white wires have power and the red has power when the switch is turned on - no power when the switch is off. Yet, if I plug something into that outlet it won't work. I've tried lamps and a food mixer which I know work elsewhere. How can that be?????

Any advice/thoughts appreciated. I feel there might be a simple solution to all this.

 

[Tomorrow]

Your primitive foreign electrical systems send shivers down my spine. Power and lighting on the same circuit? No ring mains? Scary stuff, even if it is only 120V.

You'd almost never see this in a commercial building, but it's quite normal here in residential. Electricians/homeowners here tend to like one breaker kill a whole room, power and lights.

The black has power (it's just come from the switch next to it) and so does the red when the switch is turned on - as you would expect.

...The white wires have power and the red has power when the switch is turned on - no power when the switch is off. Yet, if I plug something into that outlet it won't work. I've tried lamps and a food mixer which I know work elsewhere. How can that be?????

I just thought of something - is this a 3-way switch (two switches controlling a single light)?

It still sounds like the problem is between the switch and the light/receptacle.

 

[mstrze]

It still sounds like the problem is between the switch and the light/receptacle.

In two seperate rooms, remember. Very odd.

 

[margotspop]

You'd almost never see this in a commercial building, but it's quite normal here in residential. Electricians/homeowners here tend to like one breaker kill a whole room, power and lights.



I just thought of something - is this a 3-way switch (two switches controlling a single light)?

It still sounds like the problem is between the switch and the light/receptacle.

No they're not 3-way. But I'm now inclined to think that I've been testing for the wrong thing. Someone else pointed out that I've been testing for a hot-to-ground when I also need to test black to white. In other words, when I actually insert my voltage tester into the receptacle itself I get no signal. So I may be getting power coming in but somewhere along the way the circuit is not being completed. Most likely a neutral wire come loose somewhere.

Thanks for your help. I guess I'm going to have search for this outlet by outlet, right?

 

[snberk103]

...

I then check the switched outlet to which it's attached. It has white wires one side and red the other. The white wires have power and the red has power when the switch is turned on - no power when the switch is off. Yet, if I plug something into that outlet it won't work. I've tried lamps and a food mixer which I know work elsewhere. How can that be?????

Any advice/thoughts appreciated. I feel there might be a simple solution to all this.

Check both the upper and lower (or left and right) plugs. Are they both broken?

I'd say it's a broken plug. Replace it, and see if that changes anything. There's no guarantee, but it's cheaper than opening walls and/or calling in an electrician.

And yes, I've seen plugs go bad before.

 

[Liquorpuki]

No they're not 3-way. But I'm now inclined to think that I've been testing for the wrong thing. Someone else pointed out that I've been testing for a hot-to-ground when I also need to test black to white. In other words, when I actually insert my voltage tester into the receptacle itself I get no signal. So I may be getting power coming in but somewhere along the way the circuit is not being completed. Most likely a neutral wire come loose somewhere.

Thanks for your help. I guess I'm going to have search for this outlet by outlet, right?

Yeah, all you've verified so far is that voltage is coming into every switch/outlet but you have no clue if the current return path is intact. Checking Hot to Neutral continuity will tell you this.

You have two outlets working. If everything is daisy chained, I'd guess the two working outlets are the ones closest to the service panel. Which means you probably have a bad neutral wire between the working outlets and adjacent non-working ones they're chained to.

 

[margotspop]

Yeah, all you've verified so far is that voltage is coming into every switch/outlet but you have no clue if the current return path is intact. Checking Hot to Neutral continuity will tell you this.

You have two outlets working. If everything is daisy chained, I'd guess the two working outlets are the ones closest to the service panel. Which means you probably have a bad neutral wire between the working outlets and adjacent non-working ones they're chained to.

Bang on! Found the faulty outlet and replaced it. Looks like it was indeed a loose neutral. Everything now working.

Thanks to everyone for their input and advice.

Now on to the ice dam!

 

[mstrze]

Glad you tracked it down without needing to call an electrician!

Good luck with the ice dam.

 

[margotspop]

Glad you tracked it down without needing to call an electrician!

Good luck with the ice dam.

Yeah - that was the nice part.

I hate ice dams. And more snow to come