Troubleshooting Home Electrical Wiring
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Summary: Sometimes electrical troubleshooting is easy and extremely obvious. Here I discuss the most effective troubleshooting method I use out on the job to solve the majority of the electrical failures I encounter. |
A Formula for Identifying Most Home Wiring Problems and Electrical Failures |
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Understand that not all electrical problems are going to be related. My experience when troubleshooting electrical wiring has revealed that some electrical problems can be attributed to human error. Other failures occur due to faulty or incorrect wiring that eventually goes bad, then there are times when electrical equipment or devices fail because of bad connections which may be aggravated by environmental conditions such as moisture. My primary goal of this web site is to help people understand what is involved with the home electrical systems so we don't have to end up troubleshooting your house electrical wiring problems. Usually there is a logical reason why an electrical failure has occurred |
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A simple formula for troubleshooting home electrical wiring that will help solve your electrical problem.
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I must admit that my Dad loved troubleshooting! He would rather take on the task of troubleshooting electrical wiring then he would construction jobs, and Yes - My Dad was the Best Troubleshooter there was; and I'm glad to say that I listened and paid attention to his teachings about troubleshooting. Many times it pays to be quiet and just observe.
Ask questions - then Listen, and the pieces to the puzzle start to appear.
Quick Checks just to make sure:
Is the Switch "On"?
Is the Light Bulb burned out?
Is a GFI Receptacle or GFCI Breaker tripped?
Is a Circuit Breaker tripped or a Fuse blown - If so find out why!
Sometimes troubleshooting is easy and extremely obvious - like a switch that was forgotten about or yes - the darn light bulb was just burnt out. You may even discover that a GFCI receptacle or breaker was tripped. There have been times when the tripped GFCI Plug was behind a pile of boxes in the garage and no one ever knew there was a plug there.
Well, I could go on and on with stories about troubleshooting electrical wiring, but lets get to a method that could save you a lot of time, frustration and a bunch of money.
The method I've learned is an easy one, and you've probably already used it several times on other applications, here it is:
The Process of Elimination Which Starts With Identification
Safety First
Be sure not to work with energized wires or circuits.
Identify the circuit and shut it off, then tag the circuit to keep it off.
Before testing, make sure to cap your wires with wire nuts or insulate them with electrical tape when you need to turn the circuit back on. Identify the Hot wire coming in with Red or Black electrical tape so you can identify this wire from all the others. This is what I call "flagging the hot wire"
Very Important:
If you don't feel comfortable working on your electrical problem, please don't take chances - call a professional electrician.
Here is the process
Make sure to identify which cable provides the power coming in.
Do not work on the circuit with the power on. Turn the power off and label the circuit so others know you are working on it.
Positively identify all the cables - what cable goes where.
Check all devices served by each cable. Disconnect any devices that may be connected to any associated cable. Check these devices to see if they are malfunctioning. Isolate or remove any device in order to eliminate a failing component.
Is a Switch involved? - Check the switch with an OHM Meter.
Is it a fixture that doesn't work? Safely test the fixture with a spare cord to see if it works. If it does not - check the fixture wiring, bulbs etc.
Neutral Wires
Sometimes a Hot wire will test ok to path to Ground typically a Ground Wire, but will not test ok to the White Neutral Wire. This can be caused by a few things, most of all a loose or burnt connection that has burnt clear of the connection point such as a screw on a receptacle or the insertion point on the back of a receptacle. Without the neutral a device will not work. Be sure to check all the Neutral Connections at the source and at any junction leading to the problem area.
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A Warning about Space Heaters: Some high wattage space heaters used over a period of time can cause a receptacle to become over heated, especially on the neutral side. If a receptacle becomes discolored where the cord is plugged in then chances are the wiring attached to the receptacle inside the receptacle box will have experienced over heating and could possibly be burnt. Make sure these receptacle circuits are turned off before removing the cover plate and receptacle for inspection. |
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| Checking The Wire Connections Make sure your connections are well made. A loose connection will also cause shorts and create burnt wires which could result in a potential fire hazard. Twist wires together using pliers before screwing on any wire nuts, this ensures a good connection. Don't over tighten wire nuts, but make sure they are on tight. As the circuit and all the components are checked you should identify the problem. Most of the time it is something very obvious. |
Let me know if this helps, I really enjoy your comments and suggestions!
Be Very Careful and Be Safe!
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