In this article, we’ll discuss why sometimes we have no power in the outlet and the breaker is not tripped. Even the rest of the sockets and outlets are running perfectly.
Suppose you are in a mode to watch a TV program, and upon connecting the TV plug to a socket in the room, it stays black. Now, what’s the first step that you’ll take?
Well, you’ll check the socket with a tester, and then you’ll know that there is no power in the socket. After making sure that there is no issue with the TV itself, you should check the rest of the sockets in your room.
If there is no power anywhere in the room or full house, then immediately check the circuit breaker. If it’s tripped, turn it on, and you are good to go!
But what if the breaker is not tripped and there is no power in the outlet breaker?
If the breaker is not tripped and you aren’t getting power at all outlets, then check if the breaker for that particular room is correctly installed in the panel or not.
If it’s installed properly, then there could be any one of the following problems that are stopping the power from reaching that outlet:
- Check the fuse connection in that particular room. If it’s blown off due to high current, then immediately replace it with a new one, and the power will get back to normal!
- Another possible cause of having no power in the outlet is the internal switch of the GFCI. What a GFCI does is control the flow of current in the wiring of your room.
- If it’s a GFCI that has cut off the current flow by saving your circuit breaker and the rest of the home wiring, then look for any ground faults inside that particular room or socket. Never reset the GFCI outlet without troubleshooting the ground faults, as it may lead you to further trouble.
- Let’s say your circuit breaker hasn’t tripped, the fuse hasn’t blown, and the GFCI outlet is also working normally. Still, if you are facing a power outage only in that outlet, then there is a fault in the outlet itself. It means you’ll have to take a screwdriver and open up the wall outlet to check for wires. If they are properly connected, then make the connection right.
If there is a need to replace the outlet, then take the necessary precautions while connecting the wires to the socket. With one wrong connection, you may end up blowing up the whole wiring inside your house. So, be cautious!
If you don’t have enough experience, hire a professional to do the job for you!
Electrical outlets are not working on one wall.
Sometimes we have to face the issue that sockets and outlets on only one wall don’t work. First of all, make sure that if any of these sockets have a GFI, then immediately reset them by pressing the reset button on them. But, before doing that, look out for ground faults nearby or get them checked by an electrician.
If the GFI is working fine, then make sure that all the outlets on the other walls are working fine. There shouldn’t be any fault in the GFI that is stopping the current from flowing further. Also, carefully inspect that no outlets have a loose connection or loose wire.
Now that you are sure that there are problems with the sockets on one wall only, check all the outlets on that particular wall individually.
If one of the outlets on the wall is damaged or has loosened its connection, then you’ve found the culprit. It could be blocking the current flowing to the rest of the outlets. It might be short-circuited and now drawing more current than required, and this unbalance is resulting in a power outage on the rest of the walls.
You should identify that particular faulty outlet, which can be the first in a row of walls, most likely. Fix the connections of the faulty outlet with the help of a screwdriver.
There might be a case where the whole outlet itself burns out due to a short circuit or overloading. In that case, simply remove it and install a new one. That will restore the supply of electricity to all the sockets on the wall.
FAQs:
Can outlets go bad?
Yes, electrical outlets can go bad. With the passage of time, nearly all electrical outlets lose their efficiency and, at some point, stop working. Moreover, short-circuiting, overloading, or any other serious issue can lead to their direct failure.
Can electrical outlets be painted?
Yes, you can paint the electrical outlets. But first, try to pull them off of the wall by removing the electricity wires powering the outlet. Now, you can paint the outlets and place them to dry in open air or sunlight. After you feel the paint has dried up, connect them again to the wall. Never paint an outlet with power flowing through it.
Final Thoughts!
In this article, I have discussed the basic issues that can stop the power from flowing to an outlet even when the breaker is properly working. Also, I’ve listed how you should proceed step-by-step to find the actual cause. Later, I’ll list a few solutions to overcome this issue of having no power to an outlet with a breaker that has not tripped.
Lastly, I would like to say that you should always consider your safety first. If you are inexperienced with electrical appliances, then don’t ever try to fix the issue yourself. In the absence of any expert guidance, you may end up making the matter worse.
Always try to figure out the possible issue with a calm mind with the help of a professional electrician. Also, continuously check the status of the wiring in your home with the passage of time and replace it when you realize it is close to its expiration date.