Receptacle help!

victor86 · 07-09-2011, 05:48 PM

I am currently replacing the receptacles in my home. Built in late 60s. Two of the wall receptacles are without power. I checked the main breakers and they are fine. The other receptacle in the room are working just fine. What do I do now? I've rewired the receptacles over and over and still no power. HELP PLEASE

Ron6519 · 07-09-2011, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by victor86

I am currently replacing the receptacles in my home. Built in late 60s. Two of the wall receptacles are without power. I checked the main breakers and they are fine. The other receptacle in the room are working just fine. What do I do now? I've rewired the receptacles over and over and still no power. HELP PLEASE

The feed to these outlets have been interrupted. You need to know everything that is on this circuit and trace the issue from the panel outward. It could be as simple as a broken wire.
You should look to the components on each side of the outlets as starting points.

victor86 · 07-09-2011, 07:43 PM

So do I open the panel box? Or check out the box on the attic? I apologize but im really bad with electrical terms

vsheetz · 07-09-2011, 07:47 PM

Did these outlets work before you changed them? If yes, look for what you may have miswired or disconnected. Is there a GFCI that could be tripped? Are the circuit breakers all ok?

victor86 · 07-09-2011, 07:52 PM

Yes they did work, they were old two hole receptacle. The wiring I have tried various ways of wiring them and still no power. The other two in the room are working just fine.

mpoulton · 07-09-2011, 08:56 PM

Are you replacing the old 2-prong receptacles with 3-prong receptacles? If so, how are you grounding them?

Some pics of this mysteriously nonfunctional receptacle might help figure out what the wiring problem is.

victor86 · 07-09-2011, 09:09 PM

Grounding them to the green bolt/nut/not sure of what it's called

mpoulton · 07-09-2011, 09:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by victor86

Grounding them to the green bolt/nut/not sure of what it's called

Yeah, but with what? Does the existing wiring have a good grounding conductor?

dmxtothemax · 07-09-2011, 09:26 PM

If there was definately power there before,
Then most likely there is a miswire,
Or possibly old brittle wires have been broken
just by moving them.
Remove the recepticule.
and place a test lamp
on the white and black wires.
Does it light up ?
If it does then it could only be a wrongly wired
recepticule.

Be real carefull,
Always safe !

victor86 · 07-09-2011, 09:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mpoulton

Yeah, but with what? Does the existing wiring have a good grounding conductor?

With a thin copper cable. If anyone has contact with a reliable Electrician here in Greensboro NC it would be much better.

Ron6519 · 07-09-2011, 11:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by victor86

With a thin copper cable. If anyone has contact with a reliable Electrician here in Greensboro NC it would be much better.

This is a simple job. Any local electrician should be able to clear it up in about 1/2 an hour.
If one of your friends or neighbors has a contact, I'd use that. If not, use the local Yellow Pages. Call a couple if your unsure of costs.

Tizzer · 07-10-2011, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by victor86

Yes they did work, they were old two hole receptacle. The wiring I have tried various ways of wiring them and still no power. The other two in the room are working just fine.

You may have screwed yourself by doing that. If you marked each wire to begin with, there was no need to go back and try various ways.
Per chance, is there a switch on the wall where the 'bad' ones are? Try one of these, they don't cost much.

Ron6519 · 07-10-2011, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tizzer

You may have screwed yourself by doing that. If you marked each wire to begin with, there was no need to go back and try various ways.
Per chance, is there a switch on the wall where the 'bad' ones are? Try one of these, they don't cost much.

I don't think the Op should do anything except dial a phone. The lack of any electrical knowledge is pretty obvious and the only thing he can do is injure or kill someone at this point.