Diagnosing circuit problem

[johnnyinsb]

Hello all, I would appreciate some help diagnosing a circuit problem I'm having.

I lost power to several rooms after turning on the kitchen light the other day. When I checked the circuit breaker panel, no breakers were in the tripped position. The bathroom and kitchen lights do not work, however the wall sockets do. Sockets in the bedrooms and living room are not working either. All appliances and heating is working.

I tried resetting the breakers nothing has seemed to help. Any advice?

Thanks.

[Vallen281]

[RBM]

You have an open circuit, a loose connection in the wiring or at a device. If it is related to the kitchen light, the problem could be a loose connection at the switch or in the fixture.

[HeyBub]

The circuit is daisy-chained from one fixture to the next. the loose connection is at either the last device on the chain that works (A) or the first one that doesn't work (B).

W==X==A==B==Y== Z

W, X, & A are working, B, Y, & Z do not.

It's easiest to check "B." If the problem cannot be found at "B," then the trick is to find "A" This can be done by flipping off the circuit breaker to discover all the other outlets/lights on the same circuit. One of them is "A."

[scott21230]

It's most likely a loose connection or a GFCI that has tripped someplace.

[Stormin Mormon]

I can think of a couple more things to check, but that requires opening up the electrical panel box. It sounds like you're not comfortable with that, or else you'd have done it already.

On the off chance you (or a friend) are OK with opening the panel box, make sure the breakers are all delivering power. And then check to see if the neutrals and grounds are tight.

[Rich256]

You need a voltmeter to verify that power is getting through all the breakers.

You need a map of where your circuit breakers go (too late to say that should have been done long ago). Trip them one at a time and write down what lights go on and off. The one you are having problems with may not do anything. Or it will at least be in the vicinity of those that do not work.

[PaPaPeng]

Swap the breaker with another (known good) breaker in the panel box. and see if that fixes the problem.

[aemeijers]

BTDT. Open up the switch boxes on that circuit, starting with the one you flipped when it crapped out. Bet you have a bad switch, or a loose or shorted connection, or maybe a nick in the wire jacket arcing to the grounded metal box. If switch isn't dogged down tight in box, it may have drifted close enough to one side for an overstripped wire to short to the box. May as well have a new switch in hand when you open it up, in case you don't see any obvious problems- they are only a couple of bucks.(Oh, yeah, turn the breaker to the OFF position, first.)

aem sends....