Questions about power out in one room-Electrician Help?!?!

[Ravi]

My daughter's bedroom has no power, the rest of the condo does. I switched the circut breaker on and off, nothing happened. (That usually restarted it before)

Is there something else I can do before I have to "call someone" for professional help?

Thanks!

Why do you hate electricians?

Why do you hate people who don't want to pay an exorbitant cost to an electrician?

Vietnam, of course.

 

[Paulie]

Why do you hate electricians?

Why do you hate people who don't want to pay an exorbitant cost to an electrician?

Vietnam, of course.

Why do you hate Vietnam?

 

[Ringel05]

If you're not to skittish Paulie could walk you through the breaker replacement, it really isn't that hard. It's bed time for me, good luck and good night.

 

[Ravi]

Why do you hate people who don't want to pay an exorbitant cost to an electrician?

Vietnam, of course.

Why do you hate Vietnam?

It killed all the electricians. Damn, Paulie, are you this dense in real life?

 

[Paulie]

Vietnam, of course.

Why do you hate Vietnam?

It killed all the electricians. Damn, Paulie, are you this dense in real life?

Yes.

Why do you hate that?

 

[Intense]

Guy's, if she lives in a Condo, she doesn't own it, it is not her property. She should call maintenance. Avoid the liability.

 

[Paulie]

Guy's, if she lives in a Condo, she doesn't own it, it is not her property. She should call maintenance. Avoid the liability.

This isn't true.

You can own a condo unit, and be responsible for all your repairs inside your actual unit.

The only thing the association is responsible for is the building's exterior and the grounds. And usually you pay a recurring fee to cover that.

 

[Midnight Marauder]

Replacing the breaker is one thing, determining why the old one was tripping all the time and failed is another. A tripping breaker is a cry for HELP from the circuit. Something is wrong.

The polarity of all outlets and lighting in the affected zone must be checked. Continuity of all connections must be checked. Resistance to ground from the "hot" side must be checked.

If polarity has been incorrect in just one outlet or socket, it's possible you have had current flowing through the "common" link in this circuit. If so, it's also possible one of the connections in this circuit that has been heating, finally burned through. If so, you will still not have a functioning circuit even after changing the breaker.

After changing the breaker and restoring the circuit, a check of the full load amp draw on this circuit must be performed. The load shouldn't ever approach the rating of the breaker.

He will also as a matter of course, tighten all connections in the breaker box and check them as well for resistance to ground, amp draw, and signs of heating. He will also tighten all "common" connections in the box. Loose connections are a bad thing.

You really do want to have a qualified electrician check this, his fee is well worth having this problem solved correctly. I have listed the first things he will do. He might charge what? $50 an hour? Small price to pay to have this properly fixed.

 

[Intense]

Guy's, if she lives in a Condo, she doesn't own it, it is not her property. She should call maintenance. Avoid the liability.

This isn't true.

You can own a condo unit, and be responsible for all your repairs inside your actual unit.

The only thing the association is responsible for is the building's exterior and the grounds. And usually you pay a recurring fee to cover that.

That can be true, granted. Still, there is liability. Many condo's still cover certain kinds of repairs, Gas lines, plumbing, Electric, Roofing leaks, etc.

 

[Paulie]

Guy's, if she lives in a Condo, she doesn't own it, it is not her property. She should call maintenance. Avoid the liability.

This isn't true.

You can own a condo unit, and be responsible for all your repairs inside your actual unit.

The only thing the association is responsible for is the building's exterior and the grounds. And usually you pay a recurring fee to cover that.

That can be true, granted. Still, there is liability. Many condo's still cover certain kinds of repairs, Gas lines, plumbing, Electric, Roofing leaks, etc.

I wouldn't see electric being covered, simply because each condo unit is its own zone, independent of each other.

I could maybe see plumbing, as far as any main drain and supply lines are concerned, because they may be shared amongst several units in the building. But if your shut off valve for your kitchen sink line, for instance, springs a leak, I don't see how that's the association's problem if you own the unit.

 

[Intense]

This isn't true.

You can own a condo unit, and be responsible for all your repairs inside your actual unit.

The only thing the association is responsible for is the building's exterior and the grounds. And usually you pay a recurring fee to cover that.

That can be true, granted. Still, there is liability. Many condo's still cover certain kinds of repairs, Gas lines, plumbing, Electric, Roofing leaks, etc.

I wouldn't see electric being covered, simply because each condo unit is its own zone, independent of each other.

I could maybe see plumbing, as far as any main drain and supply lines are concerned, because they may be shared amongst several units in the building. But if your shut off valve for your kitchen sink line, for instance, springs a leak, I don't see how that's the association's problem if you own the unit.

Still Liability. Others are put at risk. Changing a breaker properly is one issue. Failing to check the integrity of the line is another. Negligence is liable. How old is the wiring? Is there even a Ground. Is it properly Polarized? Is there a leak to Ground, a floating Neutral?

 

[Midnight Marauder]

That can be true, granted. Still, there is liability. Many condo's still cover certain kinds of repairs, Gas lines, plumbing, Electric, Roofing leaks, etc.

I wouldn't see electric being covered, simply because each condo unit is its own zone, independent of each other.

I could maybe see plumbing, as far as any main drain and supply lines are concerned, because they may be shared amongst several units in the building. But if your shut off valve for your kitchen sink line, for instance, springs a leak, I don't see how that's the association's problem if you own the unit.

Still Liability. Others are put at risk. Changing a breaker properly is one issue. Failing to check the integrity of the line is another. Negligence is liable.

Another reason EZ needs to call a licensed and qualified and BONDED electrician.

 

[uscitizen]

If you've had the breaker trip before, A) you have too much load on that circuit and you need to have it split up and B) You need to replace the breaker because its probably worn out from tripping.

Replacing a breaker is very easy, they snap out. Just make sure you turn off the power to the house. You'll need a screwdriver to remove the metal facing on the breaker box. You can buy new breakers at an hardware store, just be sure to match the size. Do not go up a size in order to accommodate the load, if anyone tells you to do so, he's giving bad, and unsafe, advise.

NOTE! if the main breaker is in the breaker panel that your breaker is in that turning off the main still leaves HOT/live electricity exposed in that panel even with the main breaker off. Just where the service entrance wires are connected ot the main breaker but hot nonethe less.

btw EZ a good way to get her to turn down the music

 

[dilloduck]

Just move to another condo, EZ. Don't take chances.

 

[random3434]

See, THIS is one reason I love the USMB so much.

Thanks y'all.....great advice from each and every one of ya!



I called my 'handi-man'....I'm also going to have him fix my garbage disposal that's broken too!


I do like Dillo's idea, JUST MOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Ravi]

See, THIS is one reason I love the USMB so much.

Thanks y'all.....great advice from each and every one of ya!



I called my 'handi-man'....I'm also going to have him fix my garbage disposal that's broken too!


I do like Dillo's idea, JUST MOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No offense, but a handy-man is better than a handi-man any day of the week.

 

[007]

As long as that main if off, there's no way you can get zapped. But that sometimes isn't enough peace of mind for someone who's never worked with electrical circuits before.

Well I got in here a little on the late side, but better late than never. As I've mentioned before on here, I have a degree in Electrical Engineering, and have worked for an Electrician on and off for about a dozen years, including work of my own in the Air Force, maintenance and assorted other jobs that included electrical. I have a good educational as well as experience back ground in this area. With that said, YES YOU CAN GET SHOCKED in a box even if the main circuit breaker is off. The large diameter wires coming INTO the box, at the top, by the main breaker are ALWAYS HOT! The only way to kill that power is to remove the meter from the outside power. DO NOT stick your fingers in a breaker box even if the main is shut off. YOU CAN be ELECTROCUTED!

Replacing the breaker is one thing, determining why the old one was tripping all the time and failed is another. A tripping breaker is a cry for HELP from the circuit. Something is wrong.

That's true, but, breakers can also just get weak with age.

The polarity of all outlets and lighting in the affected zone must be checked. Continuity of all connections must be checked. Resistance to ground from the "hot" side must be checked.

If polarity has been incorrect in just one outlet or socket, it's possible you have had current flowing through the "common" link in this circuit. If so, it's also possible one of the connections in this circuit that has been heating, finally burned through. If so, you will still not have a functioning circuit even after changing the breaker.

This is all wrong. Sorry MM... but A/C, otherwise known as Alternating Current, has NO POLARITY. In fact, most A/C in homes in America is "single phase, 120 VAC, 60 Hz. 60 Hz means that 60 times per second the polarity of the electricity changes and flows in the opposite direction. There is just as much current flowing through the common as there is the hot. There would be no flow of current at all if there wasn't a common. The type of electricity that that doesn't change polarity is D/C, which is Direct Current. That has a definite polarity of + and - that doesn't change.

You really do want to have a qualified electrician check this, his fee is well worth having this problem solved correctly. I have listed the first things he will do. He might charge what? $50 an hour? Small price to pay to have this properly fixed.

True. The breaker was tripping for a reason. Either there are too many things plugged into that one circuit, or there was a problem with the breaker, or something was shorting it out. No matter what the problem is, you should have a certified electrician check it out. A situation as you've described could be dangerous. You could burn the whole building down.

 

[Paulie]

Pale, I meant when switching the actual breaker out.

I don't know why EZ would be sticking her fingers up where the wires are coming in anyway.

It doesn't take an engineering degree to know that the box itself is still being fed with juice from the main supply.

 

[Ringel05]

See, THIS is one reason I love the USMB so much.

Thanks y'all.....great advice from each and every one of ya!



I called my 'handi-man'....I'm also going to have him fix my garbage disposal that's broken too!


I do like Dillo's idea, JUST MOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Garbage disposal broken? Look on the bottom of the garbage disposal, find a little red or black button and push it. If that doesn't work take two aspirin and call me in the morning.

 

[Midnight Marauder]

The polarity of all outlets and lighting in the affected zone must be checked. Continuity of all connections must be checked. Resistance to ground from the "hot" side must be checked.

If polarity has been incorrect in just one outlet or socket, it's possible you have had current flowing through the "common" link in this circuit. If so, it's also possible one of the connections in this circuit that has been heating, finally burned through. If so, you will still not have a functioning circuit even after changing the breaker.

This is all wrong. Sorry MM... but A/C, otherwise known as Alternating Current, has NO POLARITY. In fact, most A/C in homes in America is "single phase, 120 VAC, 60 Hz. 60 Hz means that 60 times per second the polarity of the electricity changes and flows in the opposite direction. There is just as much current flowing through the common as there is the hot. There would be no flow of current at all if there wasn't a common. The type of electricity that that doesn't change polarity is D/C, which is Direct Current. That has a definite polarity of + and - that doesn't change.

Actually, polarity is quite important in a AC circuit. The black wire is the load side, and if receptacles are wired wrong, it causes problems especially if they have a high-draw resistive load plugged in, such as a space heater. Otherwise you are correct, without the "common" nothing at all will work, which is what I said -- if the "common" is disconnected anywhere, perhaps due to a burned through or loose connection, nothing will happen as far as getting useable power.

"Polarity" is probably the wrong term for what I am describing. Incorrect circuit wiring is the right one, and it's all too common to find in residential wiring, unfortunately.

I made my millions and retired as a ET and EET, I'm well aware of the properties of AC and DC.