Need some electrical help

[boykinlp]

Earlier today, after already doing a few rooms, I plugged in the vacuum in my living room and turned it on. Immediately, a lamp dimmed and went off and the vacuum turned off. I unplugged the vacuum and tried to turn the light back on. No go! The socket where the lamp was plugged in, the one where the vacuum was plugged in, the porch lights and outside spot lights (on the same wall as the lamp socket), were all not working. The ceiling fan lights worked, but the fan did not.

I checked the breaker box and none were tripped. I even flipped them back and forth to make sure they were OK. I have 3 Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters and I checked them. None were tripped and again I reset all three. I went and checked the lamp, that did not work before, and it now worked! I am thinking problem solved. About a half hour later, I for some reason decided to try all the stuff that previously did not work. Everything worked fine.

About an hour later, I went to turn the lamp on, that was the one that originally was not working, but was working after resetting everything, and it is not working again.

I reset the GFCIs and checked the breakers again, doing what I had done to fix the problem earlier, and this time, ALL of the things that did not work earlier will not work again!! I don't have an outlet tester, but I used an old night light that I had to plug in each outlet where the GFCIs are to make sure the outlets had power. All have power. I am at a loss for what else to try.

Any ideas?

 

[1morethan8]

Sounds like you have a loose wire connection somewhere in the circuit?

 

[Wee Hooker]

Sounds to me like a bad GFI. They can still have power but not be able to handle the kind of current draw a vacuum produces. ( Usually like a dozen , 100W light bulbs). Worse case, try changing the GFI to a regular style outlet one at a time and test under load in between. Then if you find a bad one, replace it with the right part. It's hard to trouble shoot further with the amount of info given though.

 

[amazingflapjack]

vacuum pulls a bunch of amps-over heats circuits

 

[Argonnakid]

? Does the ceiling fan and light have two different switches? Because you said that the light worked but the fan did not. As Morethan said, you have a loose connection. As an electrician, what you have described is where I would start my trouble shooting. A easy way to check this (if you feel confident you can safely work on a live circuit and if there is two switches controlling the fan/light) is to remove the the switches in question from the wall, but do not disconnect anything yet. Have the lamp that was not working properly turned if possible. Wiggle the switches and the wires in the switch box. WATCH OUT FOR LOOSE LIVE WIRES!!!!. Listen for a crackle, look for little sparks. Look for discolored wires. I hope this helps and be safe.

 

[Argonnakid]

If you have any questions, you can PM me or e-mail at [email protected]

 

[Big Cholla]

At first I thought Wee Hooker nailed it but then thought it thru. Now, I think a standard breaker that controls that circuit is going bad and heating up, then cools, then heats up, then cools, but never actually trips. IMHO, you should identify that breaker in the entrance panel and replace it with a new one. Cheap and easy to do. There is no reason for a GFI to be used on the circuit you described unless there is also an outside outlet that you didn't mention. But then anything is possible. I would check them all against the original circuit again. ............ Big Cholla

 

[BobC357]

Check for a Hot/Neutral reversed. It may not be on the same circuit as the device is plugged into. Check ceiling lamps, outlets, switches, etc. Low cost testers are available at all hardware stores.

 

[msinc]

You have a loose connection somewhere. Maybe a backed off wire nut in one of the boxes. Do you know if whoever wired the house used the "backstabs" on the receptacles or did they make the connection with the screws in the side??? We don't call them "backstabs" for nothing.

 

[Comrad]

What are you doing with 3 GFCI on one circuit? Only one is necessary and should be wired to protect all down stream receptacles.
It's unusual but breakers can fail too.
Electricity isn't a hobby, be careful.

 

[1morethan8]

Like I said, I believe you have a loose connection on a wire in the circuit. This will heat up at that point and the wire may expand to the point of breaking the contact only to reconnect once the connection cools.
If the breaker didn't trip, or the GFI, start at the breaker and check connections to the end of the circuit giving trouble.

 

[Comrad]

Pay attention to how your GFCIs have been wired, there are two methods, bypass and feed thorough. You don't want one GFCI protecting another.

 

[smokindog]

I am NOT an electrician but have done a lot of work and am a home inspector on the side so TAKE THE ELECTRICIAN'S advice over mine

Having been through a few of these issues and a recent lightning strike, I support the possibility of a bad GFI, the questioning of multiple GFI's on one circuit, and the search for loose connections. I did not see anyone mention to look in the fan for wire nuts that may have worked themselves free, especially if it was a DYI install.

Before proceeding, I have two tools in my bag that I recommend every homeowner should have, or something similar (see below and pic).

• Suretest model ST-1 Cat #19-090 (Blackburn) circuit tester (don't think it's made anymore)
• LiveWire GVD-505A

Gardner Bender 120 VAC GFCI Outlet Tester; 1/clam, 5 clams/master-GFI-3501 at The Home Depot
Klein Tools Non-Contact Voltage Tester-NCVT-1SEN at The Home Depot

OR, drum-roll please, .....
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Gardner-...H=REC-_-product-4-_-202867890-_-202518885-_-N

 

[1morethan8]

A circuit tester may show it to be good... until it's under a load.

 

[handejector]

I doubt you have a GFI on the circuit for the living room.

You have a loose connection.
It is probably in the very receptacle (outlet, plug) you were using.

 

[joonbis]

The guy that said to check where the light/fan switches are is your problem. Probably loose connection at switch. The power comes in there and is then passed on to the outlets. Wiggle those switches and it will probably flicker.

 

[blujax01]

What Lee says - Pull the receptacle the vacuum was plugged into. You probably have a loose neutral (white) wire. It may have backed out of the receptacle or broken off.

 

[1morethan8]

In a case like this it's best to start at the breaker box. Remove cover and check wire connection to see if it's tight. Also check to see you have the 115 volts on the screw that's holding the wire using a volt meter.
Then follow the wire to the next outlet or splice and so on to the end of that circuit.
By having more than one thing not working your problem will be closer to the breaker box or first split of that circuit.

 

[Comrad]

No offense but based on the questions asked I don't think the OP should be opening the main panel.

"Achtung! Alle touristen und non-technischen lookenpeepers! Das machine is nicht fur fingerpoken und mittengrabben. Is easy schnappen der springenwerk, blowenfusen und poppencorken mit spitzen sparken. Das machine is diggen by experten only. Is nicht fur gerwerken by das dummkopfen. Das rubbernecken sightseeren keepen das cottenpicken hands in das pockets. Relaxen und watchen das blinkenlights."

 

[LouisianaJoe]

My house was built in 2009 and I have already had to replace one of the GFI outlets.

At my former house I had a problem with all of a series of outlets not working. After several days, I found a bad outlet behind a 8' high full bookcase. It was the first outlet in the run from the circuit breaker. I took out that outlet and just connected the wires and put a cover plate on the box.