Troubleshoot Electrical Problems
A house contains a complex and interrelated system of electrical wiring, most of which is hidden within the walls. Finding an electrical problem, such as lights or appliances not working, is not an easy task. The problem must be narrowed down in some way to determine the root cause. This process is called troubleshooting. Use these tips to learn how to troubleshoot electrical problems in house wiring.
Steps
- Determine the wiring section of the house that has the problem.
- Confirm that the problem encompasses more than 1 light or appliance. If only 1 light or appliance is not working, assume that the problem is not a wiring problem in the house. It is likely a problem with 1 specific light or appliance.
- Make a list of how widespread the problem is. Note all lights and appliances that are not working properly. They should be relatively close to each other physically.
- Determine which circuit breakers have tripped. Open the breaker box, which is likely in a basement, garage or utility room, and visually inspect the breakers. A red mark on the breaker switch indicates that the breaker has been tripped.
- Ensure correspondence between the symptoms. There will be a label on the inside of the breaker box cover indicating which breaker protects which circuit. The tripped breaker should correspond to the house area that was noted as having the problem.
- Unplug all appliances and turn off all lights on the affected circuit. Reset the breaker. If the breaker trips again, replace the breaker.
- Try the new breaker. If the new breaker still trips, test each outlet on the affected circuit using a 3-prong receptacle tester. These are available in hardware stores and electrical parts stores. Follow the instructions for the receptacle tester being used. Replace any receptacles shown by the tester to be defective.
- Set the new breaker. If the breaker does not trip, turn on each light and plug in each appliance to the affected circuit. Do this 1 item at a time. A socket or appliance that causes the breaker to trip again is still causing the problem.
- Unplug the appliance that caused the breaker to trip. Test the outlet using a 3-prong receptacle tester. Follow the instructions for the receptacle tester. Replace the receptacle if the tester shows it to be defective.
- Replace the appliance that caused the last trip of the breaker. Make sure that the breaker no longer trips.
- Call a certified electrician. If the steps taken do not fix the problem, the electrical issue lies in the wall wiring of the house. Working on this wiring is hazardous and must be performed by a certified electrician.
Warnings
- If someone has received a shock from an appliance, unplug the appliance immediately and contact a certified electrician. Something in the house wiring has defeated the ground fault interrupter (GFI) safety feature.
- Lethal voltages are present in house wiring. Disconnect power at the circuit breaker if possible. If a test is performed on energized wiring, great care must be taken to touch the wiring only with insulated measurement probes.
Things You'll Need
- 3-prong receptacle tester
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