Blew Out A Circuit

[hiboy]

How expensive of a fix is this, and how long of a fix is it typically?

Troubleshooting
No way to predict
They way I approach it is shut off the breaker and take apart all outlets and or switches that are affected to look for the loose or damaged connection
hb

 

[legaleyes13]

Ok, so here's the thing. For whatever reason, I failed to mention that the light switch in the room no longer works either. I don't quite understand what that means but it's an issue. Either way, I think I'm just gonna go ahead and get a friend of mine who's pretty handy with all of these things to come in and check it out within the next week. If he can't fix it, I'll just have to get an electrician.

 

[DrMcSkunkins]

Ok, so here's the thing. For whatever reason, I failed to mention that the light switch in the room no longer works either. I don't quite understand what that means but it's an issue. Either way, I think I'm just gonna go ahead and get a friend of mine who's pretty handy with all of these things to come in and check it out within the next week. If he can't fix it, I'll just have to get an electrician.

A switch is usually run from the hot/black wire from a nearby outlet. If the little jumper on the plug melts (which is probably what happened) the switch that is run by the nearby outlet will also no longer work because there isnt a complete circuit. If your friend turns off the breaker and pulls the outlet out of the wall after removing said screws and the little piece of metal on the side of the plug that looks like the metal on a large old timey fuse is melted in half then you should just be able to replace the plug and it will also fix the switch.

 

[DrMcSkunkins]

When you pull an outlet out of a wall to replace it and it has two sets of wires on it, one is powering the outlet and the other is powering a nearby outlet or switch light. The extra wires run to the light socket and the black wire runs to the switch.

 

[legaleyes13]

Something strange happened this morning. I went into the room and the light was on (not LED, the room's actual light connected to the switch). So I check to see if the outlet works and it does. I don't get what's going on or why the circuit works again all of a sudden but it does.

Does this make any sense to anyone here? Like maybe some of the wires needed to cool down or something? Or something strange like that?

 

[Golden Zia]

Sounds like a short.
@hiboy mentioned that you likely lost the neutral (white wire for 120v)
Perhaps this wire is subject to slight movement and has possibly come loose enough to interrupt power.
If this is the case it should be inspected and corrected ASAP.
Additionally, if you have a light switch and a wall plug that are working or not working in tandem, then you have a wall plug that was originally set up to be switched on and off by use of the light switch. This is used for controlling a lamp or other devices that you want to control from a light switch. They are often only 15amp. And some older one may even be 10amp.
Best of luck.

 

[hiboy]

Lowest amperage for a panel in the states is 15 amps
New codes require all Outlets to be 20 amp circuits
Hb

 

[legaleyes13]

Sounds like a short.
@hiboy mentioned that you likely lost the neutral (white wire for 120v)
Perhaps this wire is subject to slight movement and has possibly come loose enough to interrupt power.
If this is the case it should be inspected and corrected ASAP.
Additionally, if you have a light switch and a wall plug that are working or not working in tandem, then you have a wall plug that was originally set up to be switched on and off by use of the light switch. This is used for controlling a lamp or other devices that you want to control from a light switch. They are often only 15amp. And some older one may even be 10amp.
Best of luck.

yeah, I assume its a loose wire. I'll get it checked out

 

[Golden Zia]

Has there not been 10 amp breakers used in the past?
Just looking to confirm.

 

[Dan789]

My two cents; 15 is the smallest (amperage) till you go back to fuses here in the US. This is all based on the gauge of the copper conductors, #14/2 (Romex, non metallic sheathed cable) which is the smallest cabling method used (in homes) (since the transition from knob and tube wiring) and corresponds to the 15 amp c/b's.
As HB mentioned now the smallest size is 20 amps, but now also they're no longer dumb breakers, their all arc fault breakers, or the combination arc fault/ gfi breakers. These are supposed to keep us safer as a nail/screw driven into our homes wiring (romex) will have some resistance and won't necessarily cause the (old, dumb) breaker to trip, the new ones sense the "arc" and trip. Then good luck finding the nail or screw without a TDR or other specialized instrument (other than retracing what you did just before you noticed the breaker tripped, this is the luck method).

 

[Dan789]

Something strange happened this morning. I went into the room and the light was on (not LED, the room's actual light connected to the switch). So I check to see if the outlet works and it does. I don't get what's going on or why the circuit works again all of a sudden but it does.

Does this make any sense to anyone here? Like maybe some of the wires needed to cool down or something? Or something strange like that?

Sometimes what will happen is something plugged into the same circuit will bridge the loss of the neutral. Causing it to appear in working order only when the device is plugged in, with it removed the fault should re-appear. A cheap three light plug in tester should show the condition regarding the neutral.
You can also have problems with three-way switch wiring where the circuit neutrals get tied into the three way switch wiring, another PITA. Hard to say other than you've got some problem or combination of problems requiring attention.