How to Reset Going to the Bsthroom Again

Troubleshooting Dead Outlets and What to Do When GFCI Won't Reset

Try these electrical tests before calling an electrician.

Introduction

Commonly when an outlet goes dead, the fix is something simple and you can save the price of a service call by doing the work yourself. Nosotros'll prove you lot what'due south involved in troubleshooting a expressionless outlet. This commodity covers how to start your search for the trouble by checking in the nearly likely places. If that doesn't piece of work, we'll show you where to look for loose connections that may be to blame, and how to fix them.

Tools Required

Troubleshooting the Outlet

When an outlet goes dead, it's easy to jump to conclusions and presume the worst. But by and large the problem is something elementary, and you tin save the toll of a service bcall just by taking a few steps to trace the cause. Don't worry if you lot're not comfy doing electrical work. Ameliorate than half the time, you'll solve the problem without even lifting a tool.

We'll show you how to beginning your search for the trouble past checking in the most likely places. If that doesn't work, we'll show y'all where to look for loose connections that may be to arraign, and how to ready them.

Of course, there will always be issues that are best left to an electrician. But if yous take these steps first, there's a good chance yous'll observe the solution.

Picket this video to learn what to exercise beginning when you find a dead outlet.

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Check for Simple Solutions First

Shortly later moving into our house, we had an electrical problem. The exterior outlets and bath lights didn't work. I knew enough to check for tripped excursion breakers and GFCI outlets. Just I couldn't find the trouble. I was just about to start pulling apart the wiring when I double-checked the main panel and noticed the GFCI circuit breaker up in the corner.

Sure plenty, the GFCI billow was protecting the bath and exterior outlets and needed to be reset. Don't spring to conclusions, the prepare for a dead outlet is usually simpler than yous call up.

Projection pace-past-footstep (18)

Pace 1

See if Other Outlets are Expressionless

Before you head for the circuit breakers, take a few minutes to check if other outlets, lights or appliances are affected.

• Switch lights on and off and exam nearby outlets for power.
  • Apply a voltage tester or plug in a lamp to examination the outlets.
• Unplug lamps and appliances from dead outlets.
  • Pro tip: Marking dead outlets with a piece of masking tape so yous'll exist able to find them again after you lot've turned off the power.

Pace 2

Check the Circuit Breakers

• Locate the panel and open the metal door to reveal the fuses or circuit breakers.
  • Pro tip: The photos below show a typical main console and the process for resetting a tripped circuit breaker.
• Remember to turn off your computer before you switch the excursion breakers on and off.

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Do It Correct, Do It Yourself!

Step 3

Look for Clues in the Circuit Breaker Box

• Search for tripped circuit breakers.

Step 4

Notice the Tripped Breaker

• Locate tripped breakers by looking for breaker handles that aren't lined up with the rest.
• Push the breaker handles toward the "on" position.
  • Pro Tip: Tripped breakers will "requite" a little rather than experience solid.

Step 5

Resetting the Billow

• The starting time step in resetting a tripped billow is to switch information technology off.
• Don't just flick the handle; press the handle firmly to the "off" position.
  • Pro Tip: You should hear a click.

Step half-dozen

Button the Breaker to Reset It

• Reset the breaker past pushing the handle firmly to "on." It should line upward with all the residual.
  • Pro Tip: If it "pops" back to the tripped position, there'due south a trouble in the wiring or in something that's plugged into the circuit.
    • Tripped circuit breakers aren't e'er apparent. If you lot don't see a tripped breaker, firmly press every breaker to the "off" position. Then switch them dorsum on.
      • If the tripped billow won't reset without tripping over again, in that location could be a potentially dangerous short circuit or ground fault condition.
• If the breaker won't reset, switch the circuit breaker off until yous've located the problem.

Stride seven

Item of a Blown Fuse

• Replace burned-out fuses.
• Expect inside the fuse for charred glass or a cleaved filament — evidence of a blown fuse.
• Supersede the blown fuse with one of the aforementioned type and amperage.
  • Pro tip: In virtually cases, a tripped excursion breaker is caused past a temporary overload on the circuit or a short excursion in some device plugged into the circuit. But in rare cases, a loose wire in an electrical box could exist causing the problem.
• Follow the photos below, to look for and repair loose connections.

Pace 8

Bank check the GFCIs

• GFCI (brusque for "ground fault circuit interrupter") outlets, those unusual outlets with the test and reset buttons, are required in areas of the house where shock hazards are greatest.
  • Pro tip: GFCI's protect against mortiferous electrical shocks by sensing leaks in the electric current and immediately tripping to shut off the power.
• It'southward easy to overlook a tripped GFCI as the source of a expressionless outlet trouble.
  • Pro tip: That'south because in areas where GFCI-protected outlets are required, electricians often relieve money past connecting additional standard outlets to one GFCI outlet.

Brand sure you lot have enough GFCI outlets and pick up some on Amazon

Pace nine

Identification Label

• Protected "downstream" receptacle should be labeled if they have GFCI protection.
• A current leak at any 1 of the outlets will trip the GFCI and cause all of the outlets connected to it to go dead.
  • Pro tip: These GFCI-protected outlets are supposed to be labeled, simply the label often falls off.

Step x

Push Reset Button

• Look for GFCIs in bathrooms, kitchens, basements, garages and on the habitation's outside.
  • Test and reset every GFCI you notice.
• If the GFCI won't reset or the button doesn't pop out when yous press the "test" button, at that place may be no power to the GFCI or you may have a bad GFCI.
  • Pro tip: If the "reset" push button trips again every time you printing it, there may be a dangerous current leak somewhere on the circuit.
    • In either case, solving the problem requires additional electrical testing that we won't embrace here. It is probably fourth dimension to call a professional electrician for help.
• If a GFCI won't reset and didn't ability upwards your expressionless outlet, so the terminal resort is to expect for loose connections.

Stride eleven

Still No Ability? Wait for a Bad Connexion

If checking the breakers and the GFCI won't reset and you haven't restored power to the outlet, the side by side step, without getting into circuit testing, is to remove the outlet from the box and look for loose connections. We'll show yous three mutual types of loose connections:

• Loose terminal screws
• Loose stab-in connections
• Loose wires at wire connectors.

You may discover 1 or more than of these when you lot remove your outlet and await in the electrical box.

Step 12

Turn Off the Main Breaker

• Get-go brand sure all computers are turned off and anybody in the house knows you'll be turning off the ability.
• And then switch off the main circuit billow.

Step 13

Check for Loose Wires

• Inspect the screw terminals for cleaved or loose wires.
• Carefully bend the wire at each screw terminal to see if information technology's loose (it will turn under the spiral or the screw volition move).
• Also look for broken, burned or corroded wires or screws.

Footstep fourteen

Install a New Outlet

• If you do discover a loose connection at an outlet, whether it's at the spiral final or a stab-in connection, replace the outlet with a new i.
  • Pro tip: Loose connections near always create excess rut that could impairment the outlet and lead to future bug.
• Install a new outlet by bending a loop in the ends of the hot, neutral and footing wires.
• Connect the hot (black) wire to the brass spiral, the neutral white wire to the silver spiral and the ground wire to the green basis spiral.
• Loop the wires clockwise around the screws and tighten.
• If the outlet you're replacing is wired like the one shown in the photo, with pairs of hot and neutral wires (wires under all four screws), connect the pairs of like-colored wires along with a third six-inch length of wire, chosen a pigtail, under ane wire connector.
• And then connect the loose end of each pigtail to the appropriate outlet spiral.
  • Pro tip: This method reduces the gamble that a loose connectedness under a screw will cause a problem with other outlets on the circuit.

Footstep 15

Loose Wires at the Stab-in Connections

• As a timesaver for electricians, some outlets tin be wired by pressing stripped wires into holes on the back of the outlet.
  • This wiring method is allowed past the electrical code, only can loosen over time and cause problems.
    • Await for these stab-in connections as you troubleshoot your dead outlet.
• Tug each wire to check for loose connections.
• If you find loose stab-in connections, don't just reinsert the wire.
• Instead, cut and strip the terminate of the wire and connect it to the screw final on the side of the outlet.
• Or ameliorate yet, cut and strip all of the wires and connect them to a new outlet (encounter analogy below).

If you have aluminum wiring, don't mess with it! Call in a licensed pro who's certified to work with information technology. This wiring is irksome gray, not the deadening orange that'due south characteristic of copper.

Footstep xvi

Cheque Wire Connectors for Loose Wires: Tug Wires at Connectors

• Grab the wire connector.
• Tug on each wire in the parcel to meet if whatsoever are loose.
• If you lot detect a loose wire, remove the wire connector.
• Cut and strip all the wires in the bundle to expose ane/2 in. to 3/4 in. of fresh copper wire.
  • Pro tip: Check the instructions on the wire connector container for the exact stripping length.
• If you lot don't find any loose connections in this box, expand your search to other outlets in the vicinity.
  • Start with the ones you lot marked earlier with masking tape.
    • Make sure to turn off the main excursion breaker when you're checking for loose connections.

Footstep 17

Reinstall the Connector

• Get together the wires, making sure their ends are lined up, and twist on a new wire connector.
  • Twist clockwise.
• Friction match the connector to the number of wires by reading the characterization on the wire connector packaging.
• Switch the main circuit breaker back on.
• At present exam the outlets again to see if you've solved the problem.
  • Pro tip: If y'all all the same have dead outlets, it's fourth dimension to call an electrician.

Step eighteen

Next, we'll show you how to connect wires to terminal screws safely.

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The Family Handyman

Originally Published: May 29, 2020

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Source: https://www.familyhandyman.com/project/troubleshooting-dead-outlets/

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