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vette1966

utility closet light sanfu

11 years ago

The light in the utility closet stopped working.
I have 0 volts - black wire to gnd, 0 volts black wire to white wire.
I have 0 volts - white wire to gnd.
There is no power / voltage going to the box!

Everything else in the house works. I reset all circuit breakers & gnd fault duplex - still not voltage in box. How to I trace the wires to the box upstream that feeds this box?

I purchased a circuit tracer from HF & used it as directed w/o help.

Where do I go from here?

Thanks!
Andy

Comments (5)

  • 11 years ago

    Is the light a pull chain fixture or controlled by a wall switch? If it is switched, have you checked for power to the switch? Have you been crawling around in the attic getting out christmas decorations?

  • 11 years ago

    In similar situations I have almost always found the problem to be a bad connection in a nearby back-stab receptacle, or it could be a back-stab switch. Sometimes just the action of extending the device from the j-box will restore the internal conductivity, but I replace it anyway. Finding the culprit is a matter of guesswork.
    Back-stab devices are connected by inserting the stripped wire into a hole where it is retained by a spring clip. Deposits can build up over time on contact points and conductivity is lost.
    YMMV

  • 11 years ago

    Thanks for the help!
    The switch testes good!
    The problem is no power to the box.
    The electrician used the screws not the push in connector for the receptacle & switches.
    However, I am in the painful process of checking all nearby boxes for an open.

    I am seeking an elegant way to troubleshoot this problem w/ a circuit tracker. I am OK spending $125 for a tool to solve this problem. I want to connect this infamous tool to the hot & neutral ��" transmitter & use a receiver to identify the box that contains the open. Where am I going wrong?

    Thanks!
    Andy

  • 11 years ago

    Does the switch test out ok because you have power moving through it, or did you test it in a de-energized state and use a continuity tester? If it's a single pole switch and power is moving through it and the fixture is the only thing controlled by that switch then the interruption may be happening in a buried splice or box. A change in the closet door opening or a new ceiling may be the reason for the burial, but it shouldn't be inaccessible under any circumstances.

  • 11 years ago

    The switch checked good w/ an ohm meter. There is 0 volts going to the box before the switch. Still have not located the problem.
    Thanks!
    Andy