Why only half my circuit breakers work?

Dennis H

While installing and wiring some new circuit breakers I accidentally touched a bare/ground wire to a "hot" metal strip in the sub-panel breaker box (installed by a licensed electrician). A big spark happened and one breaker popped. I turned all power off to this breaker sub-panel and then restored power. Now I only get power from every other breaker in the panel, on both sides. Why is this? I reset every GFIC outlet I can find but that did not help. I also purchased some new circuit breakers but they don't work in these dead slots either. I'm really puzzled and everything else works fine but now I have breakers separated by empty slots and my hot wire lengths are wrong!

oh'mike

You blew one leg of you oncoming power---using your tester--see if there is power on both incoming lines to the main breaker---should read 110 to ground and 220 power cable to power cable.

If you have both incoming powers the main breaker did not reset---

If you only have one power leg working---go outside and see if you have a disconnect at the meter or pole---pull the disconnect and see if there is a cartridge fuse in there that is blown---use you tester.

If you tell me you don't own a tester---I will bawl you out soundly!---Mike---

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oh'mike

I just re read this---you tripped the breaker in the main box that is powering the sub panel---re set that--test both legs for power---

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