When an outlet goes dead, it’s easy to jump to
conclusions and assume the worst. But more often than not, the problem is
something simple, and you can save the cost of a service call just by taking a
few steps to trace the cause. Don’t worry if you’re not comfortable
doing electrical work. Better than half the time you’ll solve the problem
without even lifting a tool. We’ll show you how to start your search for
the problem by checking in the most likely places. If that doesn’t work,
we’ll show you where to look for loose connections that may be to blame,
and how to fix them. Of course, there will always be problems that are best
left to an electrician. But if you take these steps first, there’s a good
chance you’ll find the solution.
Step 1:
First, See If Other Outlets Are Dead
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 test nearby outlets for power (use a voltage tester or plug in a
lamp to test the outlets). Unplug lamps and appliances from dead outlets to
eliminate the possibility that a short or overload from one of them is causing
the problem. Note the location of dead outlets or mark them with a piece of
masking tape so you’ll be able to find them again after you’ve
turned off the power.
Look inside the fuse for charred glass
or a broken filament—evidence of a blown fuse. Unscrew the suspect fuse
and replace it with one of the same type and amperage.
Step 2: Check
the Circuit Breakers
After you unplug all the devices from the dead outlets, the
next step is to check for a tripped circuit breaker or blown fuse. You’ll
find the circuit breakers or fuses in the main electrical panel, which is
usually located near where the electrical wires enter the house. Garages,
basements and laundry rooms are common locations. Locate the panel and open the
metal door to reveal the fuses or circuit breakers.Photos 1–4 show a typical main panel and
the process for resetting a tripped circuit breaker. Remember to turn off your
computer before you switch the circuit breakers on and off.
Replace Burned-Out Fuses
Tripped circuit breakers aren’t always apparent. If
you don’t see a tripped breaker, firmly press every breaker to the
“off” position (Photo 3).Then switch them
back on. If the tripped breaker won’t reset without tripping again, there
could be a potentially dangerous short circuit or ground fault condition.
Switch the circuit breaker off until you’ve located the problem. In most
cases, a tripped circuit breaker is caused by a temporary overload on the
circuit or a short circuit in some device plugged into the circuit. But in rare
cases, a loose wire in an electrical box could be causing the problem. Follow
the photos in
Step 4 to look for and repair loose
connections.
1. Locate the circuit breaker
box (or fuse box) and open the door to search for tripped circuit
breakers.
2. Locate tripped breakers by
looking for breaker handles that aren’t lined up with the rest. Last,
push the breaker handles toward the “on” position. Tripped breakers
will “give” a little rather than feel solid.
3. The first step in resetting a tripped breaker is to switch it off. Don’t just flick the handle; press
the handle firmly to the “off” position. You should hear a click.
4. Finally, reset the breaker by pushing the handle firmly to “on.” It should line up with all
the rest. If it “pops” back to the tripped position, there’s
a problem in the wiring or in something that’s plugged into the
circuit.
Step 3: Check the GFCIs
GFCI (short 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. They protect against deadly electrical shocks by sensing leaks in the electrical current and immediately tripping to shut off the power. But it’s easy to overlook a tripped GFCI as the source of a dead outlet problem. That’s because in areas where GFCI-protected outlets are required, electricians often save money by connecting additional standard outlets to one GFCI outlet. A current leak at any one of the outlets will trip
the GFCI and cause all of the outlets connected to it to go dead. These GFCI-protected outlets are supposed to be labeled (Photo 1), but the label often falls off.
Look for GFCIs in bathrooms, kitchens, basements, garages
and on the home’s exterior. Test and reset every GFCI you find (Photo 2). If the GFCI “reset” button
doesn’t pop out when you press the “test” button, there may
be no power to the GFCI or you may have a bad GFCI. On the other hand, if the
“reset” button trips again every time you press 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 cover here.
Refer to other electrical repair manuals or call an electrician for help. If
resetting all of the GFCIs didn’t power up your dead outlet, then the
last resort is to look for loose connections.
Photo 1
Photo 2
Step 4: Still No Power? Look for a Bad Connection
If checking the breakers and resetting the GFCIs
haven’t restored power to the outlet, the next step, without getting into
circuit testing, is to remove the outlet from the box and look for loose
connections.
We’ll show you three common types of loose
connections: loose terminal screws, loose stab-in connections, and loose wires
at wire connectors. You may find one or more of these when you remove your
outlet and look in the electrical box.
Loose or Broken Wires
The first problem we show is a loose connection under the
outlet’s terminal screw. In
Photo 2, you can see the charred outlet and
melted wire insulation that are a result of heat generated by the loose
connection. These telltale signs aren’t always present, though, which is
why you should double-check the connections by gently bending each wire to see
if it moves under the screw.
If you do discover a loose connection at an outlet,
whether it’s at the screw terminal or a stab-in connection, we recommend
replacing the outlet with a new one. That’s because loose connections
almost always create excess heat that could damage the outlet and lead to
future problems.Photo 3 shows how to install a new
outlet.
If the outlet you’re replacing is wired like the one
shown in
Photo 2, with pairs of hot and neutral wires
(wires under all four screws), connect the pairs of like-colored wires along
with a third 6-in. length of wire, called a pigtail, under one wire connector. Then connect the loose end of
each pigtail to the appropriate outlet screw.
This method reduces the chance that a loose connection
under a screw will cause a problem with other outlets on the
circuit.
1. First make sure all
computers are turned off and everyone in the house knows you’ll be
turning off the power. Then switch off the main circuit breaker. Keep a
flash-light handy because all the lights will go out.
2. Inspect the screw terminals
for broken or loose wires. Carefully bend the wire at each screw terminal to
see if it's loose (it will turn under the screw or the screw will move). Also
look for broken, burned or corroded wires or screws.
Click image to enlarge.
3. 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 silver screw
and the ground wire to the green ground screw. Loop the wires clockwise around
the screws and tighten.
CAUTION
If you have aluminum wiring, don’t mess with it! Call in a licensed pro who’s
certified to work with it. This wiring is dull gray, not the dull orange
that’s characteristic of copper.
Loose Wires at the Stab-In Connections
Click image to enlarge.
As a timesaver for electricians, some outlets can be wired
by pressing stripped wires into holes on the back of the outlet. This wiring
method is allowed by the electrical code, but it isn’t good practice
since these stab-in connections can loosen over time and cause problems. Look
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 end of the wire
and connect it 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.
Check for Simple Solutions First
Shortly after moving into our house, we
had an electrical problem. The exterior 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 problem. 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 exterior outlets and needed to be reset. I was
lucky this time—I’ve been known to remove outlets and start to test
circuits and then discover the simpler solution. The moral of the story is,
don’t jump to conclusions. The fix for a dead outlet is usually simpler
than you think.
Check Wire Connectors for Loose Wires
A wire that’s come loose from a wire connector is
another problem that can cause a dead outlet. Follow the steps in
Photos 1 and 2 to find and fix this type of
loose connection. If you don’t find any loose connections in this box and
are still anxious to pursue the problem, expand your search to other outlets in
the vicinity (start with the ones you marked earlier with masking tape). Make
sure to turn off the main circuit breaker when you’re checking for loose connections.
When you’re done looking for loose connections,
reinstall the outlets and switch the main circuit breaker back on. Now test the
outlets again to see if you’ve solved the problem. If you still have dead
outlets, it’s time to call an electrician.
Click image to enlarge.
1. Grab the wire connector. Tug
on each wire in the bundle to see if any are loose. If you discover a loose
wire, remove the wire connector. Cut and strip all the wires in the bundle to
expose 1/2 in. to 3/4 in. of fresh copper wire (check the instructions on the
wire connector container for the exact stripping length).
2. 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 by reading the label on
the wire connector packaging.
