Electrical Help -- my lights wont turn on..

**LiveDose** · 12-05-2006, 11:09 PM

There could be a blown fuse in the breaker box.

**AaronM** · 12-05-2006, 11:11 PM

Do you have GFI circuits on ANY of the outlets in your home? They are most common in bathrooms and such. A single GFI can be triggered instead of blowing a breaker or fuse and that will wipe out all power on that circuit.

My bathroom lights will work but if the downstairs bathroom GFI is tripped then the outlets in my upstairs bathroom don't work.

If you have GFI outlets, press the reset button on ALL of them and see if that helps.

**DatingGold** · 12-05-2006, 11:12 PM

Normally they don't control this much stuff but a GFI switch. Or you might have a sub panel somewhere. Either way be careful with electricity.

**fuzzylogic** · 12-05-2006, 11:13 PM

Originally posted by LiveDose

There could be a blown fuse in the breaker box.

ohhh...
1st, there is no lable for "bathrooms"
2nd, how could i confirm that and/or fix it?
3rd, nothing electrical was being used in those rooms during the timeframe this event occured. isn't a large power draw a prerequisite for blowing a fuse?

**PMdave** · 12-05-2006, 11:15 PM

nevermind...

**rowan** · 12-05-2006, 11:15 PM

Originally posted by fuzzylogic

3rd, nothing electrical was being used in those rooms during the timeframe this event occured. isn't a large power draw a prerequisite for blowing a fuse?

Could have been an internal short. Best call in a professional to have a look at it.

**After Shock Media** · 12-05-2006, 11:15 PM

You have broken the circuit, and no not the one in the panel.

Somewhere between the switch and the last device on that circuit that is not working a wire has either broken or most likely came loose.

Hate to say this but this is a process of elimination. To do it yourself you will need a voltage detector. Start with the switch (which is most likely the issue), remove the cover and check. Proceed to each device.

Most likely though a wire has come loose around the switch, or the switch itself has gone bad.

If you are not sure if it is the fuse box or not, that also can be checked with the voltage detector.

If you are even semi afraid of electricity, hire a pro and expect to pay the hourly rate plus the service call. They should get it fixed within the first 20 minutes or so of the service call. So around here that would be like 90.00

**Bro Media - BANNED FOR LIFE** · 12-05-2006, 11:15 PM

pay your electrical bill?

**fuzzylogic** · 12-05-2006, 11:16 PM

Originally posted by AaronM

Do you have GFI circuits on ANY of the outlets in your home? They are most common in bathrooms and such. A single GFI can be triggered instead of blowing a breaker or fuse and that will wipe out all power on that circuit.

My bathroom lights will work but if the downstairs bathroom GFI is tripped then the outlets in my upstairs bathroom don't work.

If you have GFI outlets, press the reset button on ALL of them and see if that helps.

i do not have a red "reset" button on the outlets in the bathrooms, or on any outlet for that matter.
i used to live in an apartment that had those.

**PMdave** · 12-05-2006, 11:21 PM

Originally posted by After Shock Media

You have broken the circuit, and no not the one in the panel.

Somewhere between the switch and the last device on that circuit that is not working a wire has either broken or most likely came loose.

Uhm that could be true if they were connected serial ( I even don't know if that's correct english. Dutchies help me out here: seriele schakeling en parallele schakeling). But normal houses have lights and stuff on parallel circuits.

**After Shock Media** · 12-05-2006, 11:24 PM

Originally posted by PMdave

Uhm that could be true if they were connected serial ( I even don't know if that's correct english. Dutchies help me out here: seriele schakeling en parallele schakeling). But normal houses have lights and stuff on parallel circuits.

I dont know. I live in California in an older house. Had it happen to me. One outlet was loose and lost all the power on one circuit. Everything else worked except what was on that particular circuit.

**fuzzylogic** · 12-05-2006, 11:27 PM

Originally posted by After Shock Media

I dont know. I live in California in an older house. Had it happen to me. One outlet was loose and lost all the power on one circuit. Everything else worked except what was on that particular circuit.

i agree with at concept. that is what happened here. the lights and fans in three different bathrooms have all stopped working, but everything else works.

it's kinda weird...
the circuit breaker shows nothing tripped.

**ExtremeBank_Adam** · 12-05-2006, 11:29 PM

Originally posted by fuzzylogic

i do not have a red "reset" button on the outlets in the bathrooms, or on any outlet for that matter.
i used to live in an apartment that had those.

Check outside, too.

**HeadPimp** · 12-05-2006, 11:29 PM

Had a similar thing happen to me at my last house. I walked into the hallway and half of a circuit went dead. Turns out that whoever wired the house back in 1956 was in a hurry and had not put the junctions in boxes, or even connected the wires right. Evenetually they expanded and contracted enough that they no longer made a connection.

Call a pro, you will save a lot of headache in the end, and probably have a safer house for it as well. You can never tell what sort of dicked up wiring you might have in your home!

**Pleasurepays** · 12-05-2006, 11:33 PM

Thread 5 years from now; "Hey, anyone remember that guy who got electrocuted because he was listening to people on GFY"

**After Shock Media** · 12-05-2006, 11:35 PM

Originally posted by Pleasurepays

Thread 5 years from now; "Hey, anyone remember that guy who got electrocuted because he was listening to people on GFY"

Hey I clearly said if he is even semi afraid of electricity, call someone.

**Pleasurepays** · 12-05-2006, 11:44 PM

Originally posted by After Shock Media

Hey I clearly said if he is even semi afraid of electricity, call someone.

and that makes perfect sense ... being that electricity can sense fear.

**fuzzylogic** · 12-06-2006, 12:39 AM

Originally posted by After Shock Media

Hey I clearly said if he is even semi afraid of electricity, call someone.

i heed ur advice

Electrical Help -- my lights wont turn on..

Electrical Help -- my lights wont turn on..

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