I have a wall mounted fixture that trips the breaker every time I put a bulb in a specific socket. I've checked the socket for debris, rewired the fixture, and double checked the ground. Bulbs are side by side the one on the left works fine, the one on the right makes a definitive pop and trips the breaker when a bulb is put in.
2007-09-29 05:42:37 · 6 answers · asked by jschultz619 1 in Home & Garden ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
Sounds like you have a short to ground. Take the fixture apart again and make sure you have all the white wires connected to the white wires, and all the black connected to the black. Then make sure the ground wire (the uninsulated copper wire) isn't connected to white or black of the socket that trips the breaker. If everything appears to be correct, then get a volt ohm meter, and check the resistance from the center of the socket to the edge of the socket. The center is where the power (black) is coming in, and the edge of the socket is the neutral (white). There shouldn't be any reading on the volt ohm meter. If there is then there is a short in the socket or wiring. Make sure the power is off! Next if you got a reading of some resistance for the above, check the bare copper wire (ground) for resistance to the center (black) wire. Then check the ground to the company neutral (white). This will tell you which side is shorted out.
Once you have this information then you can start to narrow down where the short is and if the fixture can be repaired. If this is confusing, just email me at rwaltemte@centurytel.net
2007-09-29 06:15:11 · answer #1 · answered by 007longbeach 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Recheck the wires feeding the bad socket. It might be a bad socket, wires or a bad connection. More than likley the socket is bad, because when you screw in new bulb you have problems.
2007-09-29 14:06:46 · answer #2 · answered by Al L 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The socket is bad. The shell (neutral) or it's rivets have come in contact with the center point (hot). A new one is about 2 dollars.
2007-09-29 12:47:43 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Carefully check to see if the base of the bulb is going to ground when the bulb is screwed in.
2007-09-29 12:49:36 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
check the wires on all the sockets. I bet the one feeding your popping socket has a grounded feed wire.
2007-09-29 12:46:39 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
the socket may be bad
2007-09-29 12:45:59 · answer #6 · answered by george 2 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋