raff
New Member
Does anyone else hate it when you get a short, and don't know how to troubleshoot and find out where the problem is occurring? or is it just me...
Electrical shorts
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FullySprinklered
In the Trades
It ain't just you. If the work was properly done in the first place, it's easier to find the problem and fix it.
Today I did some work on a screen porch where the siding people dealt with the lights and switches, supposedly putting things back right. Biggest no-talent peckerwood custerflock mess you ever saw. 3.5 inch sheetrock screws through the coverplates and switches into the hardiplank siding. Shoot me in the head. I hate going behind bad work.
Today I did some work on a screen porch where the siding people dealt with the lights and switches, supposedly putting things back right. Biggest no-talent peckerwood custerflock mess you ever saw. 3.5 inch sheetrock screws through the coverplates and switches into the hardiplank siding. Shoot me in the head. I hate going behind bad work.
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Jadnashua
Retired Defense Industry Engineer xxx
You must first try to attack things logically. Was there any recent work done? Such as, maybe hanging a picture (poking a nail through a wire), any remodeling, any signs of cracks or water. Do you smell anything burnt? Many electrical things have a distinct smell, and that can lead you to the problem. Visually examine any of the wiring at say a box or fixture for evidence of arcing or heat damage, or contacts making a connection where they shouldn't be.
If those don't work to find the problem, you have to 'break' the chain from the source through all of the subsequent boxes until you can isolate the point where things work, to where they fail when you add those things downstream. Now, tracing the path of all of the wiring can be problematic, but there are devices you can buy to help with that...plug or attach a transmitter, then use a receiver to find where the wire goes. Proper use of one of those can guide you along the wiring's path. Worst case, once you've isolated the errant branch, you could run a new lead to it, bypassing the current section that has a problem.
If those don't work to find the problem, you have to 'break' the chain from the source through all of the subsequent boxes until you can isolate the point where things work, to where they fail when you add those things downstream. Now, tracing the path of all of the wiring can be problematic, but there are devices you can buy to help with that...plug or attach a transmitter, then use a receiver to find where the wire goes. Proper use of one of those can guide you along the wiring's path. Worst case, once you've isolated the errant branch, you could run a new lead to it, bypassing the current section that has a problem.
Cacher_Chick
Test, Don't Guess!
A "short" is an undesired connection between the hot and neutral or hot and ground. The hard part in locating such a fault is not knowing where the circuit wiring is within the structure. Once it is known what devices the circuit is wired to, it becomes much easier to locate most problems.
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