Electric diagnosis

[Ken]

Here's the scenario. After using an electric fryer for an hour, all of the lights in the ceiling went out. They are on the same breaker as the receptacle that was being used. Lights are controlled by 3 different switches. All check fine. Bulbs are good. I checked every receptacle and the light fixtures. There is power to the hot side, the ground is dead. I checked all grounds in entrance panel, checked good. I cannot find any junctions where this could have happened. I suspect that the cooking may not have anything to do with this because the receptacle still works. But then, why do I get nothing when I check with meter? The hot side will show

120 when tested using house ground, shows nothing when tested with paired ground in cable. What am I missing?

What could have happened? Am I missing something? Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Cooking in the dark doesn't do it this week.

Thanks, Ken

[kjpro]

Look for a loose connection somewhere.

-- kjpro _-~-_>_-~-_>_-~-_>_-~-_>_-~-_>_-~-_>_-~-_>_-~-_>_-~-_>_-~-_>_-~-_>

( kjpro @ starband . net ) remove spaces to e-mail

Want it done yesterday? Or done right today, to save money tomorrow!!

_>_>_>_>_>_>_>_>_>_>_>_>_>_>_>_>_>_>_>_>_>_>_>_>_>_>_>

[anthony diodati]

"There is power to the hot side, the ground is dead" ?? Do you mean The Neutral?

Sometimes A heavy load will open a loose or boarder line connection somewhere. It will "cook" the loose conection open. " I checked every receptacle and

Did you check between the white and black at the light fixture? If there is

110 volt between the white and black fixture wires (switch on of course) then I would suspect the fixture it self. If not, It sounds like you may have a open neutral somewhere. Did you happen to check the outlets with one of those $5.00 outlet testers from the BORG? What did it read?

There shouldn't be, but is it possible the light is fed from a GFI outlet that needs reset. Where does the power for the light fixture come in from?

HTH

Tony D.

"I checked every receptacle and

Where Is the "ground Dead"? ( again,do you mean netural?) There should never be power at the ground, just voltage between the ground and hot, Is that what you mean. I

[anthony diodati]

Now why could'nt I have said it that simple? ; Look for a loose connection somewhere.

[Ken]

Yes, hot side is live, the neutral line doesn't read anything when a meter is connected between the black and white wire. Black is live, though.

Yes, I checked that. The hot side (with the light switch on) would read zero, but when I left a meter lead on the black wire and put the other jumper onto the box ground, it read 120 volts

It does to me, but I can't find that neutral. I even re-torqued the neutral bar screws in the entrance panel.

I used one of those outlet testers and all of the outlets were fine. It appears that the power line comes in from the breaker panel. It seems to break off from a junction in the ceiling light where the outlets in the kitchen are all in a series, then it appears that the other two ceiling lights are in a series from that first junction. I opened every visible box and looked for a break or burned wire connection. I redressed all connections and wire connectors. But damn, I keep thinking about how the neutrals to the lights won't complete that circuit. Yet the hot side is there when I throw the switch and have the other side of the meter lead to the box ground. Is there something that this tired old analog electronics dinosaur is over-thinking?

dead." Dead neutral seems to be it, but damn I can't find where.

Yes, neutral is dead from what I believe is the first junction that the line hits in the kitchen-meaning first junction after the breaker box (entrance panel)

I want to thank each of your for your time and thoughts, it's appreciated.

Ken

drop the NS for direct contact. anti-SPAM

[barry martin]

Hi Ken!

K > Here's the scenario. After using an electric fryer for an hour, all of th

K > lights in the ceiling went out. They are on the same breaker as the K > receptacle that was being used. Lights are controlled by 3 different K > switches. All check fine. Bulbs are good. I checked every receptacle and K > the light fixtures. There is power to the hot side, the ground is dead. I K > checked all grounds in entrance panel, checked good. I cannot find any K > junctions where this could have happened. I suspect that the cooking may K > not have anything to do with this because the receptacle still works. But K > then, why do I get nothing when I check with meter? The hot side will show K > 120 when tested using house ground, shows nothing when tested with paired K > ground in cable. What am I missing? K > K > What could have happened? Am I missing something? Any suggestions will be K > greatly appreciated. Cooking in the dark doesn't do it this week.

As the one guy said, look for a open connection. (NSS! [No Sherlock]) This you have already started by checking voltages and being sure the bulbs are OK.

Not sure how your particular wiring is but as the outlet works and the three switches don't I'd guess the problem is common wire between the outlet and the switches. Could be the black, could be the white. (Those electrons like a complete path.)

As you tested the outlet did you happen to notice how many wires were attached to it? If three (black, white, ground) the problem is else- where. If six (2 B, 2 W, 2 G) then _possibly_ the one or the other link on the outlet opened. There is a metal bar between the two pairs of screws. Check both blacks and both whites. (Top black, then bottom black, white stays; top white, bottom white, black stays.

It is also possible the wires are pigtailed together inside the outlet box so two wires come in to the outlet box and only one pair go to the outlet. (A "Y" is created with three pairs of wires.) It is possible to have a loosened connection from the wire nut.

- ¯ barry.martinþATþthesafebbs.zeppole.com ®

• The fix to some problems is just a CTRL_ALT_DEL away!

[<mrbreezeet1*NO SPAM*]

Its got to be his neutral, (somewhere)??

Did you actually take apart all the neutral splices and or tug on all the neutral wires leaving the wire nuts. I see a lot of guys like to pre-twist there wires, even though the manufacture says you don't have to. Good luck, keep looking, let us know Thanks, Tony D.

[Ken]

Thanks to all! My cousin got an electrician to find it. There was a blackened burnt white neutral in the breaker panel. Apparently, he said it was in the back row and did not even look like a neutral because it was so black. Oh well, I just happy that we will be eating in a lighted kitchen when I visit on Christmas!

Thanks to everyone for your great assistance. This was my first post and if I can answers and help on my next snafu's, I might become a happy guy! Thanks again, Ken (no NS on e-mail, SPAMMERS bite)

[Stormin Mormonn]

Friend of mine had a window AC that didn't work right. Fan was OK but compressor didn't run. Turns out to be a loose neutral at the circuit box. I went up to turn on the AC and when I came back to the cellar, she said it had been sparking "Up there" (pointing toward neutral bar).

[<mrbreezeet1no spam]