I was having issues with 12 of my outdoor lights, the circuit breaker was tripped and when re-setting, it tripped immediately, crap do I have time to fool with this. I'm right in the middle of a large pumping station project with my business partner. We've been trying to close this for a year and a half, got our PO to order the equipment, and it's going to take another few weeks of paper work back and forth to make everyone happy. Called around to a couple of business folks I know looking for a independent licensed electrician that works in the residential world. One came highly recommended twice, gave him a call. He advised he was about 3 weeks out on work to do unless this was an emergency, which it was not. Explained what was going on and he gave me a number of things it could be, "and oh by the way my fees are $170.00 per hour for me and my helper. I must be living in the dark ages as to the amount of what electricians charge for their services now days.
The things he advised that might be causing the problem, one of the light fixtures could be shorted out, got 12 of those, the breaker could have gone bad, the wiring could have a dead short in it some where. Last one was the 4 wall switches could have gone to ground but that was unlikely as they usually just stop working. I'm thinking they could be he all day working off ladders taking down 10 of the 12 light fixtures. Wouldn't take long to check the breaker or the 4 wall switches. When I built my place here in the woods I contracted with a teacher and two of his students form the local trade school electrical department.
Wow I could spend a thousand dollars just finding out what the problem was. Well I decided to take the time and do some inspections before the electrician could make it here. Took the face off the panel box and moved the black wire to the breaker below it and it tripped, that's not the problem. Checked the wall switches with my meter to prove they were all making or breaking the current through them, that's not the problem. Fiddle sticks got the ladders out and start taking down fixtures to see if one has bad wiring, they all looked good. this was day two of my inspecting things.
This got me thinking, since I live in the woods did some little critter make a meal out of a wire somewhere in the system. Oh no, if this is the case how in the world would I get power back to the fixtures. Getting into the attic was a no go because most of the ceilings in the house are vaulted. The idea of running exposed wiring channels no matter how pretty they are around the back and one side of the house was not going to look very well. Double wow, this could turn in to a several thousand dollar ordeal.
Then it hit me, while the guys that did the original wiring including the low voltage for the security system and speakers throughout the house, I had taken several photos and made numerous notes. It's just been 22 years, where is the book of pictures and all the notes. The wife had stashed it on the top shelf in the book case. Well after looking over it very carefully I discovered we had wired a ground fault outlet on the outside wall just next to the door off of the bedroom. The only thing I hadn't checked, well wouldn't know it after taking it out of the wall it had several burn marks on the connection points. Took the two black and white wires off took a couple of wire nuts wired them together to make the circuit. Went to the panel box a flipped the breaker on, and voila let there be light. The ground fault didn't trip like they are designed to do, it faulted straight to ground.
I'm going to take the monies I saved and buy a new gun or two.
The things he advised that might be causing the problem, one of the light fixtures could be shorted out, got 12 of those, the breaker could have gone bad, the wiring could have a dead short in it some where. Last one was the 4 wall switches could have gone to ground but that was unlikely as they usually just stop working. I'm thinking they could be he all day working off ladders taking down 10 of the 12 light fixtures. Wouldn't take long to check the breaker or the 4 wall switches. When I built my place here in the woods I contracted with a teacher and two of his students form the local trade school electrical department.
Wow I could spend a thousand dollars just finding out what the problem was. Well I decided to take the time and do some inspections before the electrician could make it here. Took the face off the panel box and moved the black wire to the breaker below it and it tripped, that's not the problem. Checked the wall switches with my meter to prove they were all making or breaking the current through them, that's not the problem. Fiddle sticks got the ladders out and start taking down fixtures to see if one has bad wiring, they all looked good. this was day two of my inspecting things.
This got me thinking, since I live in the woods did some little critter make a meal out of a wire somewhere in the system. Oh no, if this is the case how in the world would I get power back to the fixtures. Getting into the attic was a no go because most of the ceilings in the house are vaulted. The idea of running exposed wiring channels no matter how pretty they are around the back and one side of the house was not going to look very well. Double wow, this could turn in to a several thousand dollar ordeal.
Then it hit me, while the guys that did the original wiring including the low voltage for the security system and speakers throughout the house, I had taken several photos and made numerous notes. It's just been 22 years, where is the book of pictures and all the notes. The wife had stashed it on the top shelf in the book case. Well after looking over it very carefully I discovered we had wired a ground fault outlet on the outside wall just next to the door off of the bedroom. The only thing I hadn't checked, well wouldn't know it after taking it out of the wall it had several burn marks on the connection points. Took the two black and white wires off took a couple of wire nuts wired them together to make the circuit. Went to the panel box a flipped the breaker on, and voila let there be light. The ground fault didn't trip like they are designed to do, it faulted straight to ground.
I'm going to take the monies I saved and buy a new gun or two.
