Help with electrical problem, Please.

[LizStreithorst]

I was in the living room doing something that required more light. I went to the switch plate by the door that has individual switches on it. 2 for outside lights, one for the ceiling fan and one for the light on the ceiling fan. I flipped the swithc to turn on the light, heard a small click and suddenly no electric swithches or outlets worked in the entire living room. I checked the breakers and none had tripped. There is no GFI associated with the livingroom, but I looked for one anyway, because I was stumped.

I'm hoping that there's a short somewhere. Would a short in the switch itself make the whole room go out? It diesn't seem so. If you were going to troubleshoot this problem, where whould you start and how would you proceed from one possibility to the next.

If you are going to tell me to call an electrition, please keep your opinion to yourself. I'm sure I'm competent to get this done as long as it doesn't involve overhead work or something else that my back condition won't allow.

[jeep]

Was the "click" in a location you could isolate? I would start by examining every dead circuit to see if there's a loose connection, beginning closest to the circuit breaker. This could kill everything after the bad connection. Once you've done that, you'd have to check the live switches and outlets as well. It could very well be after a live circuit.

I've had this happen at my mothers house. For some reason, many of the connections in her switches and outlets had become loose. This can be quite common in houses that have aluminum wiring...

You can also pick up one of these if you don't already have one. They can eliminate a lot of guesswork https://www.homedepot.com/p/Klein-Tools-Non-Contact-Voltage-Tester-Pen-50-1000V-AC-NCVT1PR/317460355

[LizStreithorst]

Thanks Brian. I don't have that kind of voltage meter. I just ordered one from Amazon.

I don't remember realizing where the click came from. I just remember that it didn't sound as loud as a breaker tripping. Even though the switch is the farthest of everything from the breaker board, I'm going to check there first. After all, it happened just as I turned the switch on. I have copper wiring, thank God. Aluminium wiring was one of those things that sounded like a good idea at the time but it turned out to be problamatic. The only thing I have that uses aluminium wiring is my Medo air pump. I wish there was a way to wire it into the cord I used to plug it in. I don't think that aluminium and copper like each other. Haven't had a problem with it, though.

[fljones3]

I am surprised the breaker did not break. I am not an electrician but if the other lights branch off of that outlet or if it is the first in sequence, you might get your situation. You can always replace that outlet (cheapest), replace the breaker (more expensive), or call an electrician. I would also, first, trip the breaker and then turn it back on — that might help (although I would still replace the breaker even if it worked). I am guessing but these are cheap to try.

[LizStreithorst]

Thanks, Frank. I tried that. Didn't work. I do have a spare breaker laying around in the tool drawer, though.

[jeep]

If the breaker is bad it shouldn't hold the on position.

[brewmaster15]

I was in the living room doing something that required more light. I went to the switch plate by the door that has individual switches on it. 2 for outside lights, one for the ceiling fan and one for the light on the ceiling fan. I flipped the swithc to turn on the light, heard a small click and suddenly no electric swithches or outlets worked in the entire living room. I checked the breakers and none had tripped. There is no GFI associated with the livingroom, but I looked for one anyway, because I was stumped.

I'm hoping that there's a short somewhere. Would a short in the switch itself make the whole room go out? It diesn't seem so. If you were going to troubleshoot this problem, where whould you start and how would you proceed from one possibility to the next.

If you are going to tell me to call an electrition, please keep your opinion to yourself. I'm sure I'm competent to get this done as long as it doesn't involve overhead work or something else that my back condition won't allow.

Liz, this started when you tried to turn on the light thats on the ceiling fan? If the circuit breaker isnt tripped a possible issuebis that ceiling fan . The fact that everything in the room no longer works makes me wonder if that fan was poorly wired. ..wired in a way that the fan falling broke the circuit for the rooms power.I had a old house years back where the builder wired everything with 3 way wires.. it was.a real nightmare to work on.

If it were me I would isolate the ceiling fan and rule that out as my starting point in trouble shooting.

Conversely you can try changing the switch as it may be bad.

Disclaimer.. I know only enough about electricity to not get shocked ... I am not qualified for advice.:)

[Vanman]

If I was closer I would give you a hand fixing it. I am confident that you will fix it.

[Iminit]

Wait till you get your tester before you start trouble shooting. Being the breaker is on power may still be there and the neutral/white wire is open. If you know the breaker for the room turn it off before you start removing stuff.

[LizStreithorst]

Thanks Tom. Like Al, I know enough not to get shocked or electricuted.

I know you, Gary, and I'm sure you would.

Al, the reason I mentioned the bit about my back is because I, too, was afraid it might be the fan. Working over my head is next to impossible for me. And of course the dang thing is wired to 3 way switches. Those things are "over my head" in a different way.

[jeep]

Disclaimer.. I know only enough about electricity to not get shocked ... I am not qualified for advice.

How do you think I learned about electricity? :grin:

There's not much I fear when working with 110v. When I shock myself, all I do is cuss. 220v is a different story!

[Iminit]

Hey Liz I’m an electrican by trade. Pm if you need help. Doesn’t sound like the fan is the problem. More like an open wire. Fan may be shot but it shouldn’t have killed all the power. Like I said may be an open neutral and that can supply one hell of an shock if you get caught on it.

[LizStreithorst]

Thank you, Tom!

[jimmyjoe]

Have you tried and unplugged all your appliances that may be connected to this circuit, one of them maybe shorted out? Jim in Ohio

[LizStreithorst]

Have you tried and unplugged all your appliances that may be connected to this circuit, one of them maybe shorted out? Jim in Ohio

Haven't tried that yet, but will. In fact I haven't tried anything today. I had some "must do's" earlier, and have an appt with the pain doctor later this afternoon. I might get started trying to track it down tomorrow after some "must do's". All I've done so far is turn off the breaker so I don't accidently burn down my house. It's not like this is an emergency situation. I actually spend more time in the kitchen, fish room and bed room than in the living room.

[AquaticNerd]

Just jumping in here with a quick note - depending on the type of breaker you have, you could have tripped one and it not appear 'tripped' in your electric panel. Some breaker types trip internally, but the actual switch/tab part would still appear to be on - they only get reset if you manually flip it to the off position and then back to on.

[Vanman]

Did you get it fixed?

[LizStreithorst]

I'm still working on more important stuff, Gary. I'm bringing in my harvest and hanging it to dry from the carport rafters. A hell of a job for an old lady like me, and up and down a ladder to boot. Also, my toilet needs new guts. All I have is the great out of doors, same as the dogs, until the parts arrive Tuesday. After that, barring any new disasters, it'll be onward and upward with electricity.

[dtl8686]

Liz, as Al mentioned it may be a loose wire in the junction box at the ceiling fan. I've seen this before. If the wire nut wasn't on well and the wire was barely holding on, it will try and draw excessive current to make up for the small gap or "electrical resistance" in the circuit. The pop you heard is likely that small arc drawn due to the electricity trying to jump the gap. ( think of unplugging a running vacuum cleaner and a small spark is seen ) this small gap could have been what caused the spark or pop you heard up at the fan. This could have caused the wire to further separate from the "hot" wire it is connected to which may in turn be the hot that also ties into all the hot wires in that room. sometimes many wires are put together with a wire nut and a good solid connection isn't made. It could very well be as simple as that. It sounds that way to me.

I do quite a bit of electrical work as I work at a power plant and do most of my own work at home as well.

Hope this helps?

P.S. before getting into the ceiling fan junction box, it might be a good idea to isolate the breaker that feeds the room for safety sake!

Hope this helps.

Dave