Outlet not working

[Geo422]

Hi I have a breaker box with none of breakers mark in box.
My outlet to the microwave has stop working .
I swap out the plug for a new one still not working none of the breakers has trip.
I assume a breaker can go bad without tripping.
So is there some way to locate the breaker ?
With no power.

 

[Breplum]

first, look for GFIs anywhere that might be tripped, though, it should be on a dedicated circuit

 

[Sponsor]

 

[John Gayewski]

It's not very often a breaker goes bad, but it can happen.

You'll need to take the front cover of the break box off and do some testing.

This job is better suited for an electrician.

 

[Afjes]

Hi I have a breaker box with none of breakers mark in box.
My outlet to the microwave has stop working .
I swap out the plug for a new one still not working none of the breakers has trip.
I assume a breaker can go bad without tripping.
So is there some way to locate the breaker ?
With no power.

If there is no power going to the outlet then swapping out the receptacle will make no difference. But at least you have a new receptacle now.

#1 - check to be sure you don't have another breaker panel in the house. I have gone on calls and the home owner did not even know they had another sub panel somewhere in the house.

#2 - Many times when a breaker trips it is difficult to tell just by looking at them that they have tripped. Only a few select manufacturer's actually make a breaker with a window to show the breaker has tripped.

#3 - Go to each breaker in the panel (not the main breaker). Gently wiggle each breaker handle back and forth. If a breaker has tripped you will find far more play in the breaker handle. If you find one, push the breaker handle first all the way to the "off" position and then to the "on" position. Just pushing it to the "on" p;osition will not properly reset a breaker.

#4 - Since the microwave is located in the kitchen it is highly possible it may be on a GFCI protected circuit. The receptacle itself may not be a gFCI receptacle but one upstream from it may be protecting the circuit. Since GFCI receptacles should be tested monthly anyway reset all GFCIs in the kitchen and actualy resetting all in the house will not hurt either. Just because a GFCI receptacle protecting this circuit isnot in the kitchen itself does not mean it is not connected to this circuit. I have found GFCI receptacles in basements protecting r3eceptacles in the kithen and bathrooms.

Follow the above first before you go pulling out any more receptacles or taking the cover off of the breaker panel.

 

[Geo422]

It's not very often a breaker goes bad, but it can happen.

You'll need to take the front cover of the break box off and do some testing.

This job is better suited for an electrician.

It's not very often a breaker goes bad, but it can happen.

You'll need to take the front cover of the break box off and do some testing.

This job is better suited for an

 

[Geo422]

Can a tone generator be used to locate the breaker. I have check and done all the above item

first, look for GFIs anywhere that might be tripped, though, it should be on a dedicated circuit

thanks I have done all of that.
Can a tone generator be used to located the breaker?

 

[Afjes]

Do you have a meter to use if needed?

Did you also follow all of my steps in post #4? I am willing to bet it is a tripped GFCI somewhere. Look for all GFCIs no matter where they are and reset them all. With the very tip of your finger press the "test" button and then the "reset" button on all of them. Even check under your kitchen sink if you have a garbage disposal or dishwasher etc. Look everywhere for a gFCi that may be tripped and double check the breaker panel for a tripped breaker following my instructions in post #4.

If you are abolutely sure no tripped GFCIs or tripped breaker report back and we will take it from there.

 

[Geo422]

Do you have a meter to use if needed?

Did you also follow all of my steps in post #4? I am willing to bet it is a tripped GFCI somewhere. Look for all GFCIs no matter where they are and reset them all. With the very tip of your finger press the "test" button and then the "reset" button on all of them. Even check under your kitchen sink if you have a garbage disposal or dishwasher etc. Look everywhere for a gFCi that may be tripped and double check the breaker panel for a tripped breaker following my instructions in post #4.

If you are abolutely sure no tripped GFCIs or tripped breaker report back and we will take it from there.

Will do

 

[WorthFlorida]

You changed the outlet, no sparks, it's a trip a GFCI. If. No GFCI. I've seen breakers trip but the level doesn't move to the tripped position usually because of corrosion In a damp basement. At each breaker switch them to off position then to the on.

 

[Geo422]

Do you have a meter to use if needed?

Did you also follow all of my steps in post #4? I am willing to bet it is a tripped GFCI somewhere. Look for all GFCIs no matter where they are and reset them all. With the very tip of your finger press the "test" button and then the "reset" button on all of them. Even check under your kitchen sink if you have a garbage disposal or dishwasher etc. Look everywhere for a gFCi that may be tripped and double check the breaker panel for a tripped breaker following my instructions in post #4.

If you are abolutely sure no tripped GFCIs or tripped breaker report back and we will take it from there.

I check no GFCI tripped, I flipped each breaker breaker off and on. Still no power.

 

[WorthFlorida]

Between the outlet and the breaker, is there another outlet that daisy chain other outlet. Sure there is no wall switch somewhere?

 

[LLigetfa]

I swap out the plug for a new one still not working

First off, if the outlet was suspect, would you not check for voltage on the wires feeding it? If there is no voltage, why swap it out?

There are tone generating "breaker finders" that might help. Some of them have sensitivity adjustments to even trace the wire route. Some cheap units get their power from the circuit under test so obviously those would not work on a dead circuit. A general purpose tone generator can be used provided it is not subjected to voltage it is not designed for.

 

[Afjes]

Geo422: Is this a built in micro (under cabinet) or a kitchen counter top micro?

If you checked ALL!!! GFCIs in the house and tested them and they all work then not a GFCI issue.

If this is a built in micro then it should be a dedicated circuit meaning no other receptacle on this circuit just the one receptacle for micro.

If you checked all the breakers carefully and none are tripped then are you sure you do not have another breaker panel in the house somewhere? I've had several calls and the home owner did not even know they had another breaker panel in the house.

If you checked all breakers and none are tripped and you do not have another breaker panel in the house you now have to take a meter and measure voltage on each breaker in the panel. Take one probe to the hot screw on the breaker and the other to the neutral or ground bar. Do this on all single pole breakers. Each one should read 120volts or there abouts.

Worthflorida post #11 is asking to check a receptacle prior to this receptacle. Are there any other receptacles that do not have power? If there are it could be a receptacle upstream of this one.

As mentioned if you changed out this receptacle without shutting off a breaker then there is no power going to this receptacle as more than likely if there was power going to it you would have sparked out (dead short) or got a bit of a shock swapping out the receptacle.

One more time, double check all GFCIs in the house and test them all. Press the test button and then the reset button. If one of them does not react (you don't hear a click) then there is an issue with the GFCI.

If no breaker is tripped, no GFCI tripped and no other receptacles are dead on this circuit your next step should be to look for a junction box somewhere maybe in the basement that feeds this receptacle.

But I would highly suggest you double check all the breakers in any panel in the house to be sure none are tripped, double check all GFCIs, make sure no other receptacles are dead, check for a junction box prior to this receptacle, measure voltage on all breakers since they are not marked, another breaker panel in the house. If there is a tripped breaker or GFCI or above suggestions going in another direction will do nothing other than be "a cat chasing it's tail"

 

[Fitter30]

Open all switch and receptacle covers in the room and room next to the switch in a back to back room. Probably lost the neutral. Pull them look for a burnt wire or device put wires under the screws nor the stab ins from the back