Question for home electrician

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player1up

player1up

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I have a bizare thing going on in my house. Everything that runs off of one breaker in the house seems to get low power and "brown's" out occasionally.
Well, this morning, the light in my closet went out completely and then back on ...
The question is:
Do I have a short or a breaker that is going bad?

The house was built in 2001 all square D breakers and breaker box.
 
You need to kill that breaker RIGHT NOW and not use the circuit until you get it fixed.

Could be a bad connection where the breaker connects to the buss

Could be a bad breaker

Could be a loose wire connection at the breaker or anyplace else that it junctions.

ANY of the above possibilities equals FIRE HAZARD

I would get an electrician out to look at it RIGHT NOW.
 
Step away and let an electrician deal with this, I am a 5 year journeymen and wired my own house, 110 volt's is the killer so please let some one take a look at this for you...
I bet some one did not get a wire nut tight and also like said in the post, a bad breaker and or a loose ground on the neutral bar on that circuit.
Has this breaker been thrown a few time's ?
 
Like Mike said.. probably a loose connection on the neutral (white) at one of the first junction boxes or on the bus bar.. If you are not SURE of what you are doing.. don't.

However, if you know every junction box on the circuit, you can certainly pop them open and look for a loose connection.

Grant
 
Wow!!! Mike I did'nt know you are a member of the "Mother Trade".Thats cool. I myself have been doing it since 1986,more control stuff now though.That was some pretty sound advice you gave also.Loose neutral,bad connections,weak breaker.If it's just an incandescent light thats flickering check the socket sometimes the tab at the bottom of the socket will get bent to far down and not make positive contact and cause the light to flicker and buzz
 
My friend has been seeing a huge increase in mice/rats eating and gnawing at romex and wire insulation. Lots of attic wiring chewed down to nothing but the strands.
 
Mike, The breaker hasn't ever tripped to my knowledge, but there are some strange goings on with that one circuit.

Thanks for all of the help. I would not attempt to work on the breaker box although I have done some minor stuff like installing dimmers and ceiling fans. Electricity scares the crap outta me, especially when the breaker box isnt even labled correctly. The breaker that is supposed to turn off the dishwasher....does NOT in fact kill power to it. Who knows what I'll find...

I'll check the switch boxes and plugs to see if there are any loose connections but if it's anymore involved than that I'll be waiting for the pros. I know when to say when :lol: Sure as crap not worth burning the house down just to save a few bucks :yikes:
 
I was just thinking ow stop it hurts.You might want to check to see if your receptacles are stabbed locked or the wires are put under the screws.I've run into alot of problems where they have been stabbed into the back of the recep. and they work there way loose.Just a thought.Mark
 
player1up said:
Mike, The breaker hasn't ever tripped to my knowledge, but there are some strange goings on with that one circuit.

Thanks for all of the help. I would not attempt to work on the breaker box although I have done some minor stuff like installing dimmers and ceiling fans. Electricity scares the crap outta me, especially when the breaker box isnt even labled correctly. The breaker that is supposed to turn off the dishwasher....does NOT in fact kill power to it. Who knows what I'll find...

I'll check the switch boxes and plugs to see if there are any loose connections but if it's anymore involved than that I'll be waiting for the pros. I know when to say when :lol: Sure as crap not worth burning the house down just to save a few bucks :yikes:
Click to expand...

Now that the breaker is shut off, see if you can find any receptacle outlets that are not working (plug in's) Green screw is ground and should have a non insulted wire on it at the bas/ housing of the receptacle , silver screw on the side goes to white - ...and brass goes to black or color witch is your hot +(power). always work with wiring like it is hot and be careful and double check your voltage tester so it don't lie to you.. Test you voltage tester at a good out let and make sure it is working correctly.
a bad connection or loose wire to a switch or receptacle will get hot and you may be able to see it visually. Be very very careful putting them back in, there will be some with four wires on them and traveling to another receptacle or lighting. I hope this turns out to be a bad light fixture and or as simple as changing a light switch, Keep us updated so we don't worry about you.
 
If the outlet near the bathroom sink is on that circuit the problem is very likely right there. Steam from shaving etc.. slowly turns those wires green with corrosion.
 
Ok, So I found it.
The breaker controls the one back bedroom and the closet light for the adjacent room.
Apparently all of the power runs through the box that has the switch for the closet light.
4 sets of romex nutted together behind the switch in a tiny box...
I had two issues. The wire nut on the black bundle of wires was tight but one of the wires was about ready to pop out...AND the switch for the closet light was BROKEN.. how that happened, who knows. Anyway, the broken switch had gotten hot enough to turn some of the plastic and metal inside the switch black...
I just wanted to let everyone know that it's fixed AND I'm not dead ;) thanks to everyone!
 
Good deal.....nothing like a bit of juice going thru you to make your day....
 
player1up said:
I have a bizare thing going on in my house. Everything that runs off of one breaker in the house seems to get low power and "brown's" out occasionally.
Well, this morning, the light in my closet went out completely and then back on ...
The question is:
Do I have a short or a breaker that is going bad?

The house was built in 2001 all square D breakers and breaker box.
Click to expand...

The nuetral leg (white wire) is going open. Kill the breaker and get a licensed electrician to check it out. It's probably a easy fix.
 
Robbie2734 said:
The nuetral leg (white wire) is going open. Kill the breaker and get a licensed electrician to check it out. It's probably a easy fix.
Click to expand...

Not necessarily. He's talking about ONE circuit. Could either be the hot leg or the neutral leg.
 
I have been in the trade for 15 years myself. Here is what I can tell you from experience. NOW would be a good time to do a general well being check of your wiring. You were not too far from disaster, had it been a heavier load down stream of that switch you would have had significantly more heat. If they made that mistake in one spot in your house, they probably repeated it throughout the house. Grab your tester and circuit by circuit shut them off and pull the devices out of the box and check them out, tug on the wires to make sure they are tight in the nut, new wire nuts are cheap insurance, if it is questionable replace it. Previous advice about treating all wires like they are hot are definitely words to live by.
 
player1up said:
Ok, So I found it.
The breaker controls the one back bedroom and the closet light for the adjacent room.
Apparently all of the power runs through the box that has the switch for the closet light.
4 sets of romex nutted together behind the switch in a tiny box...
I had two issues. The wire nut on the black bundle of wires was tight but one of the wires was about ready to pop out...AND the switch for the closet light was BROKEN.. how that happened, who knows. Anyway, the broken switch had gotten hot enough to turn some of the plastic and metal inside the switch black...
I just wanted to let everyone know that it's fixed AND I'm not dead ;) thanks to everyone!
Click to expand...

Wow, that would never meet code here in Wi, I am a journeyman myself, and I find all kind's of shitty work while out doing remodels. My theory is would I do this in my own house? Good thing you got it fixed!
 
12valve, What's a general heath check normally cost?
I've been wondering about this for some time due to some oddities that I've found... I'm not going to go into it but there are some things that I'm sure weren't up to code...the more I think about it, the more worried I get
 
player1up said:
12valve, What's a general heath check normally cost?
I've been wondering about this for some time due to some oddities that I've found... I'm not going to go into it but there are some things that I'm sure weren't up to code...the more I think about it, the more worried I get
Click to expand...

After what you just found, I would SERIOUSLY consider having someone go over the system.

I used to work HVAC service, and even with "well done" commercial grade electrics, "things happen," things get old. Connections work loose, over the years, etc. And you do find serious code violations from time to time.
 
I had the same thing going on with one of my houses. The Bus was actually Melted on 1 Leg, I ended up replacing the whole panel and upgraded to a 200amp at the same time from a 100. This could have started a fire easily.
If you pull the cover on he panel you can visually inspect it to see if you have the same problem.
 
Yup. One of my co-workers had bought a new manufactured home, all electric. It had some cheap-*** box, and he was having problems. Bear in mind that this was a one or two year old, brand new home.

ALL the high -amp breakers were losing connection on the buss in the box. Cheap, cheap, cheap.

Here you had a home with a dryer, electric furnace and range, and electric water heater, and ALL the high-amp circuit breakers had failed AT THE BUSS.

I don't remember the box brand, but it CAME OUT

Another "infamous" box over the years is "Federal Pacific." The "Federal" govt. should have forced them to replace every single one of 'em for free -- with a different brand!!
 
Have a good electrician come in check for any voltage drop across any devices in that circuit or the panel to tell what the condition of your system is. I've been making sparks for 35 yrs. Glad to help if needed.
 
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