What did I do to fawk up the plugs in my garage?

[Zack1978]

yes and yes, did you check all the unlabeled breakers and check to see if the labeled garage breaker was any good? btw, what size breaker did he have in there?

Ok, the breaker is a 15amp part. I flipped all the breakers, and that didn't help. I will try to get a new breaker first, it can't cost that much?

Zack

 

[fsusteve]

Ok, the breaker is a 15amp part. I flipped all the breakers, and that didn't help. I will try to get a new breaker first, it can't cost that much?

Zack

if you follow Capt. Jim's instructions it will isolate a bad breaker, may save you trip for now.

 

[TomH]

Possible you fried the first outlet and the remaining three are connected to that one. You could pull the suspect outlet and isolate it from the circuit and see if the other three work (or just check it with a multimeter).

 

[fzj80kidpen]

x2 - you got a lose wire in one of those outlet or one of the sides is contacting a nail or something silly like that. Go the breaker you first noticed or messed with last. Especially if it is shaky or wiggly. It is very rare to fry a breaker.

 

[White Shark]

I've replaced cooked breakers, but it's a pretty rare thing as stated above.

I have to agree with the tripped GFCI receptacle in the laundry room or bathroom scenario. The cooked receptacle idea has merit too.

I would test the breaker in the panel with an electrical tester. I use a Klein Wiggy. A multi-tester would do the trick too.

Wiggy

If the breaker is good, then just work your way down the circuit path and you'll find the problem soon enough.


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[treerootCO]

The new breakers in my panel/subpanel need to be reset when tripped. It was odd for me at first but it makes sense now. Off is not really off. Flip the breaker off and back on.

I had an extension cord burn when my old cat pissed on it and the breaker did not trip. I came home and the entire house was filled with smoke and there was a burn mark up the wall about three feet high. The plug burned long enough to burn about 1/2" into the oak floor.

 

[Zack1978]

I've replaced cooked breakers, but it's a pretty rare thing as stated above.

I have to agree with the tripped GFCI receptacle in the laundry room or bathroom scenario. The cooked receptacle idea has merit too.

I would test the breaker in the panel with an electrical tester. I use a Klein Wiggy. A multi-tester would do the trick too.

Wiggy

If the breaker is good, then just work your way down the circuit path and you'll find the problem soon enough.


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The original builder was VERY shady and there is no GFI anywhere. Ok so I will start with changing the plug itself. If the plug is done will it only cook the one plug or might it have taken out all 4? So it is rare to have killed the actual breaker?

Thanks,
Zack

 

[Capt. Jim]

Check for power before you start parts-changing. Check the terminal screw on the breaker first, then work your way through the daisy-chain of outlets in your garage. Test the wires themselves, not the outlets. I find it hard to believe all 4 outlets are bad.

 

[tucker74]

Check for power before you start parts-changing. Check the terminal screw on the breaker first, then work your way through the daisy-chain of outlets in your garage. Test the wires themselves, not the outlets. I find it hard to believe all 4 outlets are bad.

Bingo - test at the breaker first ... I'll bet you just burned the breaker with all those lights plus a fridge & freezer on a 15amp. GE breakers will trip w/o throwing the switch, but if you've tried reseting it I'm betting it needs replaced.

Tucker

 

[Zack1978]

Ok well I am a HUGE FAWKING DOPE! I went to Home Depot after school today and got 4 new plugs and 1 new breaker. I pulled the panel box apart and replaced the breaker, no good, the moved to replacing the plug, no good, so I figured I would go to the second plug closest to the panel box when I took the plug for my jump pack out I realized that the plug was in fact a GFI. So now I feel like such a dope because I was so sure that none of the plugs were GFI's!Thank God I didn't call in a Pro and look stupid in front of them.

On the positive side at least I know that I can change a breaker!

The dope,
Zack

 

[firetruck41]

Oh well, it was a cheap lesson to learn.

 

[Hugh Heifer]

The garage plugs should be GFI. The gfi breaker is not always located at the panel or in one of the garage outlets. Look for a GFI outlet in another outlet like a bathroom or outside outlet.

Is there a second GFCI that is controlling your outlets? Newer homes usually have a GFCI in the garage, how about one of the bathrooms? Push the test button on ALL GFCI's in your home. Generally 2 in the kitchen, one in a powder bath, one or two in the garage, check the master/secondary baths. There will usually be a GFCI in the master water closet if you have a powered Jacuzzi style bath. Any outside GFCI's like on the back patio??

I just checked, and there are no GFI breakers or plugs at all. But without the GFI, what do you think that I might have fawked up?
Zack

I have to agree with the tripped GFCI receptacle in the laundry room or bathroom scenario...

... and there is no GFI anywhere...
Thanks,
Zack

Ok well I am a HUGE FAWKING DOPE! I went to Home Depot after school today and got 4 new plugs and 1 new breaker. I pulled the panel box apart and replaced the breaker, no good, the moved to replacing the plug, no good, so I figured I would go to the second plug closest to the panel box when I took the plug for my jump pack out I realized that the plug was in fact a GFI. So now I feel like such a dope because I was so sure that none of the plugs were GFI's!Thank God I didn't call in a Pro and look stupid in front of them.

On the positive side at least I know that I can change a breaker!

The dope,
Zack

Just thought I would help you have the obvious restated!
It is nice to laugh at ourselves every so often isn't it?

 

[White Shark]

Don't feel too bad, I've seen hidden and nonexistent GFCI receptacles where none have ever existed before, magically appear before my trained eyes when others have been unable to find them.....many...many...times....


This is the door equivalent of a GFCI receptacle.... You only need the password of experience.

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