Your Resident Electrician for all your electrical questions!

Bashful664

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 1, 2018
Messages
5
Reaction score
0
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I can't help with the double post, but what electrical issue are you having? ;)


:p

Okay, so my house is old and wired crazy. My downstairs bedroom, one upstairs bedroom and half of my dining room and outdoor closet are all on one breaker. Of that, only the upstairs bedroom and two of my the outlets are working in my downstairs room. I've replaced the outlets in the closet, the dining room where our fish tank will go and the one outlet in my room, no change. I'm guessing it's one of the other two outlets in the downstairs bedroom causing power not to pass through, and really hoping it's not the wire. I'm scared to touch the only two outlets in this room that work because without them i have big problems. What are your thoughts? Thanks for any tips you can give me!:)
 

Bashful664

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 1, 2018
Messages
5
Reaction score
0
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Also, I thought I'd add I put GFCI outlets in. They were old two prong outlets except for one of them.
 

Brew12

Electrical Gru
View Badges
Joined
Aug 14, 2016
Messages
22,488
Reaction score
61,020
Location
Decatur, AL
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
:p

Okay, so my house is old and wired crazy. My downstairs bedroom, one upstairs bedroom and half of my dining room and outdoor closet are all on one breaker. Of that, only the upstairs bedroom and two of my the outlets are working in my downstairs room. I've replaced the outlets in the closet, the dining room where our fish tank will go and the one outlet in my room, no change. I'm guessing it's one of the other two outlets in the downstairs bedroom causing power not to pass through, and really hoping it's not the wire. I'm scared to touch the only two outlets in this room that work because without them i have big problems. What are your thoughts? Thanks for any tips you can give me!:)
That can be a challenge. Normally electricians will wire a house from the distribution panel outwards. If it is a problem with a receptacle it will either be with the last one in the string that works, or the first one that doesn't work.

Do you have a voltmeter?

Also, I thought I'd add I put GFCI outlets in. They were old two prong outlets except for one of them.
Adding GFCI's is a good idea, even if your home doesn't have ground wires. The GFCI will still work but you won't get any benefit from running a ground probe in your tank. The GFCI receptacles should come with a sticker indicating that the receptacle ground is not connected. Make sure you put that on the outlet cover so no one thinks it is a properly installed 3 prong outlet.
 

Turbo's Aquatics

Super Duper Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 7, 2011
Messages
2,799
Reaction score
4,022
Location
West Des Moines, IA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
You need to definitely check all the receptacles with a voltmeter. Could be many things here - loose wire, switch inserted in a strange place, bad receptacle (where power makes it to the line side, but doesn't pass through to the load side)...
 

Bashful664

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 1, 2018
Messages
5
Reaction score
0
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
That can be a challenge. Normally electricians will wire a house from the distribution panel outwards. If it is a problem with a receptacle it will either be with the last one in the string that works, or the first one that doesn't work.

Do you have a voltmeter?


Adding GFCI's is a good idea, even if your home doesn't have ground wires. The GFCI will still work but you won't get any benefit from running a ground probe in your tank. The GFCI receptacles should come with a sticker indicating that the receptacle ground is not connected. Make sure you put that on the outlet cover so no one thinks it is a properly installed 3 prong outlet.

I think I had one but I don't think I've seen it in awhile. I don't know the order the receptacles were wired but since I've replaced all of the ones that don't work, then I guess I should get brave and try replacing the ones that work. I do have one of the receptacles for the tank that does have a ground, thinking they did that because it's next in line to the outdoor receptacle.
 

Brew12

Electrical Gru
View Badges
Joined
Aug 14, 2016
Messages
22,488
Reaction score
61,020
Location
Decatur, AL
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I think I had one but I don't think I've seen it in awhile. I don't know the order the receptacles were wired but since I've replaced all of the ones that don't work, then I guess I should get brave and try replacing the ones that work. I do have one of the receptacles for the tank that does have a ground, thinking they did that because it's next in line to the outdoor receptacle.
Are you sure that it has a ground wire attached to it?

Using a voltmeter would make figuring out the issue much easier. It would let us rule out a few possible issues.
 

Bradley Keck

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 6, 2017
Messages
290
Reaction score
232
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I made a really stupid mistake while trying to tidy up my wiring for my Kessils. I accidently cut the power supply cord that runs to the kessil light. Can this be spliced or will I have to get a new one? Thanks!
 

Brew12

Electrical Gru
View Badges
Joined
Aug 14, 2016
Messages
22,488
Reaction score
61,020
Location
Decatur, AL
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I made a really stupid mistake while trying to tidy up my wiring for my Kessils. I accidently cut the power supply cord that runs to the kessil light. Can this be spliced or will I have to get a new one? Thanks!

It can be spliced, just make sure you do a quality job with it.
 

rc8t6353

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 12, 2015
Messages
253
Reaction score
223
Location
NWI
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I just installed a brs retrofit kit in my canopy. Its a two bulb kit. The lfs only had one aquablue+ bulb so I bought it. When I plug in the kit one side of the bulb comes on for a few seconds then shuts off. I double checked the wiring and it seems ok. Is it because I only have one bulb or something else. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.
 

Logan A.

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 5, 2018
Messages
138
Reaction score
84
Location
Chubbuck, ID
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Ok so I have my aquarium in the basement not that it matters lol anyway how do I hook up an inverter into one of the wall sockets and make it auto switching for uninterrupted battery backup? I don't want to mess with anything as far as whole house circutry goes if that makes sense I just want something simple. Thanks in advance!
 

JRA8688

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 27, 2017
Messages
76
Reaction score
17
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
What would be the easiest way to isolate a single outlet onto a single 20amp breaker. Outlet in the living room, breaker in the garage. Currently, all outlets in the living room and one in the unfinished basement on a single 15 amp. Will be setting up a 150 system and want to isolate itd power source on a dedicated 20amp.
 

JROD79

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 7, 2018
Messages
59
Reaction score
14
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Ok so I have my aquarium in the basement not that it matters lol anyway how do I hook up an inverter into one of the wall sockets and make it auto switching for uninterrupted battery backup? I don't want to mess with anything as far as whole house circutry goes if that makes sense I just want something simple. Thanks in advance!
Use a UPS for a computer. It will buy you some time. You really need a generator for a long haul
 

JROD79

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 7, 2018
Messages
59
Reaction score
14
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
What would be the easiest way to isolate a single outlet onto a single 20amp breaker. Outlet in the living room, breaker in the garage. Currently, all outlets in the living room and one in the unfinished basement on a single 15 amp. Will be setting up a 150 system and want to isolate itd power source on a dedicated 20amp.
Run a new line. Then install a dedicated outlet for your tank. That is the only way to isolate your tank.
 

Logan A.

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 5, 2018
Messages
138
Reaction score
84
Location
Chubbuck, ID
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Use a UPS for a computer. It will buy you some time. You really need a generator for a long haul
The UPS units I've looked at, at a reasonable price, would afford like 10 minutes... Am I missing something maybe shoot me a link on Amazon of what you are talking about.
 

JROD79

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 7, 2018
Messages
59
Reaction score
14
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
The UPS units I've looked at, at a reasonable price, would afford like 10 minutes... Am I missing something maybe shoot me a link on Amazon of what you are talking about.
They are very expensive. You really need a decent generator that puts off a decent sine wave. That way your not compromising your equipment when the generator is bieng used.
 

Logan A.

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 5, 2018
Messages
138
Reaction score
84
Location
Chubbuck, ID
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
They are very expensive. You really need a decent generator that puts off a decent sine wave. That way your not compromising your equipment when the generator is bieng used.
I have looked at the generators at harbor freight would something like that work? What can I say im...frugal lol.
 

JROD79

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 7, 2018
Messages
59
Reaction score
14
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
The UPS units I've looked at, at a reasonable price, would afford like 10 minutes... Am I missing something maybe shoot me a link on Amazon of what you are talking about.
Even building your own UPS is expensive not to mention the maintaince on the batteries. I personally dont think its worth it.
For about 3 grand plus installation you could have an 11kw automatic generator that would turn on as soon as power is lost. Then will shut off when power is restored.
 

JROD79

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 7, 2018
Messages
59
Reaction score
14
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have looked at the generators at harbor freight would something like that work? What can I say im...frugal lol.
I wouldnt. I would go for a well known name like generac or something at minimum. You get what you pay for.
 

JROD79

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 7, 2018
Messages
59
Reaction score
14
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
You can pick up a 5500 watt for about 5 to 6 hundred. Plenty of power for your tank
 
Back
Top