Lighting circuit in basement/ground floor area has stopped working. I've checked the fuse, that's ok. Have checked the light bulbs, they're fine. No work was being done on the circuit. No wires have been cut or damaged. Any ideas? Help/advice would be greatly appreciated. If you have a chariot requiring repair, let me know!
2007-07-16 00:07:26 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Home & Garden ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
First off, I'd definately try to find a gfci receptacle because the National Electrical Code says that any receptacle in an infinished area must be on a gfi. Power can be brought into one and then fed out of it to many other receptacles, all you have to do is find the one and reset it and you should be fine. That is of course if that's the problem! You say fuse....do you really mean fuse or do you mean breaker. If you still have fuses then there is a good chance that you don't have that gfi problem. If you do indeed have breakers then you may even have a gfi breaker. Regaurdless to what kind of panel you have, a breaker and/or a fuse can appear to be just fine, not tripped or blown and but actually be either. You'll need a voltage meter and though I generally wouldn't tell somebody to open their electrical panel up and start poking and prodding, but that's what need's to be done. You need to find out first and foremost if you're getting power off of the breaker/fuse. If not, the fuse is bad or just not tight or the breaker may be getting too old and tripped but doesn't show, just turn off and then on. That may work but I would think about replacing it eventually. If you do have power there and you say that it's in the basement then is everything exposed? Can you see where the wire goes? Generally they're going to take the shortest path so you can check the closest receptacle switch or light. Good chance that when you pull one of those out of the wall or outta the ceiling, it's gonna fall apart and tell you the answer. You should check every wire really well cause sometimes they can look fine and then you give them a light tug and you realize the wire just broke off and now you're on a bad situation. If all else fails when you get tired of messing with it with no results, call an electrician. I've had people tell me that they messed with a problem for hours and hours where I've found the problem in 10 minutes and they've said,"God, I wish I would have just called you before" That's what we do, also why I don't do my own dentistry, dry cleaning or hair, I don't know how so I rely on somebody that does. Hope I helped
2007-07-16 03:55:04 · answer #1 · answered by sparky 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
You say the fuse is OK, do you mean a fuse and not a circuit breaker?. Some fuses can 'go' but not always in the middle of the fuse where you look, check around the screws, fuse wire can break here. Rewire the fuse anyway.
I could tell you to start testing the circuits but unless you know what you are doing, it can be dangerous.
If there has been no alterations to the circuit, no movement of cables, it is more than likely the obvious fuse.
2007-07-16 00:36:10 · answer #2 · answered by charterman 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
CM,
Check for voltage at various points with in the circuit. Good places to check are light fixtures and receptacles. You have to prove there is no voltage first. This has happened to me a couple of times and it turned out to be a loose fuse. Make sure your fuses are screwed in tightly. Exchange the existing fuse with a new fuse and make sure the fuses are good. Wires inside of the wall never go bad unless there has been some kind of physical damage done to them.
TDCWH
2007-07-16 00:45:46 · answer #3 · answered by TDCWH 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
If I have been hiring an electrician, i might steer away from everyone with a posh employer call, and that i might probably leaf via yellow pages in alphabetical order, so i might recommend some thing like Abbey electric centers (except you're blessed with a familiar or surname that comes early interior the alphabet).
2016-12-10 13:36:58 · answer #4 · answered by burnham 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Very probably it's a wire that has come loose.
(a)
Check that the power actually reaches the light fitting(s)
(b)
Check for continuity between neutral and earth at the lights.
If you don't know how to, then call someone in.
2007-07-16 00:18:48 · answer #5 · answered by Pauline 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
looks as if u have a short in the line somewhere If you have a meter take out all the bulds then switch on and test each circuit that will tell u which line has shorted If ur not sure about using a meter get one of ur friends who knows the gen Hope this helps
2007-07-16 00:39:42 · answer #6 · answered by alan b 1 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Check for a junction box with loose, corroded or burnt wires.
2007-07-16 00:21:53 · answer #7 · answered by Robert S 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you have gfci receptacles in the basement area or outside make sure they are all reset. It may have been wired to the load side of one of them
2007-07-16 00:34:24 · answer #8 · answered by lydemup4u 1 · 1⤊ 2⤋
I agree with charterman.
2007-07-16 04:16:15 · answer #9 · answered by jayktee96 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋