[terry9]

video explaining problem.

this is a eaton cutler hammer circuit breaker.

The house was built in 1969 but the breaker was upgraded to this eaton 9 years ago when i bought it. House uses mostly older outlets that are 2 prong, not 3 prong.

HOuse does not have an attic, more like a crawl space. There are some squirrels nesting up there.

Lost power in several parts of the house last night. Washer dryer was on, lights flickered once, then lost power.

Checked and replaced 4 circuits (BTW....these were not tripped) which did not solve the problem. With main power on, i checked voltage and can see that no power is getting to those 4 circuits.....all of those i had just replaced.

that is where the problem is.

Tracing wires from dead circuit shows each of those circuits goes to different wires up into the house.

The house only has 1 GFCI outlet that I put into a bathroom 5 years ago. It has nothing plugged into it... does not click when i try to reset it but........tell me if i'm correct.........it would not click if there is no power to that area.....which is the case, as there's no power to that circuit.

washer dryer does not seem to have a gfci switch. what could be causing multiple circuits to have no power? What possible problems could that be and how should i start to troubleshoot and fix it?

thanks for any help

 

[hkstroud]

Turn main breakers OFF then turn back ON.

 

[longdrive]

Looks like an open leg, but that would also affect the circuits on same leg above those breakers. Use a meter to check voltage at main lugs and bussing.

 

[surferdude2]

I kept trying to move the camera up to the feeders and hoping you would check those with your sensor. As other have intimated, you likely have one phase that is open for some reason. If the feeders are aluminum, the wire may have voltage but the bus it connects to may be dead. That sometimes happens due to corrosion. You can't work on that without having the power shut off if the feeder are directly connected to the bus bars.

Show us a picture of the top area of the panel.

SD2

 

[terry9]

Turn main breakers OFF then turn back ON.

did that and it did not solve the problem.

 

[terry9]

Looks like an open leg, but that would also affect the circuits on same leg above those breakers. Use a meter to check voltage at main lugs and bussing.

I'll research and learn how to check voltage and get back with you and what i find.

thanks

 

[Wiredindallas]

Check for power on the 2 lines to the main. For sure looking 1 phase to the entire panel. Could even be outside going to the meter or on the transformer. If nothing entering the panel main, call the power company.

 

[terry9]

I kept trying to move the camera up to the feeders and hoping you would check those with your sensor. As other have intimated, you likely have one phase that is open for some reason. If the feeders are aluminum, the wire may have voltage but the bus it connects to may be dead. That sometimes happens due to corrosion. You can't work on that without having the power shut off if the feeder are directly connected to the bus bars.

Show us a picture of the top area of the panel.

SD2

sorry images are upside down

here are some pictures.......blue tape shows lines that are connected to the circuits with no power...........thanks for any help

 

[surferdude2]

Check for power on the feeders I have circled using your non-contact tester.

 

[Wiredindallas]

Is there another panel at the meter? Check for power at both wires of the big gray wire to the main breaker

 

[terry9]

Check for power on the feeders I have circled using your non-contact tester.

non contact tester shows no power to the second wire (which would be the one on the right that you have circled)

what does that mean?

 

[surferdude2]

Look out by the meter for any other disconnect box that is user accessible. If there is none there, you are in luck, the power company will fix this problem at no cost to you since it's their equipment that has failed.

SD2

 

[terry9]

Look out by the meter for any other disconnect box that is user accessible. If there is none there, you are in luck, the power company will fix this problem at no cost to you since it's their equipment that has failed.

SD2

does not seem to be any other box connected out by the meter.

So i just need to contact the power company and tell them that "1 phase of the circuit breaker panel is out" ??

thanks again

 

[surferdude2]

yes, that's exactly what to say.

Good luck and Happy New Year!

SD2

 

[terry9]

yes, that's exactly what to say.

Good luck and Happy New Year!

SD2

Thank you for your help surferdude2 and everyone else that has steered me with troubleshooting.

Happy New year to you all.

 

[dmxtothemax]

 

[zhawkeye]

In the video it appeared to me that two of the breakers were on one phase while the other two were on the second phase...was this not correct?
If different phases, are you sure the breakers are correct for your panel?...if not, they just may not be contacting the bus bar...

 

[zhawkeye]

...or, they may not be clipped in correctly...(please forgive me if I'm insulting your intelligence...I really don't mean to do that...)

 

[terry9]

BTW... I see this is a 1 phase circuit breaker panel... Not a 3 phase.

This is the box.

https://m.platt.com/Products.aspx?pid=269950

Does that change anything as to the prognosis?

 

[terry9]

In the video it appeared to me that two of the breakers were on one phase while the other two were on the second phase...was this not correct?
If different phases, are you sure the breakers are correct for your panel?...if not, they just may not be contacting the bus bar...

I see this is a 1 phase circuit breaker panel... Not a 3 phase.

This is the actual box.

https://m.platt.com/Products.aspx?pid=269950

Does that change anything as to the prognosis?