Outlets Read 44.9 Volts on a Tripped Gfci Outlet

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

Try these electric tests earlier calling an electrician.

Introduction

Usually when an outlet goes dead, the fix is something unproblematic and you can save the cost of a service call by doing the piece of work yourself. Nosotros'll show you what's involved in troubleshooting a dead outlet. This commodity covers how to starting time your search for the problem by checking in the well-nigh probable places. If that doesn't work, we'll show you where to look for loose connections that may exist to blame, and how to fix them.

Tools Required

Troubleshooting the Outlet

When an outlet goes dead, it'due south easy to leap to conclusions and assume the worst. But more ofttimes than non the problem is something simple, and you can relieve the toll of a service bcall merely by taking a few steps to trace the cause. Don't worry if you're not comfy doing electrical work. Better than half the time, y'all'll solve the problem without even lifting a tool.

We'll testify you how to start your search for the problem past checking in the most likely places. If that doesn't work, nosotros'll show you where to look for loose connections that may be to blame, and how to fix them.

Of class, at that place volition ever be issues that are best left to an electrician. Only if you take these steps start, in that location'due south a good risk yous'll notice the solution.

Watch this video to acquire what to do first when you discover a dead outlet.

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Check for Simple Solutions First

Shortly after moving into our firm, we had an electrical problem. The outside outlets and bathroom lights didn't work. I knew enough to check for tripped circuit breakers and GFCI outlets. But 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 enough, the GFCI breaker was protecting the bathroom and outside outlets and needed to be reset. Don't jump to conclusions, the fix for a dead outlet is normally simpler than you think.

Project step-past-footstep (18)

Step 1

Come across if Other Outlets are Dead

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

• Switch lights on and off and test nearby outlets for power.
  • Use a voltage tester or plug in a lamp to test the outlets.
• Unplug lamps and appliances from expressionless outlets.
  • Pro tip: Mark dead outlets with a piece of masking tape so you'll be able to observe them once again after you've turned off the power.

Step 2

Cheque the Circuit Breakers

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

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Step 3

Wait for Clues in the Circuit Breaker Box

• Search for tripped excursion breakers.

Step four

Find the Tripped Breaker

• Locate tripped breakers by looking for breaker handles that aren't lined upwardly with the residuum.
• Push the billow handles toward the "on" position.
  • Pro Tip: Tripped breakers will "give" a fiddling rather than experience solid.

Step 5

Resetting the Breaker

• The start step in resetting a tripped breaker is to switch it off.
• Don't just picture the handle; press the handle firmly to the "off" position.
  • Pro Tip: You should hear a click.

Stride six

Push the Breaker to Reset It

• Reset the breaker by pushing the handle firmly to "on." Information technology should line up with all the residual.
  • Pro Tip: If it "pops" back to the tripped position, there's a problem in the wiring or in something that's plugged into the circuit.
    • Tripped circuit breakers aren't always apparent. If yous don't see a tripped billow, firmly printing every breaker to the "off" position. Then switch them back on.
      • If the tripped billow won't reset without tripping again, there could be a potentially dangerous short excursion or ground error condition.
• If the breaker won't reset, switch the circuit breaker off until you've located the trouble.

Stride 7

Detail of a Blown Fuse

• Replace burned-out fuses.
• Look inside the fuse for charred glass or a broken filament — bear witness of a diddled fuse.
• Replace the blown fuse with one of the same type and amperage.
  • Pro tip: In almost cases, a tripped circuit breaker is caused by a temporary overload on the circuit or a brusque circuit in some device plugged into the circuit. But in rare cases, a loose wire in an electric box could be causing the problem.
• Follow the photos beneath, to look for and repair loose connections.

Step eight

Bank check the GFCIs

• GFCI (short for "ground error excursion interrupter") outlets, those unusual outlets with the test and reset buttons, are required in areas of the firm where shock hazards are greatest.
  • Pro tip: GFCI'due south protect confronting mortiferous electrical shocks by sensing leaks in the electric current and immediately tripping to shut off the power.
• It's easy to overlook a tripped GFCI equally the source of a dead outlet problem.
  • Pro tip: That'due south considering in areas where GFCI-protected outlets are required, electricians ofttimes relieve coin past connecting additional standard outlets to ane GFCI outlet.

Make certain yous have enough GFCI outlets and pick upward some on Amazon

Pace ix

Identification Label

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

Step 10

Push Reset Button

• Look for GFCIs in bathrooms, kitchens, basements, garages and on the home's outside.
  • Test and reset every GFCI yous find.
• If the GFCI won't reset or the button doesn't popular out when you press the "test" button, there may be no power to the GFCI or you may have a bad GFCI.
  • Pro tip: If the "reset" button trips again every time you press it, there may be a dangerous electric current leak somewhere on the circuit.
    • In either case, solving the problem requires additional electric testing that nosotros won't cover hither. Information technology is probably fourth dimension to telephone call a professional electrician for help.
• If a GFCI won't reset and didn't power up your dead outlet, and so the last resort is to await for loose connections.

Step 11

Yet No Power? Look for a Bad Connexion

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

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

Yous may find one or more of these when you remove your outlet and look in the electrical box.

Stride 12

Plow Off the Main Billow

• First make certain all computers are turned off and anybody in the house knows you'll be turning off the ability.
• Then switch off the main excursion billow.

Pace thirteen

Check for Loose Wires

• Inspect the screw terminals for broken or loose wires.
• Advisedly curve the wire at each spiral terminal to see if it's loose (it volition turn under the screw or the screw will move).
• Also expect for broken, burned or corroded wires or screws.

Step 14

Install a New Outlet

• If you do discover a loose connection at an outlet, whether it'southward at the screw final or a stab-in connection, replace the outlet with a new one.
  • Pro tip: Loose connections almost always create excess heat that could damage the outlet and pb to hereafter problems.
• Install a new outlet by bending a loop in the ends of the hot, neutral and ground wires.
• Connect the hot (black) wire to the brass screw, the neutral white wire to the silverish screw and the ground wire to the green basis screw.
• Loop the wires clockwise effectually the screws and tighten.
• If the outlet y'all'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 one wire connector.
• Then connect the loose end of each pigtail to the advisable outlet screw.
  • Pro tip: This method reduces the chance that a loose connection under a screw will crusade a trouble with other outlets on the circuit.

Footstep 15

Loose Wires at the Stab-in Connections

• As a timesaver for electricians, some outlets can be wired by pressing stripped wires into holes on the dorsum of the outlet.
  • This wiring method is allowed by the electrical lawmaking, but tin loosen over time and crusade problems.
    • Wait for these stab-in connections as y'all troubleshoot your expressionless outlet.
• Tug each wire to check for loose connections.
• If you lot notice loose stab-in connections, don't only reinsert the wire.
• Instead, cut and strip the end of the wire and connect information technology to the screw terminal on the side of the outlet.
• Or better yet, cut and strip all of the wires and connect them to a new outlet (see illustration below).

If you take aluminum wiring, don't mess with information technology! Telephone call in a licensed pro who's certified to work with information technology. This wiring is dull grayness, not the dull orange that's feature of copper.

Stride xvi

Check Wire Connectors for Loose Wires: Tug Wires at Connectors

• Grab the wire connector.
• Tug on each wire in the bundle to meet if any are loose.
• If yous detect a loose wire, remove the wire connector.
• Cut and strip all the wires in the bundle to expose 1/two in. to iii/4 in. of fresh copper wire.
  • Pro tip: Cheque the instructions on the wire connector container for the verbal stripping length.
• If you don't find whatsoever loose connections in this box, expand your search to other outlets in the vicinity.
  • Start with the ones you marked before with masking record.
    • Make certain to plough off the chief circuit breaker when yous're checking for loose connections.

Step 17

Reinstall the Connector

• Gather the wires, making sure their ends are lined up, and twist on a new wire connector.
  • Twist clockwise.
• Match the connector to the number of wires past reading the characterization on the wire connector packaging.
• Switch the main circuit billow back on.
• Now test the outlets over again to come across if you've solved the problem.
  • Pro tip: If you still have dead outlets, it's fourth dimension to call an electrician.

Footstep 18

Next, we'll evidence you lot how to connect wires to concluding screws safely.

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The Family Handyman

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

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