Home electricians question

[JPSmit]

ever since we moved into the house we have had one electrical outlet that has not worked. Everyone out tonight so I decided to fix it. Got my two wire voltage tester (the kind from the store as opposed to home made) stick leads into outlet and test light comes on. undo receptacle from box and lay leads across screws - test light comes on. Thus I conclude it is the outlet that is defective. I replace the outlet and plug in the vacuum - nothing. Hmmmm. go get my multimeter and it shows no voltage across the terminals at all.

Conclusion - there is a break in the wire or a short behind the wall and the outlet isn't going to work any time soon. Question - why would the test light have lit? would there be a trickle? you would think the multimeter would pick that up. Only other thought is that somehow the electrician put it in line with the DC halagon lights though I can't imagine that as possible and I don't want to set my multimeter to 20 volts DC and stick the leads in.

theories?

 

[DNK]

Get one of these

Should give you an idea.
What's the voltage say?

 

[SilentUnicorn]

ever since we moved into the house we have had one electrical outlet that has not worked. Everyone out tonight so I decided to fix it. Got my two wire voltage tester (the kind from the store as opposed to home made) stick leads into outlet and test light comes on. undo receptacle from box and lay leads across screws - test light comes on. Thus I conclude it is the outlet that is defective.

?? You lost me there- lite lites in the outlet AND across the screws. How do you get a bad outlet out of that set of tests?

I replace the outlet and plug in the vacuum - nothing. Hmmmm. go get my multimeter and it shows no voltage across the terminals at all.

Did you make any sparks or accidentally short the wires and blow the fuse or pop the breaker?

Conclusion - there is a break in the wire or a short behind the wall and the outlet isn't going to work any time soon. Question - why would the test light have lit? would there be a trickle? you would think the multimeter would pick that up. Only other thought is that somehow the electrician put it in line with the DC halagon lights though I can't imagine that as possible and I don't want to set my multimeter to 20 volts DC and stick the leads in.

theories?

what kind of test lite we talking about here?
there should be no "trickle" either on or off.

m

 

[DrEntropy]

and a "short" would be dramatically obvious.

I think there's an attic crawl in your future.

 

[JPSmit]

Get one of these

got one - now if I could find it

 

[JPSmit]

no spark or breaker - and it's been this way since we moved in - Doc, I think you're right. actually there is a bathroom reno in my future (2 actually) and the bathroom is on the other side of the wall.

 

[DrEntropy]

"Have SawzAll, Will Travel"

Wire: Entropy, Tampa.

 

[DNK]

Any chance that outlet is controlled by a GFI somewhere?

 

[GregW]

"Have SawzAll, Will Travel"

Wire: Entropy, Tampa.

Do you even own a parka? gonna need one in Canada, even in the summer.

 

[JPSmit]

Any chance that outlet is controlled by a GFI somewhere?

possible I suppose but I can't imagine where or why - it's in a hallway

 

[JPSmit]

"Have SawzAll, Will Travel"

Wire: Entropy, Tampa.

I'm frightened.

 

[GregW]

I wonder if that outlet is wired in series with something else. That might give you enough voltage to light a test light, but not to run a vacuum. Were the wires attached to the receptacle black/ or red, white and green/ bare?

 

[JPSmit]

white and black - I wondered about that too.

 

[DrEntropy]

Sounds seriesed to me... Turn EVERYTHING off and try the vacuum machine draw again. If it does run, go turn on stuff one thing at a time and when the vacuum cleaner dies you found the circuit.

It's spooky, BTW.

 

[anthony7777]

doc, think id plug the vacum into the outlet and cycle all the wall switches in and around that room, you might be able to pull out some lenght of the wire from the wall cut 4-6 inces off, strip back to see if theres an internal brake, a word of caution..have someone with you when your doing this, while remodeling my kitchen i had one of my guys working with me, id left the room to get something and when i returned he was standing with an outlet box in his hands i asked him what he was doing since we had an electician on the job, looking at him again i noticed he was shaking with a contorted look on his face and starting turning blue, i had to punch the outlet box out of his hands since he couldnt let go of it, he collapsed to the floor crying, wasnt to long after he got a job at auto zone. lots of people dont realise that 110V can be deadly.

 

[rlwhitetr3b]

If the "test light" is one of the neon testers, it does not take much current to make it light. When I was teaching wiring, I taught the student to hold one of the leads in their fingers while touching the other to the wire to check if it was hot. If there is a break or a switch in the ground(white) wire the neon tester might still light and the vacuum not work. The tester Don suggested should show you the whole story.

I live in the last house on the left so Doc with a sawzall is an image that will keep me awake tonight.

 

[Guest]

Here's my fix: remove the outlet and cap the wires, fill hole with sheet rock mud, sand and paint. :thumbsup:



(you will never hear me say ANYTHING that implies I have knowledge in the home improvement realm.)

 

[Silverghost]

I live in the last house on the left so Doc with a sawzall is an image that will keep me awake tonight.

NOW picture Doc with a sawzall, a bone through his nose, squirrel pelt skivvies and a BLOWGUN! :eeek:

 

[Guest]

I live in the last house on the left so Doc with a sawzall is an image that will keep me awake tonight.

NOW picture Doc with a sawzall, a bone through his nose, squirrel pelt skivvies and a BLOWGUN! :eeek:

Actually, I think that sounds about right. Oh, don't forget the flip flops.

 

[JPSmit]

and the CAB