Home Wiring Oddity
Home Wiring Oddity
(OP)
This makes no sense to me, but maybe someone else will shed some light on the situation.
About a month ago, three wall outlets in our dining room went out and I could not trace the problem. Then, a week later, three more wall outlets went out in our downstairs family room. A week later three more in the kitchen.
Apparently all were on a double 20 amp breaker (40 amps total) and the situation was cured by replacing the double breaker. One side would not re-engage.
What makes no sense to me is that with TWO breaker circuits, why would the circuitry fail in THIRDS?
I'm baffled.
About a month ago, three wall outlets in our dining room went out and I could not trace the problem. Then, a week later, three more wall outlets went out in our downstairs family room. A week later three more in the kitchen.
Apparently all were on a double 20 amp breaker (40 amps total) and the situation was cured by replacing the double breaker. One side would not re-engage.
What makes no sense to me is that with TWO breaker circuits, why would the circuitry fail in THIRDS?
I'm baffled.
Mike McCann
MMC Engineering






RE: Home Wiring Oddity
Normally when a group of outlets become non-functional, the neutral or hot connection has been lost somewhere along the way. Loose wire nuts or loose connections on the receptacles.
Without knowing how it was wired, it's hard to say. If you are certain that only part of the outlets on one of the breakers stopped working, then it can't really be the breaker. If there are multiple hot wires connected to either of the breakers, then it is possible there was loose connection. Or a loose neutral connection in the panelboard that got "fixed" when you replaced the breaker.
I wouldn't be surprised if the problem returns.
RE: Home Wiring Oddity
The power was lost to the outlets and one of the breakers tripped, and resetting would not restore the power to the outlets.
Mike McCann
MMC Engineering
RE: Home Wiring Oddity
Any aluminum wiring by any chance?
RE: Home Wiring Oddity
When I see what you see happening I pull every outlet and re-tighten the screws. If they're very old completely replace them all. This prevents fires caused by age weakened prong grippers.
I have a couple of outlets in the house that I replace every few years because they get so much use they become noticeably easy to plug and unplug from.
Keith Cress
kcress - http://www.flaminsystems.com
RE: Home Wiring Oddity
Alan
RE: Home Wiring Oddity
Bill
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"Why not the best?"
Jimmy Carter
RE: Home Wiring Oddity
Alan
RE: Home Wiring Oddity
I'll check the wire connectors and outlet connections too.
Oh. and dpc, the breaker appeared to close to me. But I could have been wrong. When we took it out though, it would no longer close. The new one works fine.
Mike McCann
MMC Engineering
RE: Home Wiring Oddity
Keith Cress
kcress - http://www.flaminsystems.com
RE: Home Wiring Oddity
Mike McCann
MMC Engineering